Healthwatch Essex Limited
A company limited by guarantee (no. 8360699) and
A registered charity in England and Wales (no. 1158356).
Minutes of the AGM held on
Friday 30th September 2016
4.00pm-6.00pm, at Oaklands Museum, Oaklands Park,
Moulsham St, Chelmsford CM2 9AQ.
Present: Mike Adams (Chairman), Christopher Booth (Trustee), Leslie Lodge (Trustee) and Samantha Glover (Trustee)
In Attendance:Thomas Nutt (Chief Executive Officer). Members of Healthwatch Essex staff and the public were also in attendance
1.Apologies for Absence
Richard Aldridge (Trustee).
2.Chairs Introduction
The chairman warmly welcomed everyone to the fourth AGM of Healthwatch Essex (HWE).
3.Minutes of Previous Meeting
The minutes from the last AGM on 7th January 2016 were agreed as being a fair and accurate record.
4.Matters Arising
There were no matters arising that would not be dealt with elsewhere on the agenda.
5.Election of Trustees
In accordance with the Articles of Association, Trustees serve for a three-year period and one third of the Trustees retire each year. They are eligible to stand for re-election for a further three-year period.
The following Trustees were retiringand, having been proposed for re-election, were duly re-elected by the Board:
- Leslie Lodge
- Samantha Glover
The CEO stated that plans for increasing the size of the Board of Trustees were in development, and that he hoped to be in a position to place adverts shortly in order to invite interest.
6.Election of Vice Chair
The Chairman stated that Leslie Lodge had been nominated as Vice Chair, and was duly electedin this capacity by the Board.
7.Adoption of Annual Report 2015-2016 and Finanical Statements for the year to 31st March 2016
The CEO was invited to present his Annual Report for 2015-16. He noted the ongoing good progress being made by the charity against the aims and objectives as set out in the Strategic Plan 2013-2016, and his concluding thoughts were:
- Good progress was being made towards HWE becoming a mature organisation;
- Ongoing efforts are being made for HWE to become embedded in the minds of the public;
- Progress had been made towards placing patients and service users at the heart of NHS and social care.
Resolutions to adopt the Annual Report and the Financial Statements to 31st March 2016 were approved by the Board.
8.Re-appointment of Auditors of the Charity
A resolution to re-appoint the auditors of the Charity, Whittle & Co., on terms to be agreed by the Board of Trustees, was approved by the Board.
9.Chief Executives operational report 2016 / 2017
The CEO noted that, under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, Healthwatch Essex has a responsibility to take decisions relating to its statutory functions within a public setting, so as to allow the involvement and contribution of members of the public. This includes budgetary aspects of those statutory functions.
The CEO thus presented an update in the form of an operational work plan for 2016-17, a financial summary 2016-17 and a draft of the Strategic Plan for 2016-19.
Members of the public were invited to offer comments and questions. There were none.
The Board confirmed that they were satisfied with progress made on the operational plan, financial summary and final draft of the Strategic Plan 2016-19.
10.Public Representations
Questions or comments were invited:
Paul Osman, Action for Family Carers
Question: Where do we move in next phase with information gleamed from studies? Carer dissatisfaction highlighted 145,000 Carers in Essex, ECC aware of 18,000. I would like to see identification of Carers in hospitals as a priority.
Answer: TN responded that there is a gap between being influential and achieving change. Hospital Discharge, we will follow up study in hospitals to improve commination / social needs. Working with ECC regarding Carers support. There are worries that support for carers is difficult issue for whole system. Lack of communication and continuity of care.
Scott, Mental Health volunteer.
Comment: Continue outreach, podcasts, videos, etc. as these have a place.
TN: thank you for your comments
Brian Mister, Ambassador
Question: Working in BroomfieldHospital – Patient Experience Group, end of life and success regime, patient experience group. Need to look at communication between HWE and Ambassadors – not always made aware of events and achievements at HWE. This was also discussed at the last AGM. Ambassadors are a part of HWE.
TN: A review of this was underway, but communication was also contingent on staffing, with a key role being presently unfilled. He noted that HWE was looking at ways to better support Ambassadors.
MA: Balance between overlooking individuals and discerning what people need to know. I accept Brian’s comments and continue to look at ways to move this forward.
Penill Peterson , Haven Project
Impressed with work with young people/ mental health work. Some clients would be good as Ambassadors. I would like to see HWE going to 3rd Sector organisations to explain what Ambassadors do and how this would help to make improvements. Can 3rd Sector be brought into public engagement?
TN: 10,000 voluntary organisations in Essex, there are around 12 members of HWE staff, but that HWE would see what what could be done
Ken, public member
Question: Impressed with what I hear. Mid Essex under funding for years, Health and Social care in crisis. Who should be saying this?
TN: We are not sole conduit for feedback on Health and Social care. We are about voice and lived experience. We try to keep close to our ethos, avoid being political.
MA: Always that balance – where does an organisation sit? Are we part of the solution or do we try to change the rules of the game?
How far do you go to ensure the lived experience of people gets listened to? On balance HWE positioned on that line to best represent the voice of people using health and social care.
Paul Osman, Action for Family Carers
Comment: Last night CCG meeting. Every £1 spent supporting Carers you save £4 in mental health care.
Dr Ali – Southend
Question: STP and Success regime. What is the connection?
TN: Now considered to be one and the same.
11.Any other business
Mike Adams had to leave the meeting. Leslie Lodge assumed the Chair, and thanked everyone for coming to the AGM. The formal part of the meeting was duly closed.
12.Presentation: Dr Oonagh Corrigan, Commissioning and Research Manager at Healthwatch Essex, presenting the findings of the Healthwatch Essex research study into patient, carer and staff experience of hospital discharge at three Essex hospitals.
Questions on research:
Q: Does research include mental health wards?
OC: no
Q: Any feedback from commissionerss? What was the most surprising thing you didn’t expect to find?
OC: Intensified what we expected, staff witnessed patients unable to access fast track end of life care and dying in hospital.
‘Moral distress’ in staff
‘Tensions around funding play out on the ground’
Q: The questioner was a Basildon Hospital governor in the past. Transport identified in delaying discharge and waiting for drugs from Pharmacy.
OC: Interesting to go back in a year and evaluate.
Q: Fractured pelvis in 2015 – Broomfield Hospital. Wasn’t seem by social worker for 3 days and was called a ‘bed blocker’ Delay for commode.
OC: assessments at weekends delayed so people going have prior to assessments. Staff having to wait for equipment
Q: Did all hospitals have formal discharge procedures?
OC: Yes, but not all complied with them
Paul Osman – Action for family carers – Asked for a copy of the hospital discharge report.
TN thanked Oonagh got her time at HWE and wished her luck in her new job at Anglia Ruskin University.
…………………………………. Chairman
The date of the next meeting is to be arranged.
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