Healthwatch Calderdale And Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service

Local authorities have a statutory duty to commission a local Healthwatch organisation. Healthwatch aims to improve the quality of NHS and social care services as well as the experiences and health and social care outcomes of the public. The aim of local Healthwatch is to give citizens and communities a stronger voice to influence and challenge how health and social care services are provided within their locality. This is achieved by Healthwatch gathering evidence from the views and experiences of patients, service users, the general public and those who would benefit from services and support but have not engaged with them, about their local NHS and social care services, by providing feedback and recommendations for change based on that evidence, along with good practice and influencing, challenging, and holding local stakeholders to account to achieve that change. A local Healthwatch service ensures the views and feedback of the public are an integral part of local commissioning across health, social care and public health. Local Healthwatch also provides or signposts people to information to help them make choices about health and social care services.

The Local Government and Public Involvement Health Act 2007 amended by the Health and Social Care Act 2012 outlines the main legal requirements for the provision of Healthwatch.

Tenderers must note that pursuant to section 222 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 and regulations 35 to 38 of the NHS Bodies and Local Authorities (Partnership Arrangements, Care Trusts, Public Health and Local Healthwatch) Regulations 2012 (collectively “the Legislation”), it is a statutory requirement for a Local Healthwatch to be delivered by a body corporate which is a social enterprise. It is therefore a condition of Tender for Lot 1 that Tenderers must be a body corporate which is a social enterprise within the meaning of the Legislation. Tenderers will be asked to confirm as part of their Standard Selection Questionnaire that they meet these requirements.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to commission an Independent Health Complaints Advocacy (IHCA) service. The IHCA is an independent service that provides residents with information about the NHS complaints process and support for those who wish to make a complaint about an NHS health service. This includes services provided by hospitals, GPs, dentists, pharmacists, opticians and other health care practitioners. The IHCA service can also support people to make complaints against private health contractors if the treatment was funded by the NHS. The Calderdale service is for local residents but complaints are not restricted to health services received in Calderdale and can include NHS services accessed in any geographical area.

Healthwatch Calderdale will provide the access point for the IHCA service in Calderdale. Healthwatch is a statutory service and independent consumer champion for both health and social care (see Lot 1). It is important for the Provider to build a good relationship and share relevant intelligence with Healthwatch locally and nationally.