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STRATEGIC PLAN

2015/18

Written by: Michael Mullender-Francis Date: 18.10.15.

Reviewed by: Beth Gregson Date: 22.10.15

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1. INTRODUCTION

Local Healthwatch were established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to be a champion for people using health and social care services. Healthwatch Luton was established as a Community Interest Company on 26th June 2013. Local Healthwatch have the benefit of a national umbrella organisation, Healthwatch England, from whom they receive development support for functions, such as communications, branding and websites, as well as identifying patterns of concerns and the ability to escalate. All local Healthwatch are required by statute to1:

Provide information and signposting about health and social care services

Monitor concerns and complaints

Enable people to feed back about their experiences of health and social care services

Collate information and compile reports about people’s experiences and views

Health and social care services are delivered through a complex array of commissioner- provider arrangements. To be successful in realising our vision Healthwatch Luton will need to ensure that all of its work is clear, targeted and focused; we will check that each and every piece of work has people and empowerment, at its heart, has clear and useful outcomes and does not duplicate.

This document sets out how Healthwatch Luton will undertake these functions, its core values and areas of work that will be prioritised. Healthwatch Luton recognises the essential role of volunteers in all of its activities will continue to develop a skilled and supported group of people who will help deliver the work. In order to reach out to communities

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Healthwatch Luton will work closely with the voluntary sector and local networks, as well as organisations that provide, commission and deliver and regulate health and care services.

1 Dept of Health, What is Healthwatch?, 2012 h t tp : / / h e al th a nd care. dh .go v . u k/wha t - i s - h e a lt h w a t c h /

Our mission is to ensure we are:

Accessible, inclusive and representative of the local community

Well known, professionally managed and organised

Built on existing knowledge and expertise, using partnerships and collaborations to provide high quality functions and services

Independent and for the benefit of the whole community

Influential respected and trusted by local people, decision-makers and service providers

Healthwatch Luton is an independent local consumer champion bringing together people’s views and experiences to improve health and social care. We provide effective information, advice and signposting for people to support their choices about health and social care services.

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2. PRINCIPLES

Local Healthwatch organisations adhere to Healthwatch England’s core principles (as set out below). HW Luton will, in its endeavours, ensure that the communities we represent see these principles in everything we do.

The right to essential services - to a set of essential prevention, treatment and care

services, provided at a high standard are the minimum expectation across the whole spectrum.

The right to accessof prejudice or discrimination, when they need them, in a way that works for them and their family.

The right to a safe, dignified and quality service – when people are ill or need care, they should expect high quality and safe services which treat them with dignity,

compassion and respect.

The right to information and education - enabling people to have correct and clear information that can help them make decisions about health care and treatment. Providing education about how to take care of

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themselves and what they are entitled to in the health and social care system.

The right to choose – HWL will promote the right to choose from a range of high quality services, products and providers, giving people,

wherever possible, the choice about how, when and where their treatment or care is provided.

The right to be listened to – HWL will ensure that any views or concerns are listened to and acted upon. We will support people taking action if they are not satisfied with the service they receive.

The right to be involved – HWL will ensure that, where possible, people are an equal partner in determining their own health and wellbeing. We will empower people to be involved in decisions that affect their lives and those affecting local communities.

The right to live in a healthy environment - HWL will connect Health and wellbeing to a wider set of economic,

environmental and social factors to promote positive health and wellbeing. An individuals’ environment should protect their basic wellbeing and

encourage good health.

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3. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

Over the coming three years HWL will:

work towards ensuring that residents and patients have opportunities to be heard and contribute towards the commissioning, improvement and evaluation of services.

work with Luton strategic partners by contributing to and influencing strategies aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of Luton residents, by providing evidence based recommendations and reports.

That our evidence includes the voices from rarely heard or marginalized residents and patients to ensure we Are representative of the diverse communities that live in Luton.

Work towards ensuring that the 8 Healthwatch patients rights are an integral part of any co-produced solution of health and social care services using our ‘Check, Challenge, Champion’ ethos.

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That HWL responds to and actively seeks the views of residents and patients where concerns or service improvement needs are identified, ensuring the evidence is presented in the most appropriate forums.

4. KEY OUTCOMES

Healthwatch Luton works to 4 outcome groups, and all our activities are directed towards fulfilling requirements within these outcome groups. Those groups are:

1. Being a financially sound organization, and where possible identify opportunities to take on additional contracts that fit with the ethos of HWL and identify the potential to generate income for adding value to our contract while preserving independence.

2. It is important that HWL is not only independent but is seen to be so, therefore not accepting payment where we could become a delivery organisation - in particular being mindful of not being the process we are tasked with scrutinizing.

Finance

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3. Look for and develop partnerships with neighboring Healthwatch’ to ensure we are able to maximise and evidence we offer good value for money. Including sharing training, expertise and back office function.

4. Work with both statutory and the third sector to deliver good health outcomes for local people that ensures money is spent well, and takes in account of the residents as experts by experience.

1. Developing, sustaining and nurturing strategic, operational and organisational relationships in order to influence decision making about commissioning, service design and improvements.

2. Identify, develop and sustain relationships with the diverse communities in Luton by ensuring all members of the Healthwatch team are visible in Luton from Board Ambassadors to Health Champions being out and about within the community.

3. Using the “You said, we did” ethos local residents and patients will have the opportunity to raise issues, feed into and have their voices heard by commissioners. HWL will be trusted to be the voice in the room and work to provide opportunities for local people to speak directly to decision makers.

4. HWL will work to identify and make links with small self help, community based advocate and user lead groups in Luton. Forming a Health and wellbeing network across Luton

1. Use an evidence based research ethos, utilising our champions to gather people’s experiences, views and concerns across Luton reaching into communities, in particular ensuring those who are rarely heard or asked are included.

2. All work planning will adhere to our strategic priorities and use an outcome based planning approach. Using identified trends and issues, consultation evidence and draw from strategic priorities e.g. Better Together

Relationships

Operations

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3. Be flexible and responsive to meet emerging trends and needs that cannot be identified within annual actions plans

4. Ensure that volunteers are at the heart of our work, are well trained and both confident and competent to carry out their role. Developing specialist volunteers including young inspectors.

5. Develop and work towards having a visible and credible presence across many forms of media including social media platforms, our website and word of mouth. Ensure communications are easy to read, appropriate and relevant to local people and strategic bodies alike.

1. Board members will reflect the diversity of Luton, provide effective leadership and challenge where necessary. They will develop appropriate policies and procedures to ensure the HWL is an effective and credible organisation.

2. The board lead by the Chair will seek to provide a check, challenge and champion function and develop peer to peer relationships with statutory Health and Social care providers in Luton

3. The board will hold the staff team to account, ensure HWL delivers against the annual work plan

4. HWL will use an open and transparent decision making process, will regularly hold public meetings to provide the opportunity for local people to raise issues and speakl directly to service providers, and hold us to account.

5. Policies, key documents, annual reports and work plans will be publically available via the HWL website or other formats if requested.

Governance

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5. MEASURING OUTPUTS & OUTCOMES

The impact of Healthwatch Luton’s work will be measured by a combination of outputs and outcomes. These will be reported to the Board on a bi-monthly basis (unless otherwise indicated):

o Summaries of the HWL ‘Evidence-base’ and evidence of the progression of issues

o Summaries of engagement activity

o Operational and strategic partnership development activities

o Strategic influencing activitie

o Evidence of a range of volunteer roles

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o Number of volunteers recruited, trained and actively involved in HWL activities

o Project reports and progress made against recommendations

o Analysis of usage of the Information & Signposting Service (six monthly report to the Board)

o Communications analysis (six monthly report to the Board)

o Annual stakeholder survey

o Annual review of Consultation Network

6. GOVERNANCE

As a Community Interest Company (CIC) Healthwatch Luton is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association and complies with the reporting requirements of a CIC. Strategy and direction of travel are overseen and managed by the Board, comprising a Chair, Vice Chair and Non-Executive members. The Healthwatch Luton Board meet monthly in public and all documents are posted on the website. The COO manages the organisation’s day to day activities. At every meeting the Healthwatch Luton Board are updated on progress made against the Work Plan.

Healthwatch Luton has a Grant Agreement in place with the Commissioning Body; Luton County Council and regularly reports progress against the key outcomes. Healthwatch Luton recognises the value of a mixed income stream and will

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continue to identify opportunities to expand commissioned and grant-funded projects.

6.WORK PROGRAMME 2015/16

1. Healthwatch Luton (HWL) is seen as an efficient, competent and open organisation and demonstrates good financial management.

2. HWL financial information is available to the public.3. HWL makes efficiency savings to re-invest in frontline services, where

possible.4. HWL Understands what constitutes value for money5. HWL considers its potential for income generation

ACTIVITIES

HWL will present its annual report to commissioners and to the board for review. HWL will evidence its monthly expenditure including any over or under spend, and a plan of how to manage it.

HWL will use its knowledge of funding streams to assess suitability for additional funds and apply to any which would be suitable.

HWL will always ‘shop around’ the market place and retrieve more than one price for any services it pays for. HWL will evidence this to show it considers value for money in everything it does.

Expenditure will be kept to a minimum, and budgets carefully considered by the board before any large ticket items are purchased.

Lead

MMF/Board/ Chair

Outcome: Finance

1. Healthwatch Luton is known to be open for business and receptive to input from consumers and the community. It understands its key groups with which it needs to engage and is systematically networked with all sections of the community.

2. Children and young people are actively involved in the development of HWL priorities and vision

3. HWL staff, board and volunteers understand safeguarding issues for children, young people and older more vulnerable members of the community. They have awareness of local arrangements and how to report concerns. Local safeguarding boards understand the remit of HWL and how it can contribute.

4. HWL is treated as an equal partner of the health and wellbeing board. 5. HWL has good mutual understanding with LBC about the different roles in

which they relate. 6. HWL has a mutual understanding with the LCCG7. HWL has good knowledge of local advocacy and complaints services and how

people access them.

2.ACTIVITIES

Undertake a range of communications activities that raises awareness of the work of Healthwatch Luton, balancing digital and hard copy preferences.Work in partnership with the voluntary, statutory and independent sector to facilitate opportunities to participate and promote engagement. Develop and deliver a range of community engagement activities, some of which will be led by Healthwatch Luton and some working with partners.Engage a wide range of people from different backgrounds and communities, particularly inclusive of those people whose voices are less heard, to work with HWL working with existing networks and groups.

Developing channels to connect with young people and make it meaningful and easy for them to give their views. Include Young people on our board to help shape the direction and strategy of HWL from a young person’s perspective.

LeadLucy Nicholson

All

Terri Brooks/All

All

Terri Brooks/Young

Inspectors

Outcome: Relationships

ACTIVITIES

Be present at Health and Wellbeing Boards, commissioning meetings, contract, quality and compliance meetings and scrutiny (where appropriate). Liaise with adult social care and children’s services to ensure we are at the forefront of information sharing and decision making.

Promote the results of the stakeholder and champion feedback results (survey monkey) via web, and newsletter. Re-run the campaign yearly to see how perceptions of HWL have developed.

Ensure that all local GP’s have a well maintained stock of HWL feedback forms, and that all PPG’s have better understanding of our strategic goal, and our purpose.

Lead

MMF, Boardmembers and

Champions

Lucy Nicholson

PPG reps/Champion

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1. Anyone who wishes can contact HWL for help and support. 2. HWL has an understanding of the communities it serves and includes those

voices who are seldom heard through proactive engagement. 3. HWL has a plan for systematically collecting the views of a diverse range of

service users and the general public. 4. HWL is a respected voice on the HWB and members have a greater

understanding of consumer voices and experiences of health and social care services.

5. HWL collects and systemises local health and social care services, to better signpost and provide information on local consortium partners.

6. Service users and general public understand that as consumers of health and social care services they have rights in terms of quality and access. Service provision aligns more closely with priorities of service users and patients choices.

7. HWL is positioned to gather, understand and represent the views of local individuals and communities

8. Ensure that HWL reports shape the delivery of services. Ensure that commissioners and providers respond positively to evidence based intelligence and research based on user experiences.

9. People know how to raise concerns and make complaints about services, including that of HWL.

ACTIVITIES

Develop and deliver of a programme of Enter & View visits and maintain a group of Authorised Representatives.

Implement the HWE database to ensure that all contact details are kept up to date, and we understand the interests and motivations of our community champions.

Maintain a presence at PPG and PRG meetings to understand the concerns of communities and individuals. Promote a confidential reporting procedure for anyone who has concerns or issues they wish to raise. Be accessible.

Using multiple channels, promote our ‘Check, Challenge, Champion’ ethos and ensure a consistent message reaches all stakeholders, members and service users. Ensure that all reports maintain this message and follow this ethos.

Lead

TB/Champions

TB/LN

All

All

Outcome: Operations

ACTIVITIES

Be fully integrated with community focus groups, patient representation groups and faith groups. Using all avenues to seek out the voices that are seldom heard. Have ongoing champion recruitment to ensure communities are included in all elements of our work.

Have clear and succinct policies, available to all, to sufficiently explain how to complain or comment about a service, including our own.

Attend regular community events to engage with the communities we serve. Offer drop-ins allowing service users to visit us in their time at their convenience. Maintain a calendar of events to support champions, detailing where we will be, and the type of events we are attending.

Using elected ‘ward leads’ we will maintain a visible, vocal presence and single point of contact in each of the local council wards.

Feedback to communities the results of our recommendations using a ‘you said, we did’ section of our website. Similarly we will promote good news stories and successes we have been involved in.

Maintain attendance at commissioning, leaders and contract meetings to ensure that patient voice is clearly represented and concerns or complaints are heard and considered.

Have ‘Easy read’ versions of all reports to ensure they are accessible to all.Range of activities to encourage children and young people to give their views about health and social care services and be actively involved in their health.

Maintain an active, knowledgeable and supported volunteer-base.

Grow and develop the Consultation Network to increase community involvement and promote opportunities for

Lead

All

MMF/LN

TB/ALL

TB

LN

MMF/LN

TB

TB

All

1. HWL understands it purpose as independent consumer champion for Health and social care. HWL communicates this widely so external stakeholders also understand its purpose.

2. HWL knows what outcomes it is trying to achieve over the next 3 years and knows whether it has hit its initial outcomes and takes action to rectify or improve performance when necessary.

3. HWL is focused on achieving outcomes but maintains capacity to respond to urgent issues. It knows who can speak on behalf of the organisation. HWL knows how it’s performing on its outcomes.

4. HWL board members represent the diversity of the communities it represents and has the essential skills and knowledge to do so. Lay people and service users are directly involved in HWL governance and activities.

5. HWL is able to make robust decisions including on high profile issues. 6. HWL operates on best practice in relation to: Enter & View; Use of

Trademark. 7. HWL has a structure that means it operates effectively. It understands its

duties and powers. It is clear about the respective roles of board and senior staff.

8. HWL operates as a competent, effective organisation. All staff and volunteers are clear about their roles, actions, boundaries and who to go to for help.

9. The skills and knowledge of staff and volunteers enable it to operate effectively and competently. Volunteers have a clear role and are supported by HWL

10. Volunteers have a clear role and are supported by HWL11. HWL states its commitment to continuous improvement. HWL can

demonstrate how it responds to feedback and can learn and improve when necessary

ACTIVITIES

HWL will regularly review its workforce needs, skills and knowledge base. It is committed to improving and developing its staff to make better use of their skills, knowledge and abilities. It will also utilize all the skills available through ongoing board recruitment and champions.

HWL will have a clear structure with well promoted policies. Volunteers, staff and board members will be clear about their own roles and responsibilities.

Board members will come from a cross section of the community and will vary in ages, skills, knowledge and experiences. All will be equally valued and will be offered equal opportunity to be involved in HWL activities.

Using our vision, mission statement and work plan, HWL will ensure that we know our outcomes and can evidence working towards them. We will utilise strong relationships with commissioners and stakeholders to ensure we follow strategic guidelines and achieve our contractual requirements.

Lead

MMF/Chair

Outcome: Governance

ACTIVITIES

HWL will work as efficiently as it can, to ensure that we are always able to respond to the urgent needs of the communities we represent. This will include careful time management and the fore sight to know how we are achieving against our outcomes, and our capacity.

By integrating HWL into boards, and feedback groups we will be ideally positioned to make robust high profile decisions using knowledge gained from stakeholders and patients.

Lead

MMF/Chair

For more information about Healthwatch Luton please visit our website

www.healthwatchluton.co.uk

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