Healthwatch Service

Worcestershire County Council is going to market to recommission the Healthwatch Service.The Council aims to work with a provider who can support and shape the health and care system that all people in Worcestershire need. This will involve ensuring the patient and user voice is fully reflected at every level of the system, with Healthwatch being independent in purpose, independent in voice, and independent in action. Healthwatch will play an active role within the Integrated Care System and with the work of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Board. The provider of this service is to work in the best interests of patients, service users and residents and utilise intelligence gathered to improve overall quality of health and social care provision and outcomes across Worcestershire.Healthwatch is a statutory service - Local authorities with adult social care responsibilities are required, under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (‘the Act’), to commission a local Healthwatch service covering the local authority area. As part of the Act, the body contracted to be the local Healthwatch must be a 'body corporate' (i.e. a legal entity), which is a social enterprise, employ its own staff and manage its own finances.