The development of Local Healthwatch in Kent Part one: key findings

Every Decision About Me, With Me:
Insights from the workshop
The day comprised of four sessions, two taking place simultaneously in the
morning and afternoon with over 40 invited participants who came from a
wide range of groups that have a stake in the future K LHW. The focus of
each session was identified from key issues which had emerged from the
interviews and focus groups. They were:
• Competent and skilled K LHW
• K LHW is hearing everyone; seldom heard groups a thing of the past
• Wow! My story makes a difference!
• K LHW an essential player at the table; a flourishing organisation with a vital
contribution to health and social care planning
Each session looked at a draft aspirational statement. These statements
described how K LHW might work at its best. Groups were asked to use the
statement to reach agreement about what they would jointly like to create in
relation to the workshop focus. Participants then identified areas they would
like to develop to establish this desired future. These areas became the focus
for breakout groups which other participants joined.
The focus of the breakout groups are given below for each session as well as
the key actions the whole workshop group agreed at the end of the session.
More detailed notes in relation to the future statements and breakout groups are
available as part of the wider dataset from this work (part two of the report).
Competent and skilled Kent Local Healthwatch
Breakout Groups:
• Develop Governance and Models, Roles & Responsibilities
• Clinicians and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) understand K LHW
and K LHW understands CCGs and clinicians
• Communication - accessibility and awareness
• Skills and Training
Key themes from the breakout sessions were:
• ‘A time of flux. A time of innovation and opportunity’.
• Maintain ongoing and open channels of communication and conversation
throughout and beyond the transition process; different stakeholder
and provider perspectives may result in different perceptions and
understanding.
• The process and purpose are defined and clear.
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The development of Local Healthwatch in Kent: assessing readiness for Local Healthwatch