Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 27
27
Deferred
Paragraph: 83
Urgent need for DHSC to review Healthwatch funding and commissioning arrangements
Conclusion
DHSC should therefore review the funding and commissioning arrangements for Healthwatch, with a view to ensuring they are fit for purpose within the context of new ICSs, and support Healthwatch to have a clear voice. The outcome of this review should be reported to the House.
Government Response Summary
The government response detailed the importance of the prevention agenda, the role of directors of public health, and ICB duties regarding public health, but did not address the recommendation concerning a review of Healthwatch funding and commissioning arrangements.
Paragraph Reference:
83
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
We agree that there should be a continual focus on the prevention agenda. ICBs are expected to ensure that directors of public health and their teams have defined positions at an ICS and place level, ensuring that ICB decision-making is made with public health input to take account of joint local health and wellbeing strategies in which the directors of public health have a key role in the design and/or sponsorship. While public health is and should remain a crucial role of local government, and may have been included through the recruitment of partner members on ICB boards, systems have the autonomy to appoint members based on their area’s priorities. Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide a public health advice service to ICBs to inform effective commissioning of healthcare and related matters (as required by regulations under section 6C of the NHS Act 2006). ICBs have a parallel duty to seek advice from appropriate persons on prevention and public health (under new section 14Z38 of the NHS Act 2006). Guidance for ICBs on delivering a quality public health function has been issued by NHS England, in partnership with the Faculty of Public Health, the Association of Directors of Public Health and the LGA , which strongly emphasises the need to work in close partnership with directors of public health and their teams. The Health and Care Act 2022 sets out minimum membership requirement of the ICB boards that include members from NHS trusts, primary care and local authorities. However, the local areas can, by local agreement, go beyond the legislative minimum requirements to address their local needs. It is important to grant ICSs the freedom to create the architecture and governance for their ICP and ICB that enables them to best serve their population.