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

Information and signposting to support choice
K LHW should review and learn from existing signposting and information
resources from other organisations in Kent and beyond. It is particularly
important to engage and involve staff from PALS, customer services and
complaints roles. The information function is seen as a professional role that
cannot be effectively delivered by volunteers. There may be opportunities for
volunteers to support professionals but there are limits to what they can be
expected to manage.
K LHW needs to be able to work with commissioners to identify the options
and opportunities for consumer choice so that it can signpost effectively.
Possible areas that participants identified where K LHW may support the
public to make choices include:
• Choice of GP practice
• Choice of nursing or residential home
• Choice of hospital for elective surgery
• Choice of support group
• Maternity choices
The quality of the information function is seen as central to the credibility of
K LHW and needs to be managed in a robust way with a clear identification
of risks.
As well as providing information to individual patients and service users,
K LHW would also be well placed to communicate general health and social
care information across Kent. It could be a powerful conduit for public
information and for awareness raising. Information could be adapted by
K LHW to ensure that it reaches diverse groups.
Complaints Advocacy
Complaints advocacy is seen as an integral part of a successful K LHW.
All participants were in favour of this option being actively pursued. There
were important debates about the definition of complaints advocacy and the
distinction with the wider complaints function. It was felt very important that
the role was clearly defined and communicated.
Data from the complaints advocacy function should be integrated into the
other data and insights that K LHW will collect. Triangulation of data and
patient experience was seen as a principle benefit of K LHW.
Kent already has a number of complaints functions located in Primary Care
Trusts, the County Council and providers. It is important that these functions
are properly mapped and understood. A number of advocacy functions exist
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The development of Local Healthwatch in Kent: assessing readiness for Local Healthwatch