Healthwatch briefs the city’s Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee
The Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HWOSC) scrutinises NHS services across Brighton and Hove. It is one of the statutory consultee bodies for major changes in local health provision. The HWOSC has responsibility for scrutinising children's and adult social care services in the city, sharing the role with the relevant policy committees. The HWOSC also carries out a lot of its work through workshops and scrutiny review panels.
In January, the Committee received papers on NHS dentistry and Non-Emergency patient transport. Healthwatch provided briefing papers to members on both of these items, having carried out extensive research and engagement into them. The work of Healthwatch and its role in escalating the voice of patients was recognised:
Dentistry
“NHS Sussex has used patient feedback collected in the April 2023 Sussex Healthwatch survey, Experiences of Dentistry in Sussex Poll”. The Sussex Healthwatch survey findings:
- Once accessed, more people were Satisfied/Very Satisfied (29.5%) than Dissatisfied/Very Dissatisfied (17.8%) with the treatment they received.
- 25.5% had accessed NHS dental treatment without any issues, but 40.9% of respondents were unable to receive NHS dental treatment as they had been unable to find dentists able to offer it.
- Nearly one-in-fourteen people (6.8%) needed dental treatment but were unable to afford to pay the NHS dental charges.
- Approximately one-fifth of people (21.8%) told us they had paid for treatment privately because they had been unable to find or access a dentist able to provide NHS treatment.
- Some people (4.5%) had paid for private dental services, so they were able to receive an appointment or treatment faster.
- Seven people (3.2%) told us that they had paid for treatment privately so that their child could access NHS dental services.”
Non-emergency patient transport
“The contract currently being tendered reflects the findings of the 2021 national review (in which Sussex was one of 3 pathfinder sites), learning taken from the previous procurement, feedback from system partners and patient groups, including Healthwatch, with Healthwatch in Brighton playing a significant role in service design, development and evaluation of the bids received. “
“Commissioners for NEPTS have welcomed both Healthwatch and additional patient representation into their work when developing the new contract specification. This has taken the form of regular attendance by Healthwatch at NEPTS Task and Finish groups, inviting comment on draft Service Specifications and involving patient representation in the assessment of bids to deliver the new service.”
“It is also clear from patient feedback obtained by Healthwatch in 2020 that patients want a service that is better able to keep them informed of the location of their vehicle using modern technology such as smart phone apps, for example, almost 80% would like to receive a text/call when their vehicle is 30 mins away; 95% would like to be kept informed of changes or delays to their transport; 2/3rds would like a mobile phone app to track their vehicles; and 91% would like an exact time when their transport will arrive. With all this in mind, NHS Sussex has consolidated funding sources across acute and mental health providers and developed a vision for a new patient transport offer that includes all components and that will better meet the requirements of patients and the healthcare system in 2025 and beyond.”
You can read our briefing papers below and all of the Committee papers are on the Council’s website.
