This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jan/30/healthwatch-nhs-reforms-april-kendall

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
New consumer bodies for healthcare are far behind schedule, claims Labour New consumer bodies for healthcare are far behind schedule, claims Labour
(about 2 hours later)
A key element of the government's NHS reforms is "barely off the starting block", Labour will claim as it releases figures which show that a third of councils have failed to introduce new bodies designed to give a greater say to patients. A key element of the government's NHS reforms is "barely off the starting block", Labour will claim as it releases figures that show a third of councils have failed to introduce new bodies designed to give a greater say to patients.
Liz Kendall, the shadow minister for care and older people, will on Wednesday accuse the government of neglecting the voice of patients after a freedom of information survey found a third of councils cannot guarantee they will be able to run local Healthwatch bodies by the planned date of 1 April.Liz Kendall, the shadow minister for care and older people, will on Wednesday accuse the government of neglecting the voice of patients after a freedom of information survey found a third of councils cannot guarantee they will be able to run local Healthwatch bodies by the planned date of 1 April.
Under the controversial health and social care bill, councils are due to sign contracts to establish the Healthwatch bodies which are designed to replace the Local Involvement Networks and act as the new champion of consumer rights in the NHS. Under the controversial health and social care bill, councils are due to sign contracts to establish the bodies, which are designed to replace the Local Involvement Networks and act as the new champion of consumer rights in the NHS.
But in a Freedom of Information survey Labour found that 29% of those councils that responded could not confirm that they would have a fully functioning local Healthwatch in time. Nearly two thirds of councils that responded (64%) could not answer whether they would subcontract any local Healthwatch statutory duties because the contract was still out to tender, according to Labour. But in a Freedom of Information survey Labour found that 29% of those councils that responded could not confirm they would have a fully functioning local Healthwatch in time. Nearly two-thirds of councils that responded (64%) could not answer whether they would subcontract any local Healthwatch statutory duties because the contract was still out to tender, according to Labour.
In all, 121 councils responded to the survey – a response rate of 81%. Coventry, which was one of the councils unable to guarantee the timely introduction of a Healthwatch body, said: "Due to a number of factors including the uncertain financial allocations available for Healthwatch the council will not be in a position to formally establish Healthwatch Coventry by 1 April 2013." In all, 121 councils responded to the survey – a response rate of 81%. Coventry, one of the councils unable to guarantee the timely introduction of a Healthwatch body, said: "Due to a number of factors including the uncertain financial allocations available for Healthwatch the council will not be in a position to formally establish Healthwatch Coventry by 1 April 2013."
Kendall will tell the annual conference of National Voices, the coalition of health and social care charities in England: "The government has pulled out all the stops to ensure clinical commissioning groups are fully functioning by April this year. CCGs have been running in shadow form for months and are being made to go through a centrally driven authorisation process.Kendall will tell the annual conference of National Voices, the coalition of health and social care charities in England: "The government has pulled out all the stops to ensure clinical commissioning groups are fully functioning by April this year. CCGs have been running in shadow form for months and are being made to go through a centrally driven authorisation process.
"In stark contrast, local Healthwatch – which is supposed to champion the interests of patients and the public – is barely off the starting block in large parts of the country. Many councils still haven't signed contracts with organisations to run Healthwatch, and some say it will be months before they are properly up and running."In stark contrast, local Healthwatch – which is supposed to champion the interests of patients and the public – is barely off the starting block in large parts of the country. Many councils still haven't signed contracts with organisations to run Healthwatch, and some say it will be months before they are properly up and running.
"If local councils, hospitals and GPs don't know who will be running Healthwatch, what chance do ordinary patients have? The government has been so busy trying to make its backroom NHS reorganisation work, it has neglected the voice of patients and the public – at precisely the time this is desperately needed because of all the pressures on services and changes in the system.""If local councils, hospitals and GPs don't know who will be running Healthwatch, what chance do ordinary patients have? The government has been so busy trying to make its backroom NHS reorganisation work, it has neglected the voice of patients and the public – at precisely the time this is desperately needed because of all the pressures on services and changes in the system."
Kendall will also call for a new TripAdvisor-style website, along the lines of the not-for-profit Patient Opinion site, to give patients a greater share in improving standards of care. The shadow minister has written to all MPs in England advising them to register with Patient Opinion, where patients post comments about their experience of the NHS. Health service staff are alerted to a story in their field and can reply online.Kendall will also call for a new TripAdvisor-style website, along the lines of the not-for-profit Patient Opinion site, to give patients a greater share in improving standards of care. The shadow minister has written to all MPs in England advising them to register with Patient Opinion, where patients post comments about their experience of the NHS. Health service staff are alerted to a story in their field and can reply online.
Kendall will say: "Websites like Patient Opinion are a really powerful tool for patients to tell their story and find out what others have said about a service, and for local staff to get the detailed feedback they need to tackle poor standards of care. It gives patients a voice and staff a powerful incentive to improve, in a simple, easy and cost effective way.Kendall will say: "Websites like Patient Opinion are a really powerful tool for patients to tell their story and find out what others have said about a service, and for local staff to get the detailed feedback they need to tackle poor standards of care. It gives patients a voice and staff a powerful incentive to improve, in a simple, easy and cost effective way.
"Of course deciding which NHS or care service you want to use isn't the same as choosing a hotel, but the underlying principle of TripAdvisor-style websites – that people want to know what others who have used a service think about it – is going to become increasingly important in future." "Of course, deciding which NHS or care service you want to use isn't the same as choosing a hotel, but the underlying principle of TripAdvisor-style websites – that people want to know what others who have used a service think about it – is going to become increasingly important in future."
The shadow minister will speak a week before Robert Francis QC publishes the independent report into the scandal of treatment at hospitals run by the Mid Staffordshire NHS foundation trust. Kendall will say: "There will be serious lessons for all parts of the NHS to learn from the Francis inquiry. Whatever recommendations the inquiry makes, it is absolutely essential that the views and experiences of patients and their families are heard loudly and clearly from the bedside to the boardroom and at the heart of Whitehall too.The shadow minister will speak a week before Robert Francis QC publishes the independent report into the scandal of treatment at hospitals run by the Mid Staffordshire NHS foundation trust. Kendall will say: "There will be serious lessons for all parts of the NHS to learn from the Francis inquiry. Whatever recommendations the inquiry makes, it is absolutely essential that the views and experiences of patients and their families are heard loudly and clearly from the bedside to the boardroom and at the heart of Whitehall too.
"Effective monitoring and regulation of NHS services really matters, but regulators can't be everywhere, all the time. Patients and their families are, which is why we must ensure they have a stronger and more powerful voice in all parts of the NHS and at every level of the system.""Effective monitoring and regulation of NHS services really matters, but regulators can't be everywhere, all the time. Patients and their families are, which is why we must ensure they have a stronger and more powerful voice in all parts of the NHS and at every level of the system."