Department of Health Personal Health Budgets
Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, the Department (DH) will allocate funding for Local HealthWatch, NHS Complaints Advocacy and, potentially, PCT Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards from October 2012. This additional funding will be added to the current DH Learning Disabilities and Health Reform grant. This consultation is asking for your views on options for distributing the new funding for Local HealthWatch, NHS Complaints Advocacy and PCT Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS).
Please click here to find out more information.
HealthWatch Pathfinder status
The Northumberland LINk is pleased to announce that it has been successful in its bid to become a HealthWatch pathfinder.
In March of last year, all LINk’s in the country were invited to make a submission to become a HealthWatch pathfinder by the Department of Health.
Northumberland LINk submitted a proposal which will focus on identifying what independent complaints advocacy service is required for Northumberland, with particular consideration given to its unique and challenging geography and demographics.
The outcomes of this work will then be shared with other LINks in preparation for the introduction of HealthWatch in October 2012.
HealthWatch
HealthWatch will be established as a new independent consumer champion.
Its aim will be to achieve the systems described in the Government’s NHS white paper.
The white paper describes a system where:
- patients are at the heart of everything the NHS does
- health care outcomes in England are among the best in the world
- clinicians are empowered to deliver results
HealthWatch England
HealthWatch England will be a statutory, distinctive part of CQC. It will:
- provide leadership, advice and support to Local HealthWatch
- provide advice to the NHS Commissioning Board, Monitor and the Secretary of State
- have powers to propose a CQC investigation of poor services
Local HealthWatch
Local HealthWatch is being created by developing the role of existing LINks (Local Involvement Networks).
It will:
- ensure that the views and feedback from people who use services, carers and members of the public are integral to local commissioning
- provide advocacy and support to people and help them to make choices about services
- provide intelligence for HealthWatch England about the quality of providers
HealthWatch England and Local HealthWatch will be established from October 2012
For more information visit
www.cqc.org.uk/healthwatch