Update on Network Support from Healthwatch England

Over the past few months, I have spoken at regional forums and other events about some of the changes we propose to make in how we work with local Healthwatch. These changes follow on from what we shared with you in Our Future Focus and in my last blog with Louise Ansari.

In proposing these changes, we're keeping in mind the priorities you shared with us:

• Reducing the asks we make of you.
• Having a better understanding and making the most of local Healthwatch achievements.
• Improving two-way communication.

Here’s what I’m covering and what they mean for your Healthwatch:

1. Demonstrating your value – advance notice of the questions in the annual survey, which we will ask you to complete in September 2023.
2. Understanding the diversity of Healthwatch – advance notice that we will be asking you to complete a survey on the demographic profile of your Healthwatch in November 2023. In the meantime, we are providing a template to help you collect this information.
3. Sharing your accomplishments – we’re busy analysing your annual reports, and we want you to continue to share the difference you make.
4. Working with the Care Quality Commission – we’re supporting Healthwatch with the new approach to assessing local authorities and Integrated Care Systems.
5. Quality Framework – we’re continuing to support Healthwatch who want to undertake the Quality Framework and have introduced a badge for those Healthwatch who have completed it.
6. Check-in with your Regional Manager – we’re encouraging all Healthwatch to have, at least, an annual check-in to understand your support needs.
7. Integrated Care Systems – a new ICS Healthwatch Representatives network is holding its first meeting on 12 October.
8. Data sharing – just a big thanks to for everyone sharing your data, including demographic data.

Demonstrating your value

In response to your feedback, this year we have reduced the number of questions in the annual survey.

Click here to see what data we intend to collect in the annual survey in September.

Our annual report, which is presented to Parliament, makes the case for investment in Healthwatch and supports the National Committee with their statutory role in ensuring Healthwatch activities are carried out properly.

Understanding the diversity of Healthwatch

In our last blog, we asked for your help to significantly improve the response rate to our Healthwatch People Diversity Survey, as the response rate was less than 40% in 2022.

We said we would send you the questions in advance, which you can view here.

This year we are asking for data on the combined total of your staff, volunteers and Board. The data you provide will be anonymous and not linked to your individual Healthwatch – but we will ask whether your Healthwatch has completed the survey using a linked but separate survey.

If you currently do not have the required data on the demographic composition of your staff, volunteers and Board/Advisory Board members, you can use the Healthwatch Diversity Survey template which is available on this page and in SMART Survey if you have an account. Go to ‘My Surveys’ in SMART Survey, make a copy and then you can send this to your staff, volunteers and Board members.

Given that Healthwatch advocate for health equity, it is important that we strive to reflect the communities we serve. Our training programme includes support for Healthwatch on improving volunteer and Board diversity. We want to track whether these and other measures that individual Healthwatch are taking are making a difference. We'll report the results back to the network.

Sharing your accomplishments

You told us we should make better use of your stories of change – to support raising our profile, demonstrating what Healthwatch have achieved and sharing what's working with Healthwatch and our external stakeholders.

We're currently analysing all of your annual reports to get a picture of the individual and collective impact of Healthwatch. We'll draw on your examples to support our national work and share them in forthcoming newsletters.

Please also start using our new Impact Tracker or the simplified sheet to tell us about the difference you’re making on an ongoing basis. The more of your recent success stories available to promote and talk to national stakeholders about, the better.

Working with the Care Quality Commission

You may be aware that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) are piloting how they will assess local authorities and Integrated Care Systems. Healthwatch England is working with CQC to support local Healthwatch in the pilot areas which will be evaluated. We will share learnings from the pilots with Healthwatch so you know what to expect and how CQC will engage with you.

You will have a dedicated point of contact within CQC, but be aware that  some posts are yet to be filled. If you are unsure who to contact at CQC, please get in touch with your Regional Manager.

Quality Framework

Demonstrating your effectiveness is never more important than in difficult financial times. Over three quarters of Healthwatch have now completed the Quality Framework - with 50 in the last year.

We’re continuing to support Healthwatch who want to undertake the self-assessment process. Some have used the process to help prepare for a tender process, while others have used it in preparation for a new strategy. We’ve seen several Healthwatch use it to consider how they apply equality, diversity and inclusion across their work. We’re recommending Healthwatch complete it every three years.

Analysis of completed Quality Frameworks demonstrates many strengths, including reaching and engaging with people facing the greatest health inequalities and managing people. Healthwatch reported challenges with the role of Boards/Advisory Boards who support the governance and decision-making of Healthwatch and meeting the statutory requirement for transparency in our work. In response, we developed an extensive programme to support your boards with recruitment and self-appraisals, from which we developed guidance for both hosted and standalone Healthwatch.  

We’ve made it easier to complete using the improved Smart Survey format, which we expect all Healthwatch to use after December 2023.

We’re introducing a badge so your Healthwatch can demonstrate your commitment to improvement. This could be displayed on your website footer, email signature or other appropriate materials. If you are eligible, you will receive an offer directly.

Check-in with your Regional Manager

We encourage all Healthwatch to have at least an annual check-in with their Regional Manager. We use these meetings to check if you have any support needs and talk through the Quality Framework if you have recently completed it. It’s a really important opportunity for us to make sure we understand your needs so we can inform our national work and how we can best support you.

Integrated Care Systems

In response to requests from Healthwatch, we are establishing a network for Healthwatch ICS Representatives, with the first meeting taking place on 12 October. For ICS areas with more than one Healthwatch, you will need to decide among yourselves who will represent your area. You can sign up here.

Data sharing

Local Healthwatch tell us that our new Data Sharing Platform is easy to use. Between April and June, 21,839 pieces of feedback were shared with us by 54 Healthwatch from 28 ICS areas. We’re in the process of onboarding the remaining Healthwatch and supporting you to regularly share your data.

We are also seeing a welcome increase in demographic data, which helps our analysis and enables us to highlight where the health and care system needs to listen better and take further action, including on tackling inequalities.

A big thank you to everyone for helping us; keep sharing your data and reach out if you need any help: DataSharing@Healthwatch.co.uk.