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39:, which took effect in April 2013. Its role is to gather and champion the views of users of health and social care services, in order to identify improvements and influence providers' plans. The Healthwatch network is made of up of local Healthwatch groups in each of England's local authority areas, and Healthwatch England, the national body.
174:
and modelled on the old
Community Health Councils. They should link up with local community organisations, pensioners' groups and other community organisations, and be given statutory powers to inspect hospital and community services, to object to changes which lack public acceptance, and to force a
105:
The 148 local
Healthwatch groups were allocated £43.5m by the Department of Health in 2013 but the groups only received £33.5m of this – leaving £10m unaccounted for. Anna Bradley, chair of Healthwatch England, said: "This discovery is hugely disappointing. Less than 4p out of every £10,000 spent on
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For 2018–19 it was planned that the 152 local
Healthwatch services should receive £26,064,086 from local authorities to carry out their statutory activities, 35.3% less than was originally planned in 2013. This paid for 408 full-time equivalent staff. Local Healthwatch organisations also engage a
47:
Healthwatch
England is a statutory body whose purpose is to understand the needs, experiences and concerns of people who use health and social care services and to speak out on their behalf. The local groups work together to share information, expertise and learning in order to improve health and
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The announced intention was that each local
Healthwatch would be an independent organisation, able to employ its own staff and involve volunteers and accountable in its own right. Plans to make the local Healthwatch in Leicester an independent organisation were thwarted by
59:. However, in January 2016, in a move seen as downgrading the organisation after the departure of its first Chief Executive, it was announced that a new national director would be appointed who would report to the Chief Executive of the CQC.
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health and social care was allocated to champion the cause of consumers in the first place and even this tiny amount is failing to reach those charged with speaking out on behalf of their local communities. The tragedies of Audrey Paley,
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all highlight what happens when the system fails to listen." Almost a third of councils cut their local
Healthwatch budgets in 2015–16 by an average of 14%, Blackpool and Hounslow by more than half.
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The 2015 People's
Inquiry into London's NHS recommended that Healthwatch England be closed down, with local Healthwatch bodies separated from the
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who had been charged with establishing the organisation but would not hand over the contract to the newly established
Healthwatch Leicester Ltd.
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were to make "significant investment" into the organisation in order to encourage participation in the development of the NHS's long term plan.
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Healthwatch is the latest reorganisation of arrangements to involve patients and the public in the running of the NHS in
England.
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said that although the national director would report to him, they would be able to criticise the work of the CQC if necessary.
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in July 2015, which was based on thousands of stories about people leaving hospital without the right planning and support.
479:"People's Inquiry into London's NHS Supported by Unite the union, London and Eastern region London's NHS at the Crossroads"
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resigned the chair, saying funding cuts meant the organisation could soon struggle “to fulfil its vital role".
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was appointed chair in
September 2018. Louise Ansari was appointed director in November 2021.
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387:"Patient watchdog chair quits and tells Javid funding cuts are endangering 'its vital role'"
93:. Community Health Councils continue in Wales. Scotland has a different system run by the
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National Medical Director (and interim Chief Executive of NHS Improvement): Professor
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National Director, Transformation and Corporate Development: Timothy Ferris
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considerable number of volunteers. In November 2018 it was announced that
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457:"Hospitals show 'shocking' lack of care discharging vulnerable patients"
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Safely Home: what happens when people leave hospital and care settings?
81:(CHC) were established in 1974 and abolished in 2003 to be replaced by
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This article is about the official organisations established under the
278:
Anna Bradley, chair of Healthwatch England: standing up for patients
35:
is a committee of the Care Quality Commission established under the
365:"NHS England and NHSI to give Healthwatch 'significant investment'"
343:"How much funding is your local Healthwatch receiving for 2018/19?"
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530:
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23:. For the charity which promotes evidence-based medicine, see
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decision on contested changes from the Secretary of State.
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National Director, Specialised Commissioning: John Stewart
217:"Healthwatch England will have 'freedom to criticise CQC'"
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National Director, Chief Financial Officer: Julian Kelly
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Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health
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National Director, Strategy and Innovation: Ian Dodge
321:"Revealed: Third of councils cut Healthwatch budgets"
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When established, the organisation was hosted by the
89:. They were replaced in their turn in April 2008 by
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367:. National Health Executive. 27 November 2018
261:Will Healthwatch give patients a better deal?
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158:The organisation produced a report entitled
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241:. Health Service Journal. 22 November 2021
219:. Health Service Journal. 25 February 2016
295:"£10m of Healthwatch cash 'goes missing'"
239:"New Healthwatch England chief revealed"
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411:. Department of health. Archived from
323:. Health Service Journal. 18 June 2015
437:. Leicester Mercury. 19 December 2014
83:Public and Patient Involvement Forums
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389:. Health Service Journal. 3 May 2022
14:
770:National Health Service (England)
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37:Health and Social Care Act 2012
21:Health and Social Care Act 2012
345:. Healthwatch. 1 November 2018
16:Statutory body created in 2013
1:
594:Clinical commissioning groups
55:but reported directly to the
637:hospital trusts/acute trusts
435:"Five quit health watch dog"
599:Health and wellbeing boards
284:. Accessed 8 December 2014.
267:. Accessed 8 December 2014.
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148:Voluntary Action Leicester
91:Local Involvement Networks
18:
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684:Chief Operating Officer:
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79:Community Health Councils
73:Predecessor organisations
729:Chief Scientific Officer
609:Local HealthWatch groups
459:. Guardian. 21 July 2015
647:community health trusts
172:Care Quality Commission
95:Scottish Health Council
53:Care Quality Commission
674:Lord Prior of Brampton
604:Integrated care system
409:"What is Healthwatch?"
299:Health Service Journal
48:social care services.
720:Chief Nursing Officer
614:NHS Property Services
707:Professional leaders
657:mental health trusts
579:Maple Street, London
57:Department of Health
415:on 7 September 2011
33:Healthwatch England
632:List of NHS trusts
301:. 13 February 2014
135:Sir Robert Francis
67:Sir Robert Francis
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678:Chief Executive:
652:foundation trusts
154:National activity
141:Local Healthwatch
116:Winterbourne View
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775:Patient advocacy
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680:Amanda Pritchard
642:ambulance trusts
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568:Headquarters:
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507:External links
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493:. Retrieved
486:the original
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282:The Guardian
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192:"What we do"
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43:Organisation
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558:NHS England
441:22 December
419:22 December
371:30 December
245:28 December
196:Healthwatch
124:NHS England
85:run by the
61:David Behan
25:HealthWatch
764:Categories
672:Chairman:
624:NHS trusts
349:2 November
179:References
108:Mid Staffs
327:23 August
201:12 August
166:Criticism
101:Resources
750:Category
733:Sue Hill
724:Ruth May
305:15 March
133:In 2022
495:3 March
463:21 July
223:3 March
489:(PDF)
482:(PDF)
393:4 May
497:2015
465:2015
443:2014
421:2014
395:2022
373:2018
351:2018
329:2015
307:2014
247:2021
225:2016
203:2020
126:and
114:and
280:",
263:",
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297:.
194:.
110:,
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550:e
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27:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.