To receive apologies for absence.

No apologies for absence were received.

To receive details of any councillor nominated to attend the meeting in place of a member of the committee.

There were no named substitutes.

To receive declarations of interest in respect of items on the agenda.

No declarations of interest were made.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on Monday 27 October 2025.

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 October 2025 were confirmed as a correct record.

To receive any written questions from members of the public.

No questions were received from members of the public.

To receive any written questions from members of the council.

No questions were received from councillors.

To provide the committee with an overview of Healthwatch Herefordshire and its work, Government proposals to abolish Healthwatch England and Local Healthwatch, and principles for future delivery of Healthwatch’s functions.

The committee received an overview from Christine Price, Chief Officer of Healthwatch Herefordshire, covering the organisation’s statutory role, current areas of work, and the national proposals arising from the Dash review.

The principal points of the discussion are summarised below:

1. The report included in the agenda papers provides background information on Healthwatch since its establishment in 2013, along with an overview of its statutory duties.

2. There are Government proposals to abolish Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch bodies, replacing them with a national ‘patient experience’ function and locally assigned duties for ICBs and local authorities.

3. A forthcoming white paper is expected to provide further detail in the new year. It would take approximately a year for this to progress into legislation, during which time Herefordshire Council will remain responsible for commissioning Healthwatch in its current form. A transition period is also anticipated ahead of any potential changes set out in an eventual Act of Parliament.

4. There is uncertainty over a number of areas, including funding arrangements, staffing implications, and clarity on the scope of future functions until there is more detail from the Government.

5. Healthwatch England’s development of five principles for future patient voice models, with concerns raised about potential loss of independence, in particular.

6. Key Local Healthwatch activities include:

7. The council continues to monitor developments closely, despite the uncertainty surrounding future arrangements. As a general principle, the council remains committed to supporting whatever structure is needed to ensure residents’ voices are heard.

8. Alongside the role of Healthwatch, many parts of the health and care system involve people and groups who engage with service users and patients in different ways. Currently, the collective insight from these sources is not being fully utilised, which presents an opportunity for the future model to bring this feedback together.

9. In relation to the development of Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) across the county, particular reference was made to Hereford Medical Group (HMG), where the PPG is now operating as an autonomous body rather than one managed by the practice. This was highlighted as a positive example demonstrating how independent patient voice can support constructive collaboration with a General Practice (GP). Committee members noted that this could provide a template for other practices seeking to enhance the effectiveness of their PPGs.

10. In response to a question about using Enter and View powers to visit care homes, it was noted that securing a care home’s participation can be bureaucratic and that the process is still often perceived as inspectorial, despite the intention being to engage with residents and families. It was further commented that the visits are highly  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

To consider the draft work programme for the Health, Care and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee until July 2026.

The Statutory Scrutiny Officer presented the draft work programme for the Health, Care and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee for the municipal year 2025/26.

The committee considered the updated work programme and noted capacity constraints. It was agreed that a revised programme reflecting a quarterly meeting cycle will be presented at the next meeting.

Resolved

That:

a)    The committee agree the draft work programme for Health, Care and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee contained in the work programme report attached as appendix 1, which will be subject to regular review, as the basis of their primary focus for the remainder of the municipal year.

b)    The committee note the forward plan attached as appendix 2 and identify any opportunities for collaboration or alignment of work.

Date of the next scheduled meeting: Monday 26 January 2026, 2.00 pm.

The next meeting will be held on Monday 26 January 2026 at 2.00 pm.