What is Healthwatch? Healthwatch is the independent consumer champion for both health and social care. It exists in two distinct forms – local Healthwatch and Healthwatch England. Local Healthwatch is part of the Government’s plans to give people a stronger voice and drive improvements in health and social care services. It began in April 2013, and will build on the work of Local Involvement Networks (LINks). Guidance from the Department of Health has identified that Healthwatch will be a not-for-profit social enterprise that uses the voices and experiences of the people it serves to encourage high standards of health and care provision and to challenge poor services. To do this, it will: have the power to enter and view health and social care services influence how services are set up and commissioned by having a seat on the local Health and Wellbeing Board carry out engagement to gather the views of local people, and represent these views to commissioners and service providers produce reports which influence the way services are designed and delivered provide information and support about local health and social care services forward information and recommendations to Healthwatch England and the Care Quality Commission. Healthwatch Barnsley will be supported through Voluntary Action Barnsley and led by a shadow Strategic Advisory Board, including a chairman and vice chairman of the board, who will help determine the strategic direction for Healthwatch and ensure engagement with all segments of the local population in order to be representative of as many residents and health and social care service users as possible. Barnsley Council was tasked with the commissioning of Healthwatch Barnsley by the Department of Health (DH). Although commissioned by the Local Authority Healthwatch Barnsley is an independent organisation from the council, responsible for future decisions on its own staff and volunteers and will be funded via contract from the Council. The roles advertised are for 4 people to add to the current Healthwatch Barnsley Strategic Advisory Board, 1 Vice Chair, and 3 Strategic Advisory Board members. Important: The Vice Chair of the Strategic Advisory Board has additional responsibilities to the Strategic Advisory Board positions. To be considered for this position please state this role clearly in your application. The Barnsley Joint Strategic Needs Assessment provides the evidence of needs in the local area. The Health & Wellbeing Board, Barnsley Council and the Barnsley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are in the process of developing the new Barnsley Health & wellbeing Strategy which identifies the following four areas on which to focus for a four year period 2016 – 2020: Improve Population Health and Wellbeing Reduce Health Inequalities Integrate Health and Care Services Ensure System Resilience
What is Healthwatch? Healthwatch is the independent consumer champion for both health and social care. It exists in two distinct forms – local Healthwatch and Healthwatch England. Local Healthwatch is part of the Government’s plans to give people a stronger voice and drive improvements in health and social care services. It began in April 2013, and will build on the work of Local Involvement Networks (LINks). Guidance from the Department of Health has identified that Healthwatch will be a not-for-profit social enterprise that uses the voices and experiences of the people it serves to encourage high standards of health and care provision and to challenge poor services. To do this, it will: have the power to enter and view health and social care services influence how services are set up and commissioned by having a seat on the local Health and Wellbeing Board carry out engagement to gather the views of local people, and represent these views to commissioners and service providers produce reports which influence the way services are designed and delivered provide information and support about local health and social care services forward information and recommendations to Healthwatch England and the Care Quality Commission. Healthwatch Barnsley will be supported through Voluntary Action Barnsley and led by a shadow Strategic Advisory Board, including a chairman and vice chairman of the board, who will help determine the strategic direction for Healthwatch and ensure engagement with all segments of the local population in order to be representative of as many residents and health and social care service users as possible. Barnsley Council was tasked with the commissioning of Healthwatch Barnsley by the Department of Health (DH). Although commissioned by the Local Authority Healthwatch Barnsley is an independent organisation from the council, responsible for future decisions on its own staff and volunteers and will be funded via contract from the Council. The roles advertised are for 4 people to add to the current Healthwatch Barnsley Strategic Advisory Board, 1 Vice Chair, and 3 Strategic Advisory Board members. Important: The Vice Chair of the Strategic Advisory Board has additional responsibilities to the Strategic Advisory Board positions. To be considered for this position please state this role clearly in your application. The Barnsley Joint Strategic Needs Assessment provides the evidence of needs in the local area. The Health & Wellbeing Board, Barnsley Council and the Barnsley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are in the process of developing the new Barnsley Health & wellbeing Strategy which identifies the following four areas on which to focus for a four year period 2016 – 2020: Improve Population Health and Wellbeing Reduce Health Inequalities Integrate Health and Care Services Ensure System Resilience