The document discusses the establishment and implications of Local Healthwatch organizations in the UK, which are designed to empower local communities by influencing health and social care services. These organizations will be implemented across all local authorities starting April 1, 2013, giving citizens a voice in how services are run and improving public involvement. Healthwatch England will oversee these organizations and ensure they provide consistent advice and support while enhancing community engagement in health services.

1. ST United Kingdom Edition
AN December 10-16, 2012
D
M
09
Local Healthwatch:
what will it mean to you?
Amanda Atkin explains about Healthwatch and
how local Healthwatch will affect dentists
T
he Health and Social Care use the information to influence Of critical concern to dentists
Act 2012 is a weighty doc- national policy. It promises that in my view is the bullet point on
ument running to more the voices of people who use the Healthwatch website which
than 450 pages. As the Health and health and social care services states that local Healthwatch or-
Social Care Bill it had a bumpy will be ‘heard’ by the Secretary ganisations will:
+
passage through Parliament be- of State, the CQC, the NHS Com-
ginning in January 2011 and it missioning Board, Monitor (the • have the power to enter and
did not receive Royal Assent until independent regulator of NHS view services.
Less traumatic extractions March 2012. Shadow health sec- trusts) and every English local
retary, Andy Burnham, commit- authority. Turning to the DH document
Specially designed periodontal ligament ted to repealing it at the recent Local Healthwatch: A strong
knives with fine tapering blades that
Labour Party Conference. Billed Healthwatch England will voice for people – the policy ex-
compress the alveolar bone, cut the
membrane and gently ease the tooth (excuse the pun) as the most also help local Healthwatch or- plained, the above statement
from the socket with a minimum of extensive reorganisation of the ganisations to be set up in every is nuanced somewhat. It states
tissue damage. Available in 8 standard structure of the NHS in England local authority. that the legislation will allow
sizes and 5 short sizes, enabling an to date, the Act abolishes PCTs for, and in some cases require,
easier working position for smaller and Strategic Health Authorities. Local Healthwatch bodies regulations to be made covering
hands. There must be local Healthwatch [among other things]:
Here, I’ll concentrate on Part organisations in every English
Luxator Kit LK4 5 of the Act – Public Involvement local authority area able to start • the duties on services-provid-
(LC3, L3S, L5C, L5S, sharpening Tool L10) € 210.00 and Local Government. on 1 April 2013. These Health- ers to allow entry to authorised
Plus FREE Forte 3.2 worth € 62.00 watch organisations are to be representatives of local Health-
Paragraph 181 amends the commissioned by local authori- watch.
Luxator Kit LK7 € 355.00 Health and Social Care Act ties with help and advice from
(LC3, L3S, L5C, L5S, sharpening Tool L10) 2008 as follows: A committee Healthwatch England. In many ways Local Involve-
Plus FREE Forte 3.2 & RootPicker CA worth € 108.50
of the [Care Quality] Commis- ment Networks – LINks – (see
+
sion known as “the Healthwatch Local Healthwatch organisa- below) are the forerunner of lo-
England committee” is to be tions will have a number of the cal Healthwatch organisations.
appointed in accordance with following roles and responsibili- LINks representatives have what
regulations. Further on, under ties. They will have a seat on lo- is commonly called ‘enter and
a heading of Local Healthwatch cal health and wellbeing boards – view’ authority in terms of visit-
organisations, the Act makes which were also set up under the ing premises where health and
amendments to the Local Gov-
If you hassle the kids the kids will hassle you ernment and Public Involvement
in Health Act 2007. ‘These changes flow from the Coalition
Pedodontists love FenderPrime… Government’s desire to give more power
Essentially, these changes
Hassle free restorative dentisty with kids in mind! flow from the Coalition Govern-
and control over public services to mem-
ment’s desire to give more power bers of the public – often categorised as ‘no
and control over public services decision about me without me’
to members of the public – often
categorised as ‘no decision about
me without me’. The White Pa- Health and Social Care Act 2012. social care activities are carried
per Equity and excellence: Liber- These boards, which are already out. The use of this authority has
ating the NHS said that the NHS working in ‘shadow’ form, also been mixed across the coun-
would ‘be genuinely centred on get going in earnest from April try. In some cases the CQC and
patients and carers’ and ‘give 2013. LINks have coordinated inspec-
citizens a greater say in how the tions and ‘enter and view’ visits.
NHS is run’. Hence Healthwatch As well as having a seat for It is anticipated that Healthwatch
– to strengthen the collective a representative of the local England will produce advice for
voice of local people. Healthwatch organisation, these local Healthwatch organisations
boards must include a local and the CQC to maintain similar
Healthwatch England elected representative, a repre- liaison.
Launched on 1 October 2012, sentative of each local clinical
Protection and matrix for primary teeth Importantly, the 2007 Health
this organisation styles itself as commissioning group, the local
‘Your national spotlight on local authority director for adult so- and Social Care Act stated that
A unique combination of a preparation shield and a services’. It is an ‘independent cial services, the local authority only the following services-pro-
sectional matrix for Class II fillings of primary teeth. director for children’s services viders are required to allow en-
consumer champion for health
FenderPrime enables a fast, simple and safe restoration
of primary teeth. FenderPrime is available in two sizes, and social care in England’. and the director of public health try:
long and short. Samples available. Healthwatch England is an inde- for the local authority. Their re-
pendent committee of the CQC mit is to ‘improve the health and • A National Health Service trust;
and the Chair of Healthwatch wellbeing of their local popula- • An NHS foundation trust;
England, Anna Bradley, formerly tion and reduce health inequali- • A Primary Care Trust;
FenderPrime Refill Chief Executive of The National ties.’ The local Healthwatch is • A local authority; or
Short, Neon Yellow or Long Neon Green € 16.25 Consumer Council, also sits on expected to influence how health • A person prescribed by regu-
18 pcs the board of the CQC. This is rec- services are commissioned and lations made by the Secretary of
3518-1209 © Directa AB
FenderPrime Assortment ognised as a potential conflict of set up. State.
Short, Neon Yellow and Long Neon Green € 25.85 interest but we are assured that
2 x 18 pcs ‘robust governance’ is in place to Local Healthwatch organisa- Healthwatch England would
deal with this. tions will also provide informa- have to draw up specific regu-
tion, advice and support about lations to add to this list. At this
Essentially, Healthwatch Eng- local services and pass recom- stage, it’s probably best to assume
land is a national body which will mendations to Healthwatch Eng- that authorised representatives
DISTRIBUTED IN THE UK BY TRYCARE
TEL. 01274-88 55 44 coordinate feedback from a net- land and the Care Quality Com- of local Healthwatch organisa-
work of local organisations and mission. tions will act in a similar way to

2. United Kingdom Edition December 10-16, 2012 Practice Management 21
LINks representatives – have no level – informed by feedback Local Government Association
right of ‘enter and view’ to dental I should also mention Local How will Healthwatch affect from local Healthwatch organi- is leading the implementation
practices. Professional Networks (LPNs), you? sations. Particularly active local of local Healthwatch and there
which will be an integral part of You could, if you choose, have Healthwatch organisations may, is much useful information, in-
Seventy-five local authori- the national NHS Commissioning nothing to do with local Health- in time, arrange with the CQC to cluding briefings, publications
ties were chosen to be ‘path- Board (NHS CB) and the 27 local watch and may never be direct- visit yours and other local den- and events on its website www.
finders’ for local Healthwatch. NHSCB teams (called Local Area ly affected by it. I suggest this tal practices to ‘enter and view’. local.gov.uk (search for ‘health-
In one exercise, nine of these Teams (LATs)) – also due to come would be a mistake. More so And who’s to say they won’t de- watch’).
were surveyed for their experi- into effect from 1 April 2013. than LINks, local Healthwatch velop local health service quality
ences. Some stated that before LPNs will be embedded into LATs organisations will likely have standard marks? Healthwatch is less ‘Big
April 2013 they intend to build to ‘provide local intelligence and considerable influence over local Brother’ and more vox populi
a profile for local Healthwatch expertise as part of the local health and social care provision. I believe you should look out (voice of the people). DT
within their local authority and commissioning infrastructure As (an independent) part of the in the coming months for news
NHS organisations to embed lo- and into the quality improvement CQC, Healthwatch England will of the development of your local
cal Healthwatch as a significant work for primary care’. also have influence at national Healthwatch organisation. The
partner in the planning and com-
missioning processes [for health
and social care]. It was also
thought that local Healthwatch
organisations might develop a
quality certification mark.
Making
The Local Government Or-
ganisation has published a docu-
ment entitled Supporting Health-
watch Pathfinders – Building
Digital
successful Healthwatch organi-
sations. This includes 15 case
studies for pathfinder local au-
thorities with the broad finding
Dentistry
that many intend transitioning
from LINks to local Healthwatch.
Indeed, back in March 2011 the
DH produced a HealthWatch
Happen
(before it became Healthwatch)
Transition Plan explaining how
the work, community and struc-
tures of LINks could be built up.
LINks
If local Healthwatch organisa-
tions sound familiar, you may be
thinking of Local Involvement
Networks (LINks). These are lo-
cal individuals and community
groups who work together to im-
prove health and social care ser-
vices. There have been problems
with LINks which is why they’re
being replaced by local Health-
watch organisations. LINks have
rarely involved a wide cross-sec-
tion of their local communities,
3D Printing Solutions for Digital Dentistry
few people know about them and
they are not brought together un-
der a national umbrella. • Print stone models, veneer try‑ins and
While local Healthwatch delivery trays, surgical guides, denture
organisations will be commis-
sioned by their local authority
try‑ins, orthodontic appliances and more
and accountable to them, Health-
watch England will provide con- • Produce parts faster with superior accuracy
sistent advice and information and resolution
from a national viewpoint. It will
also develop partnerships with
other national bodies to raise
• Eliminate manual work and improve
awareness of local Healthwatch efficiency
and hopefully increase involve-
ment by a wide range of local
people.
Objet Eden260V 3D Printer
About the author
Amanda Atkin
runs Atkinspire Ltd
and offers practic-
es support, train-
ing and consultan-
cy on information
governance, CQC
compliance, Na-
tional Minimum
Standards and
HTM 01-05. Her bespoke service sup-
ports practices as they embed the Find out how Objet 3D Printing can transform your dental business today.
required standards within their daily
www.objetdental.com • dental@objet.com
routines – to ensure a high quality
service and patient safety at all times.
e amanda@atkinspire.co.uk
www.atkinspire.co.uk