The Annual Review report will follow.

Contact: Jane Randall-Smith, Chief Officer, Shropshire Healthwatch, Tel 01743 342183.

A report (copy attached to the signed minutes) was received and welcomed by the Health and Wellbeing Board on the activities and impact of Healthwatch Shropshire. 

The end of March 2018 heralded the end of the first Healthwatch Shropshire contract and 1^st April 2018 the beginning of a new three year contract.  This was an opportunity to look back over the first five years of Healthwatch, with a focus on the last 6 months, and then to look forward to the next contract ahead.

Page 5 of the Appendix was highlighted where stakeholders were asked for any suggestions for the future Healthwatch topics (input and ideas).  Generally, the Board welcomed Enter & View, Hot Topics and the successful brand that had been created to date.  A topic suggestion was raised at the meeting; ‘Long term funding for social care’ which was duly noted by Jane Randall-Smith, Chief Officer, Shropshire Healthwatch.  In doing so she also invited individuals to contact her after the meeting if they had any more suggested priorities they might want to be looked at in the future.

It was noted that the engagement of Future Fit when it were to come on stream would create a lot of work for Heath watch and that dashboards might be introduced.  Finally it was noted that due to reduced funding the opening hours of Healthwatch Shropshire would be reduced down from 5 day to 4 days per week and therefore the offices would be shut on Fridays.

RESOLVED:  That subject to the foregoing the report be noted