Kingston's HealthWatch Pathfinder
In October 2009, KVA was contracted by the Council to act as the host agency to support a Local Involvement Network. Kingston's LINk enables local people to have a voice in matters relating to health and social care in the borough.
Full details about its work and how you can join, can be found on Kingston's LINk website.
At the March 2011 Royal Borough of Kingston Executive meeting, the local authority agreed to fund the LINk for a further year, through the transition into local HealthWatch. KVA is in the process of extending the Contract as the Host agency to support Kingston's LINk.
The Health and Social Care Bill introduced to Parliament in January, sets out the duties and responsibilities for local authorities, HealthWatch England and local HealthWatch organisations. Local authorities will continue their role as commissioners for Local HealthWatch, as they currently do for LINks.
The Department of Health has notified all Local Authorities that LINks functions need to continue during 2011-12, subject to the passage of the Bill, until Local HealthWatch comes into force from April 2012. All LINks have been invited to apply to become HealthWatch Pathfinders, as a partnership of local authorities, the LINk and the Host organisation.
Kingston's HealthWatch Pathfinder launched ...
In May, Kingston's LINk successfully applied to become a Local HealthWatch Pathfinder as part of the Health and Social Care Bill, which is going through Parliament at the moment. Kingston's LINk is one of the 75 Local HealthWatch Pathfinders, which will pioneeer plans ahead of the nationa-wide implementation of HealthWatch in October 2012.
The purpose of HealthWatch is to provide a collective voice for patients and carers, and advise the new Clinical Commissioning Groups on the shape of local services to ensure that they are informed by the views of the local community. They will champion patients' views and experiences, promote the integration of local services and improve chouice for patients though advice and access to information.
At its recent Away Day in September, Kingston's HealthWatch Pathfinder set out its priorities for the next year and set uip four working groups to continue its work on local issues in health and social care. These are GP and Community Health Services, Hospitals, Mental Health and Social Care.
A major marketing and education campaign will be launched in the near future to inform and encourage members of the public on how they can get their concerns heard and acted upon through Kingston's HealthWatch Pathfinder.
