Agenda item

Report of Chair Healthwatch City of London.

The Sub Committee received a report from Lynn Strother from Healthwatch.

Visits to Newham Hospital

Healthwatch had made observations in elderly ward and written to the Trust suggesting the implementation of more activities for engagement. Members noted that a positive response had been received.

GP survey

A priority for Healthwatch was Community Services, which was incorporated in the wider Healthwatch City of London GP survey. This went out to approx. 2,000 people and Healthwatch were now contacting the surrounding GP practices.

Hospital discharge

Owing to concerns about patients and discharge procedures, Healthwatch were doing a broad survey and investigation into discharge policies across London.

Services for City Residents

Healthwatch had concerns over City residents who were registered with a GP outside of the City. The Director of Community and Children’s Services reported that the Sub Committee had been looking at this issue for some time and work was being done on identifying a proposal for integrated care. He advised that the Corporation was confident that residents were not going without services, but there were issues with communications between the three CCGs City residents had access to (Islington, City & Hackney, and Tower Hamlets).

Members had several questions regarding the details of the Healthwatch GP survey and comments from service users of Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and it was agreed that all questions be forwarded to the Committee and Member Services Officer who could liaise with Ms Strother and circulate the answers electronically.

RESOLVED – That all questions be forwarded to the Committee and Member Services Officer.