The Committee will received an update from Healthwatch Reading.

Alice Kunjappy-Clifton, Lead Officer, Healthwatch Reading provided an update and presentation on Healthwatch Reading.  Alice explained that Healthwatch in Reading had been in place for 10 years and in June 2022, The Advocacy People, became the new providers for Healthwatch Reading.  It was noted that Healthwatch was a statutory service under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and the purpose of Healthwatch was to encourage people to have their say on how health and social care services were provided.

Healthwatch Reading’s Workplan 2022/23 had been published on their website and members were invited to provide feedback or ask questions on the plan.

It was noted that Healthwatch had a large remit of health and social care needs for people from cradle to grave.  They provided information to Healthwatch England to inform the wider national picture and had statutory powers to write to service providers with any concerns and to receive a response in 20 days.  Healthwatch was also permitted to enter and view any publicly funded health and social care providers.

Recent priorities included:

·         Recruitment of volunteers;

·         Undertaking a national survey on maternal mental health.  Recent findings showed that at GP post-natal checks mental health was not currently a priority.

·         Supporting asylum seekers living in Home Office Contract Accommodation and feeding back any concerns to the Council;

·         Supporting Building Berkshire Together on the public consultation on the future of the Royal Berkshire Hospital;

·         Reviewing reports by the previous Healthwatch Reading provider and follow-up on issues.

The local areas of priority for the next 12 to 15 months included:

• GP services access;
• NHS dentistry access;
• Closure of local pharmacies;
• Quality of maternity services, specifically around ethnic minority groups;
• Cost of living crisis and the impact on local people;
• Continuing Health Care (CHC) funding;
• Support for carers;
• Mental health support for children and young people.

It was noted that feedback received from the public would inform the future Healthwatch workplan.

In response to questions the following points were noted:

• Officers from Healthwatch had visited deprived communities in Reading to access feedback and to provide answers to resident’s queries when possible.
• The team had received a lot of feedback from asylum seekers and officers had been working with the Alliance for Cohesion and Racial Equality Community Champions to support this work.
• The Committee were asked to share the work and visibility of Healthwatch.
• The role of Healthwatch was important in holding the work of Adult Social Care to account and future collaboration was suggested to consider Health issues such discharges from hospital and care packages.
• Healthwatch would be attending the Older People’s Working Group.
• Healthwatch could be contacted via their new website and would also be distributing leaflets around GP surgeries, care homes, the Council offices, and other areas to make the public aware of the service.
• An invite would be sent to Healthwatch Reading to attend the Access and Disabilities Working Group.

The Chair thanked Alice for the presentation.