Issue - items at meetings - Re-commissioning of Healthwatch services

Report of the Executive Director for Housing, Neighbourhoods and Communities (copy attached)

RESOLVED – That the Sub-Committee instructs the Executive Director for Housing, Neighbourhoods and Communities to direct award a three year contract to Health Watch Brighton & Hove CIC for the provision of local Health Watch Services.

6.1      The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Executive Director for Housing, Neighbourhoods and Communities seeking the Committees’ approval to re-commission a Healthwatch service for Brighton and Hove.

6.2      The context for this decision was set out in the report and it was explained that the Council had a statutory responsibility to have in place a Local Healthwatch service and was required by law to establish a contractual agreement (grant or contract) with a social enterprise that delivered Healthwatch activities. The current contract was due to expire on 31 March 2021 to the existing supplier (Healthwatch Brighton & Hove). A further waiver was granted in 2020 to facilitate the extension the current two year contract with the existing provider Healthwatch Brighton and Hove CIC from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022. This had been done to ensure delivery of Healthwatch services were maintained during the Covid 19 pandemic, to reduce the work impact on Healthwatch staff and volunteers and to maintain a period of stability whilst the national emergency continued and future recovery took place. The current provider, Healthwatch provider, Healthwatch Brighton and Hove CIC had a good reputation in the city, performed well through the contract management reporting and was well regarded by Healthwatch England.

6.3      Councillor Mears sought clarification regarding where the costs of paying for this service lay ultimately, why this matter lay with this particular sub committee and clarity around the implications of the option referred to in paragraph 2.1 of the report. The Executive Director for Health and Adult Social Care, Rob Persey, explained that services were funded via a grant from central government received by the Communities Team. The ramifications of the different options were explained and it was also explained that if the council made a grant to the organisation

6.4      Councillor Fowler stated that given that Healthwatch Brighton CIC had performed well and continued to do so, her preference would be to award a three year contract to them. The Chair, Councillor Shanks concurred in that view. Councillor Mears preference was to pursue the option set out in paragraph 2.1. A vote was taken and on a vote to 2 to 1 Members voted to award a three year contract to Healthwatch.

6.5      RESOLVED – That the Sub Committee instructs the Executive Director for Housing, Neighbourhoods and Communities to direct award a three year contract to Healthwatch Brighton and Hove CIC for the provision of local Healthwatch services.