Annual Report 2016-17
Contents
Message from our Chair ................................................................................... 3 Message from our Manager ............................................................................... 4 Highlights from our year .................................................................................. 5 Who we are .................................................................................................. 6 Your views on health and care .......................................................................... 8 Helping you find the answers ........................................................................... 14 Making a difference together ........................................................................... 16 It starts with you .......................................................................................... 22 Our plans for next year ................................................................................ 255 Our people ................................................................................................ 299 Our finances .............................................................................................. 344 Contact us ................................................................................................ 366
Healthwatch Plymouth
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Message from our Chair
After my second full year working with Healthwatch Plymouth it is an honour and a privilege to be part of the Healthwatch Network and a pleasure to be introducing the 2016/17 Annual Report. At Healthwatch Plymouth we base our understanding on how health and social care services are doing and how they should look to improve upon what we hear from the communities and people they serveThisis a simple but powerful concept. This annual Report summarises the activities of Healthwatch Plymouth during 2016 – 2017, our fourth year of operation. This year we believe we have further consolidated the momentum previously gathered in our role as consumer champion, ensuring that the voice of the public is represented in the provision, review and development of health and social care services across our great city. We have worked hard in our formative years in establishing our foundations and believe that we have become an Healthwatch Plymouth
established and respected part of the local health and social care environment. We are making a positive difference to the delivery and future planning of those services across the city of Plymouth, whilst maintaining an objective and independent stance at all times. We have continued to make progress in working collaboratively with other Healthwatch organisations and this has been typified in our contribution to the Devon Sustainability and Transformation Plan ( which we will look at more closely later in the report ) where we have worked closely with Healthwatch Devon and Healthwatch Torbay.
“We feel that in recognising that services in Plymouth do not, and should not, work in isolation and by contributing to the wider whole system our contribution can be more effective.” It remains for me to thank fellow Steering Group Members, the Staff Team and the Volunteers who are involved with us for all their hard work, commitment and team spirit. Lastly, but most certainly not the least, I would also like to thank the many, many people whose feedback on local Health and Social Care matters is at the heart of our work. We look forward to 2017 / 2018. Nick Pennell Healthwatch Plymouth Chair 3
Message from our Manager It seems like only yesterday that I was writing this section for last year’s report; 2016/17 has certainly been a busy year!
services. This
Healthwatch Plymouth is entering its fifth
elsewhere in this report.
year of operation and we have already witnessed great change across the health and social care landscape. Each year I find myself writing that ‘The next year promises even greater changes’ and this year is no exception.
continues to be a trend within experiences shared with us; you can read more about the work we have done in this area Although this year our income was significantly less than in previous years, we have continued a strong presence across the City at various locations,; allowing us to hear your experiences. With the integration of health and social care in
The local health economy is more
Plymouth and the Sustainability and
challenged than ever with phrases such as
Transformation Plan across Devon, hearing
‘do more for less’, ‘ageing population’ and
your voice is more important than ever.
financial deficit’ still regular headlines in both local and national media.
It’s YOUR VOICE that allows Healthwatch Plymouth to represent the patient view as
Yet despite this, we continue to hear
these strategies are developed. This will
about exceptional care delivered across
continue next year, as plans for Devon
our great City by inspirational individuals.
gather pace.
Although Healthwatch Plymouth gathers the
Our dedicated team, both staff and volunteers, who are passionate about involving local people in decisions about their health and social care services, enable us to do this. I am, as ever, hugely grateful to our volunteer team who give us many hours of their time and experience to help us to achieve our aims.
views of local people, we invariably speak with those delivering frontline care during the course of our work; individuals working in difficult times are continually striving to make every patient experience a positive one. Reflection Last year I commented upon the concern of
Karen Marcellino Healthwatch Plymouth Manager
local people regarding access to GP
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Highlights from our year This year we’ve reached over 130,000 people on social media.
Our volunteers help us with everything from data entry to visiting services.
We’ve visited 21 local services
Our reports have tackled issues such as GP services and mental health.
We’ve spoken to 4178 people about their experiences.
We’ve met hundreds of local people at our community events
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Who we are We know that you want services that work for you, your friends and family. That’s why we want you to share your experiences of using health and care services with us – both good and bad. We use your voice to encourage those who run services to act on what matters to you. We are uniquely placed as a national network, with a local Healthwatch in every local authority area in England.
Our vision Our vision - to have people in Plymouth actively involved in shaping their health and
The Healthwatch Plymouth service is delivered by Colebrook (South West) Ltd, with funding from Plymouth City Council.
Our priorities Healthwatch Plymouth work priorities are agreed by the Steering Group based upon public feedback, local strategic knowledge and any national priorities that have been identified during the course of our extensive engagement. Our work plan during the last year aimed to balance larger strategic projects alongside short term operational goals. The health and social care landscape is in a period of almost constant change, which in turn has demanded a flexible approach to our work.
‘Speak up; be heard; force change’
social care services, with Healthwatch Plymouth being recognised, reputable and achieving results.
Our strategic priorities this year will focus
Our mission - to be an independent,
Transformation Plan in Devon. This work
resourceful consumer champion for health and social care, driven by the voice of local
began during 2016/17 and will feature on the Healthwatch Plymouth work plan for
people, working closely in partnership with
some time to come as the health and care
services and commissioners.
economy strives to meet yet more new
Our core values – to be an inclusive, nondiscriminatory service that champions the voice of all groups and communities in the city; to involve people positively in the work we do.
upon the impact of the Sustainability and
challenges. As in previous years, we want to ensure local people have an even greater opportunity to speak up, be heard and force change. The full integration of the health and social care treatment pathway in Plymouth has been a priority for Healthwatch Plymouth
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over the last two years. We have fed your
the Sustainability and Transformation Plan
views into the system design process
has become the route for this work. We
through the four identified strategy areas:
talk further about this later in this report.
Wellbeing, Community, Children and Young
However will again strive to ensure public
People and Enhanced and Specialised Care.
and patient voice is heard at the highest
Over the coming year we will continue to
level within this process.
share local views and experiences into this process. During 2016/17 we worked extensively with The Success Regime Programme Board. The case for change in Devon detailed potential ways in which finances and resources could be used differently across the County. Since then
.
Our Healthwatch Team (from left to right): Wendy Hill, Wendy Harvey, Ally Hood, Lisa Stewart, Karen Marcellino and Tony Gravett
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Your views on health and care
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Listening to local people’s views Gathering the views and experiences of local people is at the centre of our work. Healthwatch staff and volunteers have delivered a varied outreach programme during the last twelve months, covering both geographic location and community of interest based sessions.
specific, others not related to health and social care at all. Events attended include: Tamerton May Fayre and Carnival Armed Forces Day Plymouth Pride Carers Rights Day National Older Persons Day Barnardo’s Family Fun Day
Our outreach programme consists of regular planned drop in sessions, attendance at small and large public events and talks and presentations at community groups and organisations. We have made sure that our outreach programme gives us the opportunity to engage with: Young people (under 21) and older people (over 65) People we believe to be disadvantaged, seldom heard or vulnerable. People who live outside of our area, but use services within our area.
The Healthwatch Plymouth volunteer team support engagement across the entire outreach programme, which in the last twelve months has seen regular drop in sessions at a number of GP Practices in the City.
In addition to scheduled drop in sessions Healthwatch have delivered talks and presentations at groups and organisations to spread the Healthwatch message and gather a collective experience from service users. Some of the groups we have engaged with represent specific communities whose voice is seldom heard. Groups that we have engaged with in the last year have included Hamoaze House (young people), University of the Third Age, Plymouth Youth Parliament and a local exoffenders group.
We also attended a large number of local events, some health and social care
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Engagement in partnership In December Healthwatch Plymouth led a piece of community engagement in Whitleigh on behalf of Plymouth Herald’s I Love Life Campaign; an amalgamation of a
variety of health and social care organisations and services including Livewell Southwest and Plymouth City Council’s Public Health. In line with the I
bit to help Santa cycle the 500 ‘Santa miles’ to get him to Whitleigh Christmas
Fair by the Friday. Everyone that did their bit received a raffle ticket which entered them into a free prize draw to win a bike courtesy of I Love Life and Halfords Marsh Mills store. Despite the cold and sometimes wet weather it was a great week interacting with the community of Whitleigh. Glen Davis, who won the bike, has since donated it to Derriford’s Mustard Tree as a token of gratitude towards cancer services following losing his mother a year ago.
Love Life Campaign, encouraging people to live healthier happier lives, we had a presence every day outside Whileigh shops through the first week of December. This was supported by Dave Griffiths from the local Porky’sCafé and with two stationery bikes on loan from Halfords Marsh Mills store, members of Whitleigh community and local businesses were asked to do their
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What we’ve learnt from visiting services Healthwatch Plymouth has statutory powers to carry out ‘Enter and View’ visits to some health and social care services in the City. Enter and View can be a powerful tool to gather evidence about how well services meet the needs of local communities. Healthwatch Plymouth Enter and View representatives are fully trained and supported to carry out this important function, and are a mixture of local volunteers and members of the Healthwatch Plymouth staff team. Representatives in all of our visiting functions have the potential to observe elements of care that may not always be evident during other formal inspections or audits, but are often things that make a real difference to patients and their families using services.
“We’re really listening” Karen Marcellino, Healthwatch Plymouth During 2016/17 Healthwatch Plymouth has carried out visits to services by way of collaborative working, and making recommendations for improvement from a patient perspective. Visits have been undertaken in varying services across health and social care including to inpatient units, social care residential facilities and primary care services.
Healthwatch Plymouth
Our authorised representatives during 2016/17: Karen Marcellino Anthony Gravett Wendy Harvey Barbara Howden Carol Rose Seetha Cheeseman Justin Robbins Each visit has a primary objective which this year has mainly been to gain feedback from service users of their experience of a particular service, or to make an assessment of the care environment, whilst gathering the views of those resident at the time. Following our visit activity Healthwatch Plymouth may make a formal recommendation for improvement or change to the service provider and/or commissioner of the service. During the year Healthwatch Plymouth made 21 recommendations following visit activity (10 to inpatient services, 12 to social care services and 8 to primary care services). We have shared information with the appropriate regulator (Care Quality Commission) on four occasions.
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There’s a PLACE for us Since 2013 there has been an annual activity in England that has seen patients conducting assessments of the care environment under a programme called PLACE (Patient-Led Assessment of the Care Environment). PLACE involves a visual observation on cleanliness and condition as well as assessments around Privacy, Dignity and Wellbeing, Disability Access and Dementia and is aimed at in-patient units with 12 beds or greater. Healthwatch Plymouth currently works with Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Livewell SW and Care UK by training and providing patient assessors to facilitate assessments under the PLACE programme. These assessments are conducted at Derriford Hospital, Mount Gould site, Glenbourne and Lee Mill Adult Mental Health Units, Plymbridge House Children’s Mental Health Unit and the Peninsula NHS Treatment Centre. Typically a day’s assessment would see the team visiting a Ward environment, conducting a food assessment and visiting a communal area or Outpatients Department. After each individual area visit, an assessment form is scored, highlighting areas for improvement and equally areas for concern. The information from the assessments is recorded into a master spreadsheet that is forwarded by the organisation to NHS Digital in Leeds that then produces a report of the assessments conducted in England. Typically, this report is published in mid-July. So what happens with the recommendations from the assessments? Healthwatch Plymouth attends a monthly meeting at Derriford Hospital of the PLACE Working Group. Part of the role of the group is to produce an action plan following the annual assessment so that improvements to the care environment can be made and funding secured where required. After the 2016
Healthwatch Plymouth
assessments the following has been actioned: Hearing Loops – are now provided at all outpatient departments and are available at Ward reception desks New Patient Menu – New patient menu launched on 5 Sep 16. New breakfast menu and enhanced choice at lunchtimes with a Bistro style supper menu including hot dessert. Hot main meal will be served at lunch Supper Meal Service – initial teething problems with service delivery, but standard of service has improved Production of specialist menus – Specialist diet menus have been produced Patient Lockers – procurement of new patient lockers, identified during PLACE assessments, continues and it is expected that new lockers will start to be purchased over the summer. A roll out programme will be implemented on a ward by ward schedule. Dementia Environment – several measures are being introduced following the 2016 PLACE assessment to provide uniformity for dementia patients in Health Care of the Elderly (HCE) Wards. These measures will be rolled out to the remainder of the hospital in due course:
Welcoming Signage – now provided to all ward and outpatient reception desks 12
naming the ward/department and hospital
Additional grab rails to be installed in HCE Wards
New Dementia clocks purchased and installed in Wards and Outpatient Departments
To help Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust to continue to improve the patient environment, a series of Mini PLACE assessments happen on a monthly basis that includes involvement from Healthwatch assessors. These assessments normally cover areas that were not included in the main annual assessment, but also where patient feedback highlights concerns.
HCE Wards have been made a priority for Phase 1 of Bay Painting. This involves painting the front of each bay in a different colour to aid dementia patients in recognising the bay they are in. Phase 2 of the programme will be rolled out to other wards during 2017A standard tap design has also been approved for HCE Wards and a replacement programme is being implemented. Signage for taps is also being worked on
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Helping you find the answers
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How we have helped the community access the care they need As in previous years, Healthwatch Plymouth has continued to provide information about local health and social care services, through engagement events, drop in sessions, by telephone and through our website. Healthwatch staff and volunteers often identify that further support would be beneficial when capturing the experiences of a service user or their carer/family.
This means that we sometimes ‘signpost’ individuals to other services that may be able to support them more appropriately.
Healthwatch Plymouth
“It’s nice to know Healthwatch Plymouth are here; I see you everywhere” Anonymous During 2016/17 we signposted 721 people to other services. The picture shows a breakdown of signposting activity by service area. Our enhanced website now provides a searchable database of local services, which allows local people to not only leave feedback about the services they have used, but to also search for service information.
Again last year we saw increased visits to the service information pages of our website. In addition, the Plymouth Online Directory provides a comprehensive directory of services that helps us to empower local people with choice and control.
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Making a difference together
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How your experiences are helping influence change Healthwatch Plymouth has made many recommendations over the past year, some formally through written reports, and others verbally at the many groups, committees and forums at which we hold a seat. Recommendations have been made to commissioners of services, also to service providers themselves, and range from communication standards with users of mental health services to engagement processes within NHS England Commissioning. During the course of the year we have published 8 formal reports. These have included reports prepared in partnership with The British Polio Fellowship, Cognivity and Your Child Your Voice. In addition, we have reported upon our work at Armed Forces Day as well as Socially Inclusive Dentistry, GP Commissioning and a report centred on The Plymouth Dialysis Unit. We are aware that recommendations from our reports have been considered fully by commissioners and service providers alike, and have helped to ensure a patient voice in areas such as the design process of the integrated care pathway. In collaboration with Cognivity we made recommendations to Livewell Southwest regarding communication to service users of mental health services. Feedback in the report indicated that service users felt that communication from receptionists
Healthwatch Plymouth
could be improved. They also felt that information sharing across professionals could be more streamlined. These recommendations and the associated feedback have been shared with front line staff at team meetings to inform service improvements. Healthwatch Plymouth also presented a report to NHS England, prepared by The British Polio Fellowship; following receipts of a Healthwatch small grant. A consultation by the Fellowship highlighted a perceived low awareness of Post Polio Syndrome amongst primary care providers and Physiotherapy teams. Sufferers felt that there was a more holistic approach needed to their care. Following this report NHS England said:
“NHS England South West would like to thank Healthwatch Plymouth for this report and continuing to support small organisations in Plymouth. We would hope to see that this information and the new guidance is shared within the local community, commissioning colleagues, health educator networks and primary care staff. Please thank the participants involved for their time and input.� During the Summer of 2016 Healthwatch
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Plymouth made formal recommendations to NHS England regarding the engagement and consultation process surrounding the procurement of several local GP practices. These recommendations helped to inform the latter stages of the process, and we are hopeful that future engagement and consultation in this area will be significantly improved.
Sustainability and Transformation Plan Acute Services Review South West Ambulance Foundation Trust Governor nominations NEW Devon CCG NHS Prescribed Gluten Free Foods consultation Plymouth City Council Sexual Health Matters survey South West Ambulance Foundation Trust Draft Quality Strategy Bowel Cancer UK survey Neurological Alliance survey NHS England GP surgery engagement opportunities Care Quality Commission Inspection events Alzheimers UK Dementia Research Study
In addition to making recommendations directly to commissioners and service providers; we have actively promoted opportunities to share views in consultations being held by other local and national organisations. We have used our online networks and our quarterly newsletter to promote opportunities including:
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Working with other organisations During the course of our work we remain aware of the need for collaborative working, as well as the need to escalate concerns when we feel necessary.
commissioning process of the Emotional Health and Wellbeing in Schools Service, as well as the previously mentioned GP Surgeries contract. Working collaboratively with commissioners from Plymouth City Council, NEW Devon CCG and NHS England; Healthwatch Plymouth ensured the patient voice was heard at the very highest level.
Escalation to the Care Quality Commission or Healthwatch England help local Healthwatch to feed into a national picture and provide intelligence to inform any investigation by a regulatory authority. In addition, it may be necessary to make formal requests for information to allow us to make decisions in relation to work priorities. In 2016/17 we did not make any formal recommendation to the Care Quality Commission to undertake a special review or investigation. We did however provide intelligence to the Care Quality Commission in relation to several planned investigations of care settings. These settings included Plymouth Hospital NHS Trust sites and services delivered by Livewell Southwest including mental health services. As a result of this intelligence we were informed that our reports had helped the inspection teams plan inspection events taking into account the service user voice. We have shared information with Healthwatch England in relation to maternity services, as well as information around national initiatives being delivered locally, such as the Success Regime and Sustainability and Transformation Plan. In addition, we continue to share intelligence and service user views as part of procurement processes. During 2016/17 Healthwatch Plymouth represented the patient voice in the design and
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Healthwatch Plymouth has continued a strong relationship with our neighbouring local Healthwatch here in the peninsula, and meets regularly with Healthwatch Devon, Cornwall, Isles of Scilly and Torbay. This provides a valuable opportunity to share good practice, hear about the activity across the region and agree and plan a strategic approach to particular areas of work. We have worked particularly closely with Healthwatch Devon and Torbay during this year, as discussions and early planning around the Sustainability and Transformation Plan across Devon take shape. We envisage even greater collaboration with local Healthwatch in the coming year, to ensure that as the health and care landscape evolves for the future; patient voice is still at the heart of the process. During the year Healthwatch Plymouth made eight formal requests for information. All of these requests were responded to within the required timescale.
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How we’ve worked with our community Involving local people in our work Gathering the views and experiences of local people is the first stage to identifying any need for service improvement. The health and social care landscape is vast, and is constantly evolving. Healthwatch aims to represent the views and experiences of local people at the right place and time to influence change in a positive way.
Healthwatch Plymouth has a statutory seat at the Health and Wellbeing Board, allowing us to have real involvement in strategic planning towards the aim of a healthy city. Our Health and Wellbeing Board seat was held by Healthwatch Plymouth volunteer Peter Edwards initially, being taken over by Nick Pennell during the course of the year. Both Peter and Nick felt passionately that the wider public voice should be heard by the Board. The Healthwatch Plymouth staff team support this volunteer involvement by providing relevant evidence, identifying themes and trends and keeping the representative informed of our wider work. This allows the Healthwatch Plymouth representative to effectively represent the wider public, and to challenge when necessary. The ongoing work of the Board is disseminated to our Steering Group periodically.
“….passionately represented the interest of the wider public..” To enable us to do this effectively we have continued our representation at key groups and committees, both strategic and operational. This involvement not only allows a patient perspective to be presented, but also allows further opportunities for patient involvement to be identified. Our diverse representation facilitates a platform for local people to be meaningfully involved in the commissioning, delivery and management of local services.
Healthwatch Plymouth
We have planned our representation to ensure a diverse platform at which to make recommendations for improvement, and this often means that we can effect change much more quickly. We have spent considerable time working with services and commissioners to ensure that the patient voice has the opportunity to be
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heard……every time. We have continued our representation at the NHS England Citizens Assembly, ensuring the local view is heard at regional level, and our representatives have again made recommendations to the assembly around work priorities. We have continued to develop our relationship with Livewell (previously Plymouth Community Healthcare), making recommendations for improvements at the organisation’s Safety and Quality Committee.
During 2016/17 Healthwatch Plymouth held formal representation at the following groups/committees: Health and Wellbeing Board NHS England Quality & Surveillance Group
Plymouth Autism Partnership Board NHS England Primary Care Task and Finish Group Representation from Healthwatch Plymouth is carried by both volunteers and the staff team.
2016/17 will see further development of our representation across the City, with even more opportunities for local people to be involved in shaping local services, particularly as the Sustainability and Transformation Plan gathers momentum. Healthwatch Plymouth will be seeking to recruit additional volunteers to strategic roles over the coming year.
Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust Patient Experience Committee Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust Safety & Quality Committee Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust Patient Led Assessment of the Care Environment Working Group NEW Devon Clinical Commissioning Group Planned Care Partnership NEW Devon CCG Primary Care Innovation Programme Livewell Service User and Carer Forum Livewell Safety & Quality Committee Devon Success Regime Programme Board Sustainability and Transformation Plan Clinical Cabinet NEW Devon CCG & Plymouth City Council – System Design Groups
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It starts with you
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#ItStartsWithYou In July 2016 we received feedback from a member of the public concerning their experience of being referred for dental treatment. In 2015 the individual had been diagnosed with cancer and was advised to keep their teeth in the best health before starting chemotherapy. On visiting their dentist in Plymouth, the dentist made an urgent referral for a tooth extraction. This referral took 2-3 week to process, a time delay that the patient felt they couldn’t afford. In late summer 2015, the individual was offered an appointment at a dental referral centre in Devon. This required a 50 mile round trip to get to the appointment and was scheduled 30 hours after the client was due to have cancer surgery. Having explained the situation to a member of staff over the phone, detailing that they would not be ‘fit to drive’, the patient told us they were advised to “…get a bus!” The patient told Healthwatch:
“The lack of care and compassion reduced me to tears and they refused to help me to find a treatment centre in my area which would enable me to use a taxi (my only means of travel at this stage). Consequently I have had to endure 8 months of chemotherapy with a broken tooth, and an underlying dental infection which made me feel ill, but also put my survival at risk due to neutropenia.
Healthwatch Plymouth
My reason for this email is, as once again I sit here waiting for someone to act on this subsequent referral for the same tooth, I want you to consider that the system of a referral going to a referral unit, to be triaged and then dished out randomly, without thought for the person waiting for treatment, is both time costly and inefficient..” This feedback raised a number of questions for us: The timeliness of the referral process given the individuals medical diagnosis at the time. Whether the referral process is fit for purpose or has too many links in the chain that cause undue delay for patient access to services. What appears to be a lack of empathy, dignity and respect for the individual’s circumstances when arranging an appointment.
Our next step as a service, once clarifying the details of her experience, was to make contact with the Clinical Chair of the Dental Local Professional Network at NHS England (South West), sharing the individual’s experience and asking for a considered response. We also shared this information with Healthwatch Devon as whilst the client lives in Plymouth the dental referral centre is in Devon. We received a prompt response from the Clinical Chair of the Dental Local Professional Network, who agreed that the treatment the patient had received was unacceptable and would share the patient’s feedback direct with the Devon dental 23
referral centre. In response to our other queries related to the patient’s experience, we received the following response:
“The referral management system has over the last year improved the quality of referrals and allowed patients to be directed to the most appropriate clinical provider. They are certainly not dished out randomly. The process is well established for all medical referrals and does not cause unnecessary delays. In fact the referral may have been directed to the dental referral centre in Devon, as their waiting list is shorter than some other services in the Plymouth area.” The Chair also shared with us that they are currently looking to move to an electronic referral system for the South West which will speed things up and allow patients to track the progress of their referrals. In the meantime, we were informed by the patient that they have now been assessed at a Dental Access Centre in Plymouth and were now on a month long wait for treatment. They commented, “This is incredibly difficult when I am in constant pain. I have now started my second course of antibiotics to tide me over until treatment (which is not ideal from a personal or a public health perspective). I just hope that my immunity has recovered enough to see me through this wait…” We received assurance from the Chair of the Clinical Dental Local Professional Network that a review of the referral process would be imminent and in the meantime had asked Plymouth to speed up the patient’s appointment where possible.
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Our plans for next year
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What next? Sustainability and Transformation Plans In last year’s Annual Report reference was made to Healthwatch Plymouth's role in the Success Regime. Developments from Central Government have seen this initiative replaced by a newer, country wide, initiative - Sustainability and Transformation Plans ( S.T.P.s ). These are linked to the implementation of the " 5 Year Forward View for Health Services " which covers the period from October 2016 - March 2021. Sustainability and Transformation Plans are based around local populations and are therefore " place based ". Forty four S.T.P. " footprints " have been identified across England. Plymouth is part of the Devon footprint and this includes all of Devon and Torbay Sustainability Plans will address 3 significant challenges that have been identified in the " 5 Year Forward View for Health Services" : The health and well-being gap The care and quality gap The finance and efficiency gap
Healthwatch Plymouth will continue to work hard to ensure that there is appropriate patient, public and stakeholder involvement recognising that the implications for local services could be the most significant for a generation. In working with our Healthwatch neighbours : We will throughout maintain our independence We will lobby for openness and transparency We will challenge Commissioners if not satisfied We will facilitate engagement and consultation
“Healthwatch Plymouth has been actively and integrally involved in a number of initiatives and procedures in order to advocate for… meaningful involvement of members of the public...”
Healthwatch Plymouth has developed close working relationships with our Devon neighbours, Healthwatch Devon and Healthwatch Torbay and we are working together to ensure that meaningful and appropriate levels of communication and engagement Healthwatch Plymouth
underpin the development of all significant aspects of the S.T.P. and that services are developed in genuine partnership with people and communities from the outset, as required by implementation guidance.
We want the public to be informed and involved
Healthwatch Plymouth has been actively and integrally involved in a number of initiatives and procedures in order to advocate for, facilitate and ensure both the recognition of the need for and the meaningful involvement of members of the public, patients and stakeholders in, initially, the Success Regime and, more 26
recently, in the Sustainability and Transformation Planning processes. These include :
public is taken into account in decision making processes Healthwatch Plymouth looks forward to a continuing role advocating and facilitating public and stakeholder involvement at all levels of, and from the outset, all Sustainability and Transformation Plan work-streams and initiatives.
Meetings with the C.C.G. and Service Provider Communication and Engagement teams to help plan, design and support public involvement Meetings and joint working with Healthwatch Devon and Healthwatch Torbay to facilitate a stronger and more effective voice Attendance and participation in public consultation sessions in Plymouth and across Devon Advising C.C.G. and S.T.P. teams regarding the approach to, nature, location, frequency and content of public consultation meetings. Membership of the Success Regime Programme Board Membership of the S.T.P. Clinical Cabinet. Advising and arranging public and stakeholder attendance at workshops to explore and develop new models of care. Independently chairing public consultation meetings in Plymouth and across “Healthwatch Plymouth looks Devon in a wide number of differing locations forward to a continuing role Regular meetings with advocating and facilitating public S.T.P. Lead C.E.O., and stakeholder involvement at all S.T.P.Communications and Engagement Lead levels...� and external Consultants to ensure that public, and Stakeholder engagement is seen as an important, integral and necessary part of the service development process. Participation in " moderation " planning sessions to ensure that the Healthwatch Plymouth
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Primary Care Elsewhere in this report we have mentioned the extensive work we undertook regarding the commissioning of GP practices ; during 2016/17. This year we intend to build on this work by presenting our report findings from a period of survey work undertaken towards the end of 2016/17. Over the course of four months, Healthwatch Plymouth asked members of the public a set of questions relating to accessing their GP practice. We will be analysing the feedback collected during this time and fully expect our report to contain recommendations for improvement from
a public perspective.
As we go to print on this report our initial findings indicate that making contact with some GP practices by telephone is often viewed as difficult by patients. Many patients told us that they were frequently waiting more than ten mintues for calls to be answered or were held in a queueing system for considerable time.
Early analysis has showed us that there appears to be disparity between practices, with some practices receiving consistent positive survey responses.
We will be releasing the full report in July.
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Our people
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How we involve the public and volunteers To enable the service to have the local voice at its core, a governance structure was devised in the first year of operation, through consultation with our volunteers, that would support meaningful involvement from local people.
inclusivity and opportunities for everyone. This helps to involve local people in not only the governance of the Healthwatch service but also the opportunity to become involved in strategic city wide work such as the Success Regime and Integration Programme. We have supported our volunteers to represent the local voice on a regional and national level.
The Healthwatch Plymouth Steering Group, made up of local people, helps to set the work priorities for the service. The group oversees the
The Healthwatch Plymouth Steering Group is a group of dedicated volunteers that help us to set our
priorities. During 2016/17 the Healthwatch Plymouth Steering Group included:
Healthwatch Plymouth work plan and agrees activities, through our publicised decision making process.
Nick Pennell – Chair Carol Rose
Healthwatch Plymouth has a dedicated team of volunteers that consistently give up their time to carry out Healthwatch activities.
Volunteer roles within Healthwatch Plymouth are varied and challenging; we have created a structure aimed at
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Merris Longstaff Justin Robbins Chris Everett Debbie Roche (Stood down November 2016) Peter Edwards (Stood down June 2016)
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“Volunteering gives me an opportunity to be purposeful and fulfil my social responsibility by using my time for the betterment of others in an area that resonates particularly with me. It also enables me to apply a skill set that might otherwise go unused.” Tara Vassallo – Healthwatch Plymouth representative at Autism Partnership Board
“Everybody has an opinion on their local and national health services. Helping people get their opinions heard by those who can influence change is really rewarding and satisfying.” John Miskelly – Healthwatch Plymouth Volunteer
“The chance to listen to people and then constructively use their stories and experiences to try and improve services is what makes me volunteer. Every time we met new people they have something new to tell which makes time spent volunteering really enjoyable.” Anne Miskelly – Healthwatch Plymouth PLACE Team Volunteer
"Being a volunteer is satisfying as you are helping people to get the best from the NHS - one of our most valued institutions." Justin Robbins – Healthwatch Plymouth Steering Group
“I started volunteering to give myself a purpose in life after suffering with depression. Then I enjoyed the company of other volunteers so much that I had to keep volunteering and I still do it now.” ANON – Healthwatch Plymouth volunteer
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“I volunteer because I retired in 2006 and needed to fill my time. However, I needed to do something I cared about and that made me feel I was fulfilling a meaningful purpose which would help me to be of value to my fellow human beings. I have always thought volunteers, and charity work were of immense value to the community. Now I was free of the requirement to earn money to live, I wanted to do something of intrinsic value. It also stops me feeling lonely or depressed, which can creep up on you if you live alone. I enjoy the voluntary work I do much more than the second job I did in my career and almost as much as I enjoyed my 30 years as a full-time secondary and further education teacher; this may be because I feel I can still do a little to make a difference. It is great to have a certain amount of choice about when and where I ‘work’ and have a real work/life balance. I like working with my team which is friendly and supportive and a varied mix of personalities. I find the involvement and things I learn stimulating and I like meeting so many interesting members of the public. At my age, it is terrific to still meet new and achievable challenges. This keeps me alert and positive and fills my life with ‘fun’.” Carol Rose – Healthwatch Plymouth Steering Group
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Decision making Healthwatch Plymouth aims to have the voice of local people at the heart of its work. Our Decision Making Process helps us to ensure that our Steering Group are involved in setting the work plan on a regular basis. The Healthwatch Steering Group will take decisions about what activities to undertake based on:
Evidence of the importance of the activities to the community
The resource cost and risk/reward of undertaking/not undertaking the activity
The activities fit with Healthwatch strategic intentions
We are hoping to increase the membership of our Steering Group in the coming year to provide even more opportunity for local people to become involved in the work of their local Healthwatch service. We have already welcomed Peter Woodley to the group for the 2017/18 financial year.
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Our finances
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Our finances Income Funding received from local authority to deliver local Healthwatch statutory activities Additional income Total income
ÂŁ 117,735.96
3,526.93 121,262.89
Expenditure Operational costs
8,588.15
Staffing costs
82,021.31
Office costs
30,536.69
Total expenditure Balance brought forward
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121,146.15 116.74
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Contact us Healthwatch Plymouth is delivered by Colebrook SW Ltd under contract to Plymouth City Council. Colebrook South West Limited, Unit 37, HQ Building, 237 Union Street, Plymouth PL1 3HQ Tel: 01752 205210
Get in touch Address: Healthwatch Plymouth, Jan Cutting Healthy Living Centre, Scott Business Park, Beacon Park Road, Plymouth, PL2 2PQ Phone number: 0800 923 0039 Email: info@healthwatchplymouth.co.uk Website: www.healthwatchplymouth.co.uk
We will be making this annual report publicly available on 30 June 2017 by publishing it on our website and sharing it with Healthwatch England, CQC, NHS England, Clinical Commissioning Group/s, Overview and Scrutiny Committee/s and our local authority. We confirm that we are using the Healthwatch Trademark (which covers the logo and Healthwatch brand) when undertaking work on our statutory activities as covered by the licence agreement. If you require this report in an alternative format please contact us at the address above. Š Copyright (Healthwatch Plymouth 2017)
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