Healthwatch is a sister organisation of the Care Quality Commission. Local Healthwatch is independent of the NHS, the funding comes from the Department of Health through local authorities. 

No, your local Healthwatch is commissioned by their local authority and will be accountable to them.

Residents of Bracknell Forest attend hospitals based outside of the Bracknell area.

Quality accounts are reports on performance about health services. Healthwatch Bracknell Forest will contribute to the following Quality Accounts:

• Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
• South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
• The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
• West London Mental Health NHS Trust (in regard to Broadmoor Hospital)

Healthwatch Bracknell Forest also contribute to the Local Authority's Annual Local Account and the CCG Commissioning Plan through the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Healthwatch Bracknell Forest will respond to requests to contribute to other Quality Accounts based on capacity of resources and relevance to the residents of Bracknell Forest.

Healthwatch Bracknell Forest has been commissioned by Bracknell Forest Council. The initial contract was for two years with an option for a one year extension. This has had a further extension of 1 year from April 2016 to March 2017.

The contract is held by The Ark Trust Ltd - a charitable company limited by guarantee. All funding received for the delivery of Local Healthwatch functions is restricted and ring-fenced within the organisations accounting and reporting systems.

One of the requirements of the contract was that the winning organisation(s) were able to trade and generate income to support the delivery of Local Healthwatch. The Ark Trust Ltd's constitution and governing document allows for this (it can be viewed on the Charity Commission website).

Healthwatch Bracknell Forest expects all staff and volunteers involved to adhere to the Seven Principles of Public Life, known as the Nolan Principles:

Selflessness Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other benefits for themselves, their family or their friends.

Integrity Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.

Objectivity In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.

Accountability Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

Openness Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands it.

Honesty Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.

Leadership Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

Healthwatch Bracknell Forest can request information from providers on an individual basis as necessary depending on the severity and frequency of the issue concerned.

If it is agreed that this is the necessary course of action, HWBF can request information from local organisations, commissioners and providers. They then have 20 days to return the information requested.  If providers do not comply, HWBF can take a number of different actions such as making requests under the 'Freedom of Information Act 2000', escalation to Healthwatch England, reporting back to Commissioners, The Health and Wellbeing Board and the Care Quality Commission. The trained members of Healthwatch (staff or volunteers) can also perform – ‘Enter and Views’ – these are powers to go to a service unannounced or announced and talk to patients about the service they receive and have a look at the work/standards at that particular service.

Healthwatch Bracknell Forest has worked very hard to have partnerships and a collaborative relationship with the local services and providers and they we will endeavour to discuss issues together.

Service providers and Health and Social Care organisations have a duty to the public to listen to issues that are brought forward and respond / act upon them.

Enter and View is one of a range of tools available to local Healthwatch for gathering information and monitoring the quality of services to be used when appropriate to support an agreed purpose.

HWBF will operate a process for prioritising potential enter and review programmes, as a means of focusing limited resources to maximum effect. Programmes may well arise out of broad concerns but equally they could directly target service improvements.

HWBF are currently enter and viewing all GP Practices in the Bracknell and Ascot Clinical Commissioning Group area due to feedback received from members of the public.

Healthwatch Bracknell Forest exists to promote the continuous improvement of health and social care services for the people of Bracknell Forest. When HWBF receives concerns raised by local people about relevant providers and it believes outcomes for the health and wellbeing of local people can be made better, it will inform the provider of the evidence it has gathered. HWBF is required to record the number and type of issue raised to Healthwatch England, more information can be found in the Healthwatch England escalation guidance. We will report the number and type of referrals in our Annual Report.           

Healthwatch Bracknell Forest is committed to providing opportunities for patients and users of social care services to share their views and experiences to improve health and social care services in the Borough.  We will treat volunteers fairly in line with guidance from Healthwatch England and Volunteering England and our approach to how local people can be involved in HWBF. See our Getting Involved Section here for details.