Agenda item

Alvin Kinch – Update and community engagement

Alvin Kinch, Manager of Healthwatch Southwark, explained that the group had started up in April 2013 and was based at Cambridge House, off Camberwell Road. There were more than 150 similar groups in the country. Their task was to collect peoples’ views on health and social care services and to make those views known to those who commission local services. This was to ensure the right services were being provided for the people of Southwark and to improve them. Various meetings had taken place with hospitals, council officers and commission groups. Healthwatch would be looking at mental health and inter-social care services along with how people access their GP. Residents were encouraged to feedback their own views and experiences so that services could be changed where necessary.

In response to questions, Alvin responded with the following points:

• Individual comments are logged and Healthwatch Southwark looks into those for particular trends to follow up on. There was a signposting service which helped people access the exact service they needed.

• An overall body called Healthwatch England provides support to the local groups around the country. Healthwatch England is a sub-committee of the Care Quality Commission.