The development of Local Healthwatch in Kent Part one: key findings
The development of Local Healthwatch in Kent Part one: key findings
The development of Local Healthwatch in Kent Part one: key findings
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At the same time all participants felt that K LHW would need the skills and<br />
<strong>in</strong>sight to understand commissi<strong>one</strong>r and provider data to be able to analyse<br />
it and make <strong>in</strong>formed challenge. This would also <strong>in</strong>clude an understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong><br />
the methodologies used to collect data.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re was a strong recognition from commissi<strong>one</strong>rs that an effective K LHW<br />
would enhance their ability to commission, co-produce new services, decommission<br />
where appropriate and monitor performance and quality.<br />
Social care and health commissi<strong>one</strong>rs are well placed to use their<br />
procurement and contract<strong>in</strong>g roles to ensure that collaborations with K LHW<br />
are built <strong>in</strong> to contracts with providers.<br />
It was identified that further work needs to be undertaken with provider<br />
organisations that so far have not been a full part <strong>of</strong> the statement <strong>of</strong><br />
read<strong>in</strong>ess exercise. This could be taken up by the K LHW Development Group<br />
<strong>in</strong> the next phase <strong>of</strong> its work programme.<br />
Organisational form<br />
Three organisational forms have emerged from participants as contenders for the<br />
structure <strong>of</strong> K LHW as a ‘body corporate’. <strong>The</strong>se would benefit from more detailed<br />
exploration and <strong>development</strong> <strong>in</strong> the next phase <strong>of</strong> the <strong>development</strong> process.<br />
From the ‘Every Decision About Me, With Me’ workshop a proposal for a<br />
distributed model <strong>of</strong> K LHW where the functions <strong>of</strong> the body are embedded<br />
<strong>in</strong> exist<strong>in</strong>g organisations across a range <strong>of</strong> themes, issues and seldom heard<br />
groups <strong>in</strong> <strong>Kent</strong>. This could be achieved by locat<strong>in</strong>g K LHW champions <strong>in</strong><br />
organisations and network<strong>in</strong>g them via a core body. Exist<strong>in</strong>g models <strong>of</strong><br />
practice such as the experience <strong>of</strong> Citizens Advice Bureaux may provide a<br />
template for explor<strong>in</strong>g this model.<br />
A second form is a consortia model <strong>of</strong> a smaller group <strong>of</strong> local organisations<br />
with differ<strong>in</strong>g specialisms to deliver K LHW across the county.<br />
<strong>The</strong> third form is the more traditional hub and spoke model. This model<br />
would have a s<strong>in</strong>gle organisation at the centre that provides the coord<strong>in</strong>ation<br />
<strong>of</strong> all the K LHW functions and also provides the governance role. <strong>The</strong> core<br />
would then work with separate specialist units <strong>of</strong> the organisation for the<br />
delivery <strong>of</strong> different K LHW functions.<br />
<strong>Part</strong>icipants recognised that it would be very difficult for <strong>one</strong> s<strong>in</strong>gle<br />
organisation to have all the skillsets and specialisms required to deliver K LHW<br />
on their own. It was also felt that <strong>one</strong> s<strong>in</strong>gle organisation was unlikely to be<br />
well placed to engage with the variety <strong>of</strong> seldom heard groups <strong>in</strong> <strong>Kent</strong>. It was<br />
also felt very strongly that K LHW should work <strong>in</strong> a highly coord<strong>in</strong>ated way<br />
with organisations that already deliver similar functions rather than replicat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
these functions or compet<strong>in</strong>g with other organisations. <strong>The</strong> latter was felt to<br />
26<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>development</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Healthwatch</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Kent</strong>: assess<strong>in</strong>g read<strong>in</strong>ess for <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Healthwatch</strong>