## **Healthwatch Camden Annual Report & Accounts 2020/21** 

Charitable Incorporated Organisation Trustees’ Report and Unaudited Financial Statements – year ended 31[st] March 2021 

## **Here to make care better** 

Healthwatch Camden exists to make care better for residents of the London Borough of Camden. This reports documents how the organisation used its resources in 2020/21 to pursue its objectives. 

## **Reference and administrative detail** 

**Status** : Charitable Incorporated Organisation **Charity Registration No** : 1152552 **Chief Executive Officer** : Stephen Heard 

**Registered Office** : 85-87 Bayham Street, Camden, London, NW1 0AG 

The Charity's governing document is its constitution dated 21 June 2013 

**Trustees** : Louise Jones (chair), from October 2020, Robert Sumerling (vice-chair), Sanjay Ganvir, Philippa Robinson (appointed 11[th] May 2021), Paul Webley, Keith Morgan, John Hoar, Shahnaz Ahmed. Saloni Thakrar (resigned 11[th] December 2020) Clarice Neves (resigned 10[th] September 2020) 

**Independent examiner** : Shruti Soni Ltd Chartered Certified Accountants, 117a St John’s Hill, Sevenoaks TN13 3PE 

The trustees present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021 This Trustees Report and the associated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with guidance for preparing Charity Accounts and Reports presented in “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice” and are therefore in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (effective 1 January 2015) – (Charities SORP FRS 102). 

1 



## **Charitable objects** 

The advancement of health and the relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability or financial hardship by: a) providing information and advice to the general public about local health and social care services b) making the views and experiences of members of the general public known to health and social care providers and commissioners c) enabling local people to have a voice in the development, delivery, improvement and equality of access to local health and care services and facilities and d) providing training and the development of skills for volunteers and the wider community in understanding scrutinizing, reviewing and monitoring local health and care services and facilities. 

## **Our role and remit** 

Run by and for local people, our role is to ensure that Camden people have a strong **VOICE** in local health and social care services; that they know about the **CHOICES** they can make in these services; and that local people’s views lead to positive **CHANGE** in services. 

**Our remit** derives from the key functions and powers of a local Healthwatch organisation, as set out in the 2012 Health and Social Care Act. These are: 

- to provide information and advice to the public about local health and care services; 

- to make the views and experiences of members of the general public known to health and social care providers and commissioners; 

- to enable local people to have a voice in the development, delivery, improvement and equality of access to local health and social care services and facilities; 

- to provide support for our volunteers and the wider community in understanding and monitoring local health and social care services and facilities. 

## **Activities, achievements and performance** 

See Appendix: Annual report on activity for information about the charities activities this year. 

## **Structure, governance and management** 

Healthwatch Camden is a small organisation with four staff (3.2 full time equivalent) led by Chief Executive, Stephen Heard. Staff have expertise in gathering and reporting people’s experiences and views. They reach out to different communities of interest and work with local voluntary organisations to make sure we are hearing from as wide a group of people as possible. Staff have skills in influencing local service providers, and in making alliances to achieve change. Staff are also able to gather information about services and share it via our website and social media, as well as responding to queries by telephone or email. 

We benefit from additional expertise by working with community organisations who, for example, assist with interviews in a variety of languages. Some expertise is gained through the use of associates - freelance workers - who contribute to specific projects. 

2 



## **Structure, governance and management (cont.)** 

We also have a number of active volunteers. Volunteers help us to gather and to disseminate information. Some are trained for specific roles such as ‘PLACE’ assessments (patient led assessment of the care environment, which takes place in hospitals annually) or to do formal visits to local care services using Healthwatch ‘enter and view’ powers. We are grateful for the volunteer support organisations in Camden that help us to find suitable volunteers. 

The organisation is governed by a board of trustees. This year two trustees were recruited. There are currently nine trustees. Trustees are appointed for a term of three years and may serve two terms consecutively. Trustees are recruited through a mix of open advertising and personal recommendation and all are interviewed. The board reflects a range of skills and experience. All trustees must have a connection with Camden as residents, service users, workers or students. New trustees are provided with an induction briefing. All trustees receive a regular update from the Chief Executive on current issues. 

Trustees met formally nine times this year. Four of our meetings are held in public each year. In addition, trustees and staff hold an annual ‘away-day’ to review progress and plan future work. Trustees have also met virtually as required. There are no standing committees, however the board sets up ad hoc task groups from time to time, and different trustees provide oversight and expertise to specific areas of work. This includes oversight of financial management, review of operating policies, staff issues and strategic planning. 

## **Maintaining independence** 

It is essential to our role that we are independent, so that we may provide unbiased insight and recommendations. Trustees are mindful of their role as representatives of the public interest and both trustees and staff follow the ‘Nolan Principles’ of conduct in public life. Our role requires us to be well connected with local stakeholders, and to act as a ‘critical friend’ to the health and social care system. So we always strive to keep a balance between maintaining close and constructive relationships and being demonstrably independent. 

## **Financial review** 

Healthwatch Camden receives a core grant from the London Borough of Camden. In 2020/21 this was set at £187,000 (2019/20 - £200,000). The grant will remain at £187,000 in 2021/2022, beyond that the grant will be reviewed and the actual amount is yet to be confirmed. 

In 2019/20 we reported a deficit between income and expenditure of £7,727. However, for 2020/21 there is a surplus of income over expenditure of £8,656. General funds increased from £40,143 at 31 March 2020 to £48,799 at 31 March 2021. 

The CEO and Board of Trustees are reviewing the organisation’s activities to find a way of delivering the service within budget. A new sustainability strategy will also be developed. Trustees regularly review our spending plans, to make sure we are making the best of our Resources.” 

3 



## **Reserves policy** 

Trustees reviewed our reserves policy in October 2017. Current policy is to maintain a reserve of not less than three months’ running costs. This is being achieved; our current designated reserve is £57,000. Trustees also aim to create a reserve for development costs, from surplus unrestricted funds. All other funds are available to be used in-year to further the objectives of the charity. 

## **Risk statement** 

Healthwatch Camden has a risk register, reviewed at least annually. Its biggest risks remain financial. We have legal functions as a local Healthwatch organisation and trustees are mindful that we may not be able to fulfil these if our core income drops any further. We have the ability to refer funding concerns to Healthwatch England, who may intervene on our behalf with our main funders, the London Borough of Camden. 

As a small charity with limited technical financial knowledge we had identified a general risk of loss due to fraud; our move to appoint a qualified independent financial service has helped to minimise this risk by creating a further layer of oversight. 

Trustees consider that all general operational risks are being well managed and present a low risk overall. Trustees are satisfied that risk management in use is proportionate and sufficient. 

## **Public benefit statement** 

Public benefit statement The Trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Trust's aims and objectives and in planning its future activities. In particular, the Trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives that have been set. 

4 



## **Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities** 

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). 

The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to: 

a) select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently; 

b) observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; 

c) make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; 

d) state whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; 

e) prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Trust will continue in operation. 

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Trust's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Trust and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Trust and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities 

This report was approved by the Trustees on 26/10/2021 and signed on their behalf by: 

Signed: ___________________________________  Trustee:  Chair 

Name:        Dr Louise Jones Date:     4[th] November 2021 

5 



## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Healthwatch Camden** 

I report on the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2021 as set out on pages 8 to 18. 

## **Responsibilities and basis of report** 

As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). 

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. 

## **Independent examiner's statement** 

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 

- accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 

- the accounts do not accord with those records; or 

- the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination 

- the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102). 

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. 

5th November 2021 Signed ___________________________________ Date: 

Shruti Soni FCCA FCIE 

Shruti Soni Ltd ●Chartered Certified Accountants 117a St. John's Hill Sevenoaks TN13 3PE 

6 



Annual Accounts

HEALTHWATCH CAMDEN
Staternent of flnandal acilvltles Ilncorporatlng an Income and expendlture account)
For the ￿•r ended 31 March 2021
UArestrf£ted Rest￿tted
Total
Unrestdtted Restrttted
Total
Note
lTr¢orn• from:
DonatIL￿$ and legacles
Chbdtable activltle$
Health advlce, Inlorrnatltsn and
research
other tradln8 act*￿tIeS
187.0(MJ
187.000
2LM).0￿) 2CQ,(
10,083
810
tO,083
810
21,937
1,791
21,937
1,791
Total I￿om•
10,893
187.ofA)
197,89J
23.72B
2LMJ,O￿J
223,728
Exp•ndltur• on:
Ralslng funds
Cha￿table actlvStles
Health advlce, Inforrnatl¢)n and
search
1,785
1,785
2,275
2.275
2.237
185,215
187.45Z
19,433
209,747
229,180
Total •xp•ndltur•
2,237
187,OCM)
189.237
19,433
212,022
231,455
N•t Incom• I l•xp•ndltur•l
b•fore n•t 8alns I Ilossttl on
Net 4alns I Ilossesi on Investments
8,656
8.656
4,295
112,0221
17,n71
N•t Incorn• I l•xp•ndltur•l for
th• y•ar
8,656
6.656
4,295
112,0221
17,n71
Transfers between lunds
124,8071
24,807
N•t mov•m•nt In lund5
8,656
8,656
120,5121
12,785
17,n71
R•condll4tbon of funds:
Total funds broughi forward
97,143
97,143
117,655
112,7851
104,870
Total funds c•rrl•d forward
15
105,799
105.799
97,143
97,143
All of the above result5 are derfved from contlnulng aCtI￿tIeS. There were no other recw15ed gal￿ or losse5 Other thon those stated
above. llovements In fund5 are dlsc105ed in Note 15 to the financiol 5totement5.

HEALTHWATCH CAIADEN
Balancè sh**t
A5 at 31 Marth 2021
2021
2020
Note
Fix¢d a$5ets".
Tanglble assets
11
88
561
88
561
Current assets:
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
12
49.750
89.805
2,924
118,148
139,555
121,072
Llabllltl•s:
Credllor5'. amounts fallinq due wiihln cfie year
13
33.844
24,490
Net current a55ets I Illabllltle51
105.711
96,562
Total I￿¢t5 le55 current Ilabllltle5
105.799
97,143
Total n•t ass•ts I Illabllltl•sl
105,799
97,143
Th• funds of th• charlty:
Restmcted Income funds
Unrestrtcted Income funds..
De51gnated fund5
Gèneral funcls
14
57.000
48.799
57,OLiI
40,143
Total unrestrl¢ted funds
105.799
97,143
Total charlty fund5
105,799
97, 143
4th November 2021
These financial 5talement5 were approved by the board on ............................-......-.....
.and 514￿d by its behalf by..
rustee
Name
Dr Louise lones

HEALTHWATCH CAMDEN
Not•s to the flnandal statements
For the
ear ended 31 March 2021
1 Accountlng pollcles
a) Basls of preparatlon
The flnanclal statements have been prepared In a¢cord)n¢e wlth A¢countlng and Reportlng by Charltles: Statement
of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing th￿r accounts in accordance with the Financial
Reportin8 Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland IFRS 1021 (effective 1 January 20151- ICharltle5
SORP FRS 1021, the Flnanclal Reportlng Standard appllcable In the UK and Republlc of Ireland IFRS 1021 and the
Companies Act 2CK)6. Healthwatch Camden is a charitable incorporated organisation registered with Charity
Commls51on wlth re8islratlon number 1152552. Its 85-87 Bayham Street, Camden, London, NW1 OAG. The account5
are presented in GBP rounded to £1.
Assets and Ilabllltle5 are Inltlally reco8nlsed at hlstorlcal c05t or tran5aCtlon value unles5 Otherwlse stated In the
relevant accounting Frt)licy or note.
The flnanclal statement5 have been prepared to glve a 'true and falr, vlew and have departed from the Charltles
IAcct)unts and Reports) Resulatlon$ 2008 only to the extent requlred to PrO￿de a 'true and falr vlew.. The departure
has involved followlng the Accountlng )nd Reporting by Charftles: Statement of Recommended Practlce applicable
to charltles preparlng thelr accounts In accordance wlth the Flnanclal Reportlng Standard appllcable In the UK and
Republlc of Ireland IFRS 1021 Issued on 16 July 2014 rat￿r than the Accountln8 and Reportlng by Charltles..
Statement of Recommended Practlce effectlve from l Aprll 2005 whlch has slnce been wlthdrawn.
bl Publk beneflt entlty
The charltable company meets the deflnltlon of a publlc beneflt entlty uNler FRS 102.
cl Golnq concern
The trustees conslder that there are no mJterf)l uncert)Intleg about the charltable comp8n¥s ablllty to contlnue as
golng concern.
Key Judgements lexcludln8 those Invlovln8 estlmatesl that the chadtable company has made whlch have a
51gnlflcant effect on the account5 Include Depreclatlon rate5 for tanglble Flxed Asset5.
The trustees do not conslder that there are any sources of estlmatlon uncertalnty at the reportln8 date that have a
51gnlflcant rlsk of cau51ng a malerfal adjustment to the carrylng amounts of asset5 and Ilabllltles ¥￿thIn the next
reporting period.
dl Incom•
Income 15 recognised when the charfty ha5 entitlement to the funds, any performance condition5 attached to the
Income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and that the amount can be measured
rellabiy.
Income from government and other grants, whether 'capital' grant5 or 'revenue' grant5, 15 recognised when the
charfty has entltlement to the funds, any performance condltlons attached to the grants have been met, It Is
probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.
Income recelved In advance of the provlslon of a speclfled setvlce Is deferred untll the crfterla for Income
recognition are met.
el Interest re¢elvabl•
Interest on funds heid on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the
charity., this is normally upon r￿tIfication of the interest paid or payable by the bank.
10

HEALTHWATCH CAMDEN
Notes to tho flnandal statements
For the
ear ended 31 March 2021
1 Accountlng pollcles IcontlnuÈdl
n Fund accountlnq
Restricted funds are to be used for Specific purposes as laid dovm by the donor. Expenditure which meets these
criterla is charged to the fund.
Unrestricted funds are dOnati￿S and other incoming resources received or generated for the charitable purposes.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds eamafked by the trustees for particular purpose5.
8) Ewndltur•
Expenditure 15 recogn15ed once there 15 a legal or Co￿$trUctIve obllgatlon to make a payrnent to a thlrd party, It Is
probable thai settlement wlll be requlred and the amount of ihe ofJll8atlon can be measured rellably. Expendlture 1$
Ciasslfld under the loll¢ywln8 a¢tlvlty headlngs..
Costs of raislng funds relate to the costs Incur￿ by the charltable cornpany In Inducln8 thlrd parties to make
voluntary contributions to It, as well as the cost of any activities with a fundraisln8 purpose
Expendlture on chadtable actl%Atle5 Includes the cost5 of performances and choral 51ngln8 actlvtle5 undertaken
io lurther the purposes of the charlty and thelr a550clated 5UPPOrt Costs
Other expendlture represents those Item5 not falllns Into any other headln8
h) Allo¢itk*n of support Costs
Resources expended are allocated to t￿* partlcular artlvlty Nyhere the Cost ￿lateS dlrectly to that artlvfty.
H¢)wÈver, support costs, beln8 cost of overall dlrectlon and admlnlstratlon of each aCtI￿ty, COMp￿SIng the salary
and ovèrhead costs of thè Cèntral functlon, Is )ppJrtloned on the basls of ertlmatèd staff tlme attrlbutable to each
actI￿tY.
Cost of ralsln8 funds
Health ad￿te, Infomatlon and research
Govemance cost5
1%
97%
2%
l} Operatlni lea5e5
Rental char4e5 are ¢haryed on a stral8ht Ilne basls over the term of the lease.
JI Tanllble flxed a55et5
Item5 of equipment are opitalised where the pur¢ha5e price exceeds £50). Depreciation ¢osiS are allo¢ated to
activities on the basi5 Qf the use of the related as5et5 in those actiwtie5. A5set5 a￿ rewewed for impairment if
tirtumsiancÈ5 Indicate their carrylng value may èxceèd their nèi realisablè valuè and value in use.
WThere flxed assets have been revalued, any excess between the revalued amount and the hlstorlc cost of the asset
wlll be shown as a revaluatlon reseThe In the balance sheet.
Depreclatlon Is provlded at rates calculated to wrtie down the cost of each asset to Its estlmated resldual value over
Its expected useful Ilfe. The depreclatlon rates In use are as follows..
Office Eqyiprrenl
kl Débtors
Trade and other debtors are recognlsed at the settlement amount due after any trade dlscount offered.
Prepayments are valued at the amount prepald net ol any trade dlscounts due.
2 years
11

HEALTHWATCH CAMDEN
Notes to the fln•n¢lal statements
For the
ear ended 31 March 2021
1 Accountlng pollcles Icontlnuedl
11 Cash at bank and In hand
Cash at bank and cash in hand incI￿￿eS cash and short terni highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three
months or less from the date of a¢qulsltlon or openlng of the deposlt or slmllar account. Cash balances ex¢lude
funds held on behalf of seNce users.
m) Cr•dltors arKI provlslons
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that
VAII probably result Sn the transfer of fund5 to a thlrd party and the amount due lo setlle the obllqatlon can be
measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after
allowlng for any trade dls¢ounts due.
The charlty only ha5 flnanclal assets and flnanclal Ilablllties of a klnd that quallfy a5 baslc flnanclal Instruments.
Baslc financial In$truments are Inltially recognised at transactlon value and subsequently measured at thelr
settlement value wlth the exceptlon of bank loans whlch are 5ub5equently measured al amortlsed c05t U51ng the
effectfve Interest metw.
n) Tax
The charlty Is an exempt charfty ￿thIn the manlng of schedule 3 of the Charftles Act 2011 and Is consldered to
pass the tests set out In Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 Flnance Act 2010 and therefore It meets the deflnltlon of
charltable company for UK corwratlon tax purposes.
2 Incom• frorn donatlons and i•qacl•s
2021 total
Total
2020
Total
Unrestrlcted
Restrlcted
London Borough of Camden
187,(lJJ
187,000
200,000
187,CQO
187,000
200,000
12

HEALTHWATCH CAJADEN
Notes to the flnandal 5tatem*nts
For the
ear ended 31 Jllarch 2021
3 Income from charltabl• actlvltles
2021
2020
Unrestrlcted
Re5trtcted
Total
Total
Health advfjcè, Informatlon and r￿*￿rCh
r4HS Care Quality Commisslon
Carnden Publlc Health
Care Quallty Commisslon
B*ME Older People
Camden Disabillty Actlon
Publfc Health En8alnd
Other
2,500
3,000
3,725
3,715
9,954
2,062
6.750
671
1.060
2,298
1,060
2.298
Total Income from chafltable actlvltle5
10,083
10.003
21,937
4 Incomè from oth•r tradlni actlvltl•s
2021
Total
2020
Total
Unrestrtcted
Restflcted
Hostlng & Facllltatlnq Events
Shared Desk Space
657
1,134
810
810
810
810
1,791
13

HEALTHWATCH CAMDEN
Notes to the 1lnancl•l statew*nts
For tht year endtd 31 Alarch 2021
5 Anatysls ol expendlture
For th1¥ y*ar
Charltable actI￿ty
Health advlce.
Cost of ralslnq Infom)at1on and
fun(h
research
Governance
COSt5 5￿pOrt Costs
2021 Total
Staff costs (Note 71
RecrUIt￿nt
on5ultants and engagement
AccoLmtancy and payroll fees
Indepffident exarnlnatlon
Intern and volunteer exp*￿e$
MarkÈtln8 and de51gn
Meeiin8s and events
Offlce equlpment and con5umable5
Other staff c05ts
Rent and Insurance
Research
Prole5slonal fee5
123.B61
1,693
6,732
2,071
134.631
2,071
5,298
5.962
5,298
5.962
1,61XI
260
426
3,2Z4
260
426
3.224
11,017
2,703
6.470
11,585
1,398
2.592
11,017
2,703
6,470
11,585
1,398
2,591
Gffitr)l offl¢t expenses a lepre¢l•Y
144,654
31,993
10,805
10,255
660
32,983
132,983
189,237
Swort costs
Go¥efnance casts
330
109
Tot41 •xp•ndltur• 2021
1,785
187,452
189,237
For prlor year
Charltable actlwty
Health advlce.
Cost of ralsln8 InfMnat1on and
fund5
research
Governance
Costs S￿P)rt Costs
2020 Total
Staff cost5 (Note 71
Recrultr*nt
Con5ultant5 and en8aqerrtht
Accothtancy and payroll fees
lThde￿dent examlnat1on
Intern and volunteer exFeMes
Ma¢ktrtln8 and deslln
Meetlngs and events
Office equlpment and conyJmable5
Other Staff costs
Rent and Insurance
Research
Ge￿ra1 offlce expense5 & depreclatl
1,633
150,2JJ
3,266
8,165
1,850
16J.297
1,850
4,164
7.265
1.8th)
308
4.173
ZO.886
6.937
1,223
11.340
4.5th)
3,012
4,864
7,165
1,81XI
308
4,173
2.145
18,741
6,937
1,223
3,012
1.633
325
166,223
31,551
31.405
31.072
651
32,5Z7
132,5271
231.455
Swjport cost5
Governance cas
317
131,7221
Totsl expenditure 2020
2.275
Z29.180
Z31.455
Of total expendlture the year, C187.CW was restrtcied IZ020.' C212.0221 and E2.237 was unrestr1cted 12020.'£19.4331-
14

HEALTHWATCH CAMDEN
Note5 to the fln•ncl415t4tern*nts
For the
ar ended 31 March 2021
Net Incomlng resources for the year
Th15 15 Stated after char8in8 1 credltlng..
2021
2020
Depreciatlon
Operating lease rentals:
Property
748
748
6.470
10,841
Staff cost, Trust•• r•mun•ratton and •xp•ns•s
Staff costs were as follows:
2021
2020
Salarles and waqes
Redundancy and termlnatlon costs
Soclal securfty costs
Employer's ¢ontrlbutlon to deflned contrlbutlon penslon schemes
116,928
8.000
6,834
2.869
137,931
12,158
9,811
3,397
134.631
163,297
No employee earned more than £60,O)O durlnl the year12020.' nlll.
The total employee beneflts IncludlnK penslon contrtbutlons of the key manaiement personnel We￿ £42,421
12020.. £44,7961. The Charlty conslders Its key management personnel comprlse the Executlve Dlrector and
TTU5tees.
The chartty trustees were not pald or recelved any other benefits from employment wilh the ¢harily In the
year12020.' Cnlll. No chaflty trustee received payment for professlonal or other se￿ceS supplled to the
¢hadty12020= £nlll.
No trustee5' expenses repre5entlng any payment or reimbuT5ement of travel and subsistence costs were paid
durlng the year12020: nlll.
No trustee5 were reimbursed any expen5e5 Incurred In relatlon to their dutles a5 tN5tee5.
Staff numbers
The average number of employees (head count based on number of staff employed) durfng the year was as
follows..
2021
No.
2020
No.
Health advlce, inforniation and research
15

HEALTHWATCH CAMDEN
Notes to the flnandal statements
For the
ar ended 31 March Z021
Related party transactlons
There are no related party transactions to disclose for 2021 12020: I￿ne1.
There are no donatlons from related partles whlch are outslde the nomal course of busln¢ss and no restrtcted
donations from related parties. Some trustees donate back out of pocket expenses incurred.
10 Taxatlon
The charftable company Is exempt from corporatlon tax as all 1¢$ Income Is charltable and Is applled for
chadtable purp05e5.
11 Tarwlble flxed assets
IT
Equlpm•nt
Total
Cost or valuatlon
At the start of the year
Addltlons In year
4.915
176
4.915
176
At the end of the year
5,091
5,091
D•prKlatlon
At the start of the year
Charge for the year
4,354
4,354
649
At the end of the year
N•t book valu•
At the •nd of th• y•ar
5.003
5.th)3
At the start of the year
561
561
All of the above assets are used for charttable purposes.
12 Debtors
2021
2020
other debtor5
Prepayrnent5
49,750
2,424
49,750
2,924
16

HEALTHWATCH CAMDEN
Notes to the flnanclal statements
For the
r ended 31 March 2021
13 Cr•dltors: amounts fallln8 due wlthln on• y•ar
2021
2020
Trade creditors
Taxatlon and s￿11[ securlty
Accruals
Deferred Income
8,514
3.1 $3
22.177
4,461
1,864
17,841
324
33.844
24,490
14 Analysls of n•t ass•ts b•tw••n funds
General
unrest￿Cted De518naled
Re5trlcted Total funds
Tan8lble flxed assets
Net current assets
88
48,711
57,CQO
105,711
N•t ass•ts as at 31 March 2021
48,799
57,000
105,799
General
unre5trlcted De518nated
Re5trlcted Total funds
Tangible fixed assets
Net current assets
561
39,582
561
96,582
57,C
Net 4ss•ts as at 31 March 2020
40,143
57,000
97,143
15 Movements In funds
Incomlnq
Out8olni
resources & re50urce5 &
8alns
losses
At 1 April
2020
At 31 March
2021
Trnnsfers
R•strlctÈd funds,.
London Borough of Camden
187,000
1187,OQ)I
Total restrfcted funds
187,000
I187,OC￿l
Unre5trlcted funds:
Deslgnated funds:
Contingency reserve
57,(OJ
57,000
Total designated fund5
s7,(￿)
57,000
General funds
40,143
10,893
12,2371
48,799
Total unrestrlcted funds
97,143
10,893
12,2371
105.799
Total funds
97,143
197,893
1189,2371
105.799
17

HEALTHWATCH CAMDEN
Note5 to the flnanclal statements
For the
ar ended 31 March 2021
15 lknvements In furmls Icontlnu￿)
IKoming
Outgoing
re50urce5 & re30urces &
gains
At 1 Aprll
2019
At 31 Marth
2020
Transfers
RestrlctÈd funds:
London Borough of Camden
112.7851
2CK),L
1212,0221
24,807
Total restrlcted funds
112,7851
200,LhJO
1212,0221
24,807
Unrestrlcted funds:
Deslgnated funds:
Contlngency reserve
57,000
57.fy)0
Total desl8nated funds
57,000
s7.l￿*
General funds
60,655
23,n8
119,4331
124,8071
40.143
Total unrestrfcted funds
117,655
23,n8
119,4331
124,8071
97.143
Total fund5
104,870
223,728
1231,4551
97.143
Purpos•s of r•strl¢t•d funds
Grant from London Borough of Camden Is to cover costs of core Se￿CeS provlded by the charlty whlch are..
Infomatlon, Pollcy and In51yht and Communlty engayement.
16 Operatlnl lease ¢ommltm•nts
The ¢harfty's total future mlnlmum lease payments under non.can¢ellable operatlnq leases ts as follows for
each of the following perlods
Property
2021
Equlpment
2021
2020
2020
Less than one year
15,1)JO
15,1)Xl
17 L•qal status d th• ¢h4rlty
The charfty Is a Charltable Incorporated Organlsatlon and has no share capltal.
18

# **On equal terms** Then and now Healthwatch Camden Annual Report 2020-21 



## **Contents** 

|Message from our Chair|3|
|---|---|
|About us|4|
|Highlights from our year|5|
|Life in Lockdown: Then and now|6|
|Accessing health services: Then and now 8||
|COVID-19 and Health Inequalities: Then and now             10||
|Responding to COVID-19|12|
|Volunteers|15|
|Finances|17|
|Next steps & thank you|18|



20 



## **Message from our Chair** 

~~EE~~ The past year has been exceptionally difficult for everyone. Throughout the year, we continued to focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, and the various ways we can support the community. 

We are proud of the remarkable work we have done in reaching out to seldom heard communities of the Borough and highlighting the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on some communities. 

Healthwatch Camden has worked hard to help our diverse community rise to the challenges posed by COVID-19. Moving online, we held ‘question and answer’ sessions which allowed the public to hear from local healthcare leaders on both hospital and GP services. We also enabled grass-roots conversations with BAME communities in their own first languages about the vaccine programme. 

Dr Louise Jones **Chair** 

- Our most far-reaching data gathering was a large survey asking people about ‘Life in Lockdown’. The findings were translated into four languages and it was one of the first reports of its 

- ~~SL kind. It has been widely used~~ by the health and care system. 

- We were delighted to have been commissioned by our North Central London partners to provide data to inform the new Integrated Care System, as well as working on several other collaborative projects. For example, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) selected us as a partners in a national review of ‘Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation’ orders during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

- For many who lost loved ones, the future may seem extra painful, but we are a strong team at Healthwatch Camden and commit to being a reliable and responsive resource across Camden as we move forward in recovery from the pandemic. 

21 



## **About us** 

## Here to make health and care better 

We are the independent champion for people who use health and social care services in Camden. We’re here to find out what matters to people and help make sure your views shape the support you need, by sharing these views with those who have the power to make change happen. 

## Helping you to find the information you need 

We help people find the information they need about services in their area. This has been vital during the pandemic with the ever-changing environment and restrictions limiting people’s access to health and social care services. 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Our goals<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


**1 Supporting you to have your say** 

We want more people to get the information they need to take control of their health and care, make informed decisions and shape the services that support them. 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
2 Providing a high<br>quality service<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


**3 Ensuring your views help improve health & care** 

We want everyone who We want more services to shares can experience or use your views to shape the seeks advice from us to get a health and care support you high quality service and to need today and in the future. understand the difference their views make. 

**“Local Healthwatch have done fantastic work throughout the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is more work ahead to ensure that everyone’s views are heard. COVID-19 has highlighted inequalities and to tackle these unfair health differences we will need those in power to listen, to hear the experiences of those facing inequality and understand the steps that could improve people’s lives.”** 

**Sir Robert Francis QC, Chair of Healthwatch England** 

22 



## **Highlights from our year** 

## **Our work this year has included:** 

## **Collaborating with voluntary groups** 

Collaborated with a number of voluntary organisations to gather insight on the impact of COVID-19, leading us to hear the views of almost **1,900** residents (pages 6 & 10). 

**Improving our communications** Increased our digital presence: nearly doubling our website visits with **42,000** page views, increased social media followers, regular content (42 blogs), a dedicated COVID-19 information page with ~~—_~~ **11,000** page views, and increased media presence (quoted in local media 17 times). 

## **Amplifying voices** 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
223<br>@ -<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


We developed a better understanding of the experiences of **223** Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic residents, children with SEND, refugees, young people (page 13) – on COVID 19. We also raised awareness about the temporary closure of children’s A&E services (page 14). 

## **Responding to the pandemic** 

Acted as a bridge between residents and statutory bodies, GPs, and hospitals by organising three online Q&A events attended by **480** residents which addressed residents’ concerns on accessing GP surgeries and hospitals (page 8), and the COVID-19 vaccine (page 13). 

23 



## **Life in Lockdown: Then and now** 

**Then: COVID-19 emerged as an unprecedented challenge** 

**We worked with the voluntary and community sector to understand people’s experiences of accessing health and care services under the new conditions, and the impact the pandemic was having on people’s health, wellbeing, and services.** 

To find answers, we adopted a two-part process to gather insight from residents – a questionnaire conducted online and by phone, and in-depth weekly interviews over six consecutive weeks from April to July to gather detailed personal stories from 8 residents about life under lockdown. 

The survey also had strong support from Camden GPs and hospitals. Between May and June, Healthwatch Camden partnered with four GP practices in Camden to send the survey link out via their text messaging system to entire GP patient lists. 

We also participated in online focus groups and community meetings to discuss the experiences of different community groups, targeting those who are seldom heard. 

24 



**Now: Public bodies have a better understanding of the pandemic We reported sixteen key findings after surveying 1600 local residents, which provided useful insights to the health and care system to help them prepare for the future pandemics. We learned that the impacts of COVID-19 were far-reaching.** These findings were cited in Camden Council’s report ‘Building Equal Foundations’ which subsequently made recommendations for the health and care system to tackle health inequalities for BAME communities. . People expressed concerns about lack of clarity on COVID-19 information by government and media, changes in accessing health services, falling ill with COVID, negative impact on health and wellbeing of friends and family, challenges working and educating from home, job insecurity, food insecurity, and views on the subsequent easing of the lockdown. **… I’d like to offer our thanks to those involved in conducting the Healthwatch survey, and to the residents who took part … we have been using and will continue to use the results of this work to help inform our strategy as we move forward. Kat Myers, Director of Participation, Partnerships and Communications at Camden Council** The report’s executive summary was translated into the top languages spoken by the people who participated in the survey: Swahili, Bengali, Somali, and Chinese. We communicated the findings in multiple ways: • Sent personalised cover letters and suggested next steps to leaders within Camden Council, which they responded to, highlighting how they were use the findings. • Presented key findings to the Health and Wellbeing Board. • Presented the report at many other forums, including the North Central London CCG Senior Executive Meeting and its Patient Participation and Engagement Group. • Local media highlighted the issues we raised in the report. • Published seven blogs highlighting various issues faced by different communities especially from parents of children with SEND, carers, refugees, young people and older people. **Read our ‘Life in Lockdown’ report here.** : 

**We reported sixteen key findings after surveying 1600 local residents, which provided useful insights to the health and care system to help them prepare for the future pandemics. We learned that the impacts of COVID-19 were far-reaching.** 

These findings were cited in Camden Council’s report ‘Building Equal Foundations’ which subsequently made recommendations for the health and care system to tackle health inequalities for BAME communities. . 

People expressed concerns about lack of clarity on COVID-19 information by government and media, changes in accessing health services, falling ill with COVID, negative impact on health and wellbeing of friends and family, challenges working and educating from home, job insecurity, food insecurity, and views on the subsequent easing of the lockdown. 

The report’s executive summary was translated into the top languages spoken by the people who participated in the survey: Swahili, Bengali, Somali, and Chinese. 

- Sent personalised cover letters and suggested next steps to leaders within Camden Council, which they responded to, highlighting how they were use the findings. 

- • Presented key findings to the Health and Wellbeing Board. 

- • Presented the report at many other forums, including the North Central London CCG Senior Executive Meeting and its Patient Participation and Engagement Group. 

- • Local media highlighted the issues we raised in the report. 

- • Published seven blogs highlighting various issues faced by different communities especially from parents of children with SEND, carers, refugees, young people and older people. 

25 



## **Accessing health services: Then and now** 

## **Then: Uncertainty and concerns about accessing GPs and hospitals** 

## **Throughout the pandemic, we were hearing concerns of residents regarding accessing GP surgeries and hospitals. Concerns included:** 

- Many people had routine or long-awaited appointments with NHS providers cancelled at the start of lockdown. People reported a subsequent lack of communication leaving many feeling they had been forgotten. People would have liked a phone call or remote appointments as an interim measure. 

- In our ‘Life in Lockdown’ report, we found out that people delayed accessing care they needed for a range of reasons including feeling their needs were not a priority and fear of contracting COVID-19. 

- Many people found it difficult to book appointments using the NHS online system, which was accelerated by the pandemic. This included e-Consult or other similar mobile phone Apps. 

26 



## **Now: Residents better informed about how to access health services during pandemic** 

## **After we raised concerns about accessing the health care services at the Health & Wellbeing Board, the Board set up a sub-group to enhance and coordinate communications about how and when to access services during the pandemic.** 

We had heard about a reluctance to access health and care services, because of fears about catching COVID-19 and of ‘burdening’ the NHS. One of the aims of the sub-group was to alleviate fears and anxiety around accessing health care. 

As part of this work, we developed partnerships with local Hospitals and GPs to setup two separate ‘question and answer’ (Q&A) events: 

- ‘Ask your Local Hospitals’ in August 2020 - Chief executives of Camden’s two main hospitals, Kate Slemeck from Royal Free Hospital and Marcel Levi from UCLH answered pressing concerns from residents. 

- ‘Ask your GP’ in November – Senior leaders from NCL CCG and local GPs answered patient questions about accessing GP services after lockdown. 

**Healthwatch Camden have played a valuable role in helping us to understand how our patients and the public have been feeling about using our services … [and the] Q&A event hosted by Healthwatch… provided a valuable opportunity for us to hear from patients and the public and assure them about accessing our services. Kate Slemeck, chief executive of the Royal Free Hospital** 

Both of these events helped reassure local people about the provision of primary care and hospital services in Camden during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide an opportunity for members of the public to submit questions to the expert panel. 

Over 340 people attended the two events over Zoom or called in to listen, and over 100 questions were submitted in advance. The panellists reassured residents that they are taking infection control seriously and have new policies in place to keep patients safe. 

## **Share your views with us** 

If you have a query about a health and social care service, or need help with where you can go to access further support, get in touch. Don’t struggle alone. Healthwatch is here for you. **www.healthwatchamden.co.uk 020 7383 2402 info@healthwatchcamden.co.uk** 

27 



## **COVID & Health Inequalities: Then and now** 

## **Then: A new vaccination programme** 

**When news arrived that a COVID-19 vaccination was available, we foresaw that this could present a challenge to existing health inequalities. There is a significant risk that the vaccination rollout could exacerbate inequalities by determining which groups are safe from COVID-19 and which are not.** 

During various outreach activities, we noticed that there were comparatively high levels of vaccine hesitancy among several communities. 

In discussion with the NHS and other local partners we identified a need to better understand the level of hesitancy, reasons for this hesitancy and potential solutions. 

We worked with three local community organisations and surveyed 223 people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities about their views on the COVID-19 vaccination over February 2021. 

For 80% of responders, English was not their first language, and the survey was translated and conducted by representatives from local community organisations. 

28 




**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
•<br>•<br>|<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


## **Now: Timely insight into reasons for vaccine hesitancy and potential solutions** 

**We found that there appeared to be an opportunity to increase vaccine uptake among people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, as nearly one-third of survey responders who did not want the vaccine said they would reconsider their decision if they had more information.** 

We were able to demonstrate to public health bodies the need to co-produce customised informational campaigns with those who showed greater vaccine hesitancy. Nearly three in five Black residents in Camden indicated that they were ‘unlikely’, or ‘unsure’ about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. One of the main reasons was the lack of information, but mistrust in public bodies was also a key feature in responses. 

**There were no platforms for the African community to receive any information and most of the information was provided by people who didn’t look like them. Chikwaba Oduka, Leader of the African Health Forum** For the overwhelming majority of participants, this was the first time they had been asked about their views on the COVID-19 vaccine. This provided a unique insight into local concerns. Some of the key findings in our report ‘Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic views on the COVID-19 vaccine’ were as follows: 

- The more knowledge someone felt they had about the vaccine, the greater the likelihood of them wanting to be vaccinated. 

- • Younger people and people from Black or Black British backgrounds were less likely to get the vaccine. 

We presented the report to North Central London Clinical Commissioning Group, Camden Council and Public Health teams, and urged them to consider the proposed next steps within the report. In particular, to work with communities who are hesitant to co-produce information campaigns. 

The work also highlighted the benefits of working with the local voluntary and community sector to gain trust and achieve better population health among seldom heard groups. 

**To find out more Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic views on the COVID-19 vaccine :: Healthwatch Camden** 

29 



## **Responding to COVID-19** 

**Healthwatch played an important role in helping people to get the information they need through the pandemic. We also collected insights and shared them with local partners to ensure services are operating as best as possible during the pandemic.** 

## **During the pandemic we helped residents of Camden by:** 

- Providing up to date advice on COVID-19 and vaccination via social media channels, e-bulletins and website. 

- Publishing guest blogs on issues concerning local residents by healthcare professionals, voluntary sector partners, and volunteers. 

- Promoting our telephone line for people who are digitally excluded to be able to talk to our team about their concerns e.g. through food parcels and posters. 

- By engaging with residents and the voluntary sector on a regular basis to understand their experiences of the pandemic. 

- Compiling key resources in accessible formats e.g. different languages, Easy-Read, BSL. 

30 



## **Q & A session on the COVID-19 vaccine** 

After the launch of the COVID-19 vaccine, we were receiving a lot of feedback from local people about the lack of enough information on the vaccine. Some were worried about having to make a decision and unaware of whom to approach to get their concerns addressed. 

With much misinformation circulating about the vaccine, we decided to hold a ‘Q&A’ event on the COVID-19 vaccine in February 2021. The event was organised for the public and local partners to engage with Camden’s GPs, public health specialists and other NHS leaders. 

## **72% of attendees learnt something new about the COVID-19 vaccine. Around 1 in 5 reported being more likely to get the vaccine because of attending the event.** 

Over 140 people attended – on Zoom or via phone – many of whom reported difficulty in obtaining answers to their questions elsewhere. Residents had a variety of questions, from understanding the ingredients of the vaccine to its effectiveness, and the potential side effects. The event was covered in local media and encouraged local residents to take up the vaccination. 

**So informative and well-organised. Thank you so much to everyone for taking the time to do this. I have shared the recording to reassure people with fears and worries. A Camden resident** 

## **Other activities related to COVID-19** 

**Test, Track & Trace Campaign for Camden Council:** Camden council engaged us to run a focus group to test key messages from its Test, Track & Trace campaign, with a focus on the seldom heard groups. Our findings helped the Council in designing communication messages to encourage the residents to take up testing. 

**Young people and impact of COVID on their mental health:** We surveyed 48 young people (under the age of 24 years) to understand the impact of COVID-19 on this age group. The majority (7 in 10) reported that that COVID-19 had impacted their mental health. The findings were shared with local voluntary sector to support future grant funding. 

**Refugees:** We interviewed several refugees and asylum seekers on their experiences during the lockdown. We found out that the refugees found the information very difficult to understand and 1 in 4 refugees had difficulty accessing healthcare services. 

**Older people and digital exclusion:** We spoke with 23 members of Age UK Camden’s Older Peoples Advisory Group (OPAG) to find out about their experience of using digital services to access health and social care. We found out that the digital access to healthcare is difficult for people with disabilities - especially people with sensory impairments, learning disabilities, or mobility issues; and for people whose first language isn't English. 

**Engaged with Faith Leaders around the COVID-19 vaccine rollout** : Interviewed ten faith leaders from five different faiths so that North London Partners NHS could make an informed decision about the use of religion data to monitor COVID-19 vaccine uptake. 

31 



## **Top areas that people have contacted us about:** 

We heard from many people about the challenges in accessing NHS dental services. We decided to collaborate with local dental services and published a blog informing residents on how NHS dental services work. We have been raising this issue with the Local Dental Committee and will undertake in-depth work on the topic this year. 

## NHS Dental Services 

Enquiries about the COVID-19 vaccine have ranged from concerns about myths to the logistics involved in the uptake of the vaccine. We reported these at our weekly attendance of the Vaccine Communications Group that oversaw the vaccine rollout. We also worked with the NHS to provide and promote accurate information. 

## COVID-19 vaccine 

## **Case Study – Closure of A&E service for children** 

We learnt that emergency services for children in one of the leading hospitals in Camden were temporarily closing. However, we found that only 1 in 10 people were aware of the change. 

We issued 2 press releases seeking more clarity on this service changes from NHS partners, and highlighted the lack of awareness of the issue amongst local residents. The issue also was covered in local media. 

We made a statutory referral of our concerns to the Health & Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee at Camden Council. 

## **Contact us to get the information you need** 

If you have a query about a health and social care service, or need help with where you can go to access further support, get in touch. Don’t struggle alone. Healthwatch is here for you. 

**www.healthwatchcamden.co.uk 020 7383 2402 info@healthwatchcamden.co.uk** 

32 



## **Volunteers** 

**At Healthwatch Camden we are supported by 18 volunteers who help us find out what people think is working, and what improvements people would like to make to services.** 

## **This year our volunteers helped us:** 

- Analyse the high amounts of qualitative data from the survey we undertook to understand the experiences of residents during ‘lockdown’. This led to our report, ‘Life in Lockdown.’ 

- With survey outreach including posting in Facebook groups and other online groups, and also printing flyers and posting them around council estates. 

- With a project commissioned by North London Partners to find out if NHS should be using religion data in their measurement of take up of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

- Conduct interviews with refugees and sharing the findings – with support from Healthwatch Camden – in a blog: Refugees finding Covid-19 information ‘very difficult’ to understand. 

33 



## **Young volunteer - Sharon** 

“During the pandemic I felt I wanted to help out and get involved with my community in some way. I have always wanted to volunteer for Healthwatch and this felt like the perfect time. I also wanted to develop more skills, as an university student, being able to volunteer on the side is a great way to learn and develop new skills that complement your studies.” 

## **Promoting Survey - Caroline** 

“I first volunteered with Healthwatch Camden to help promote a survey about people’s health experiences during the pandemic. I volunteered because I think Healthwatch’s work is important. Especially right now, given the last year and continuing impact of Covid. I’ve also really enjoyed it. The team have always been friendly and given very clear information on what to do. It’s been interesting work and I feel I’ve contributed to something valuable.” 

## **Supporting engagement  - Julie** 

“Already planning to volunteer in the health sector on 2020, I wanted to volunteer for Health Watch Camden, partly because I already work with different communities in the borough, but also because of the important role they play in listening to local views, ideas and experiences about health and social care in Camden to help influence change. I performed a variety of tasks from phoning GP surgeries to checking answerphone messages, making connections with local residents in relation to completing a COVID-19 survey, to note taking at webinars and focus groups and qualitative data analysis.” 

**Volunteer with us** Are you feeling inspired? We are always on the lookout for new volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please get in touch at Healthwatch Camden B **www.healthwatchcamden.co.uk** - **020 7383 2402** | , So **info@healthwatchcamden.co.uk** 

34 



## **Finances** 

**We are funded by Camden Council under the Health and Social Care Act 2012.** 

Our core grant this year was £187,000. **6% Income Funding from Camden Council Additional funding¹ Total income £197,893 94% Allocation of resources 10.50% Staff Costs 4% Overheads 16.50% Other Costs 69% Surplus** ~~[—]~~[O] —O We ended the year with a small surplus of 4% of our income (£8,656). Full and final accounts will be submitted to the Charity Commission in January 2022. 

¹ Grants, contracts and consultancy services with the NHS and Camden Council. 

35 



## **Next steps & thank you** 

## **Top five topics for our work in 2021-22** 

- Understanding the needs of survivors of Domestic Abuse. 

- Access to Long COVID or ‘Post Covid Syndrome’ support services. 

- Access to primary care services, including dentistry and GP services. 

- Promotion of early cancer diagnosis. 

- Providing support and challenge to the implementation of the new Health & Wellbeing Strategy for Camden and the development of the Integrated Care Partnership. 

## **Thank you** 

## **We would like to thank a number of people that have supported us this year.** 

- Residents who shared their views and experience with us. 

- All of our amazing volunteers, staff, and the voluntary organisations that we have been able to work with. 

- Commissioners and service providers, in particular: our local GP practices, The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Camden Council and its Public Health Team, Camden Clinical Commissioning Group and the North Central London Clinical Commissioning Group. 

- Our Trustees: Dr Louise Jones (Chair), John Hoar, Keith Morgan, Paul Webley, Robert Sumerling (Vice-Chair), Sanjay Ganvir and Shahnaz Ahmed. 

- Saloni Thakrar who stepped down as Chair in December 2020 having overseen a successful transition of the role to trustee Dr Louise Jones. Saloni provided dedicated service to the Trustee Board over five years and is now engaged in setting up a new charity. 

**Healthwatch Camden have really helped us get detailed feedback on the impact of Covid … [we] have a much more detailed understanding of the experiences of refugees, carers, disabled people and other marginalised groups as a result ... [t]his means that the Camden Local Care Partnership is better prepared to support vulnerable people ... Thank you Healthwatch for everything you are doing! Sally MacKinnon, Director of Integration, North Central London Clinical Commissioning Group** 

36 



## **Statutory statements** 

## **Registered address** 

Healthwatch Camden, 85-57 Bayham Street, Camden, London NW1 0AG 

## **Charity number** 

1152552 

## **Use of trademark** 

Healthwatch Camden uses the Healthwatch Trademark when undertaking our statutory activities as covered by the licence agreement. 

## **The way we work** 

## **Involvement of volunteers and lay people in our governance and decision-making.** 

Our Healthwatch board consists of 7 members who work voluntarily to provide direction, oversight and scrutiny to our activities. Our board ensures that decisions about priority areas of work reflect the concerns and interests of our diverse local community. 

In the financial year 2020-21, the board met nine times and made decisions on matters such as our COVID-19 response plan, our risk register, and ways to develop our digital presence. 

We regularly network with voluntary and community organisations in the Borough to reach as wide a range of people as possible. Our Board of Trustees, who all live or work in Camden, guide our work and make sure that what we do is led by what matters to local people. 

37 



## **Methods and systems used across the year’s work to obtain people’s views and experience.** 

We use a wide range of approaches to ensure that as many people as possible have the opportunity to provide us with insight about their experience of health and care services. 

During 2020/21 we have been available by phone, by email, provided a webform on our website, attended virtual meetings of community groups and forums, provided our own virtual activities and engaged with the public through social media. 

We are committed to taking additional steps to ensure we obtain the views of people from diverse backgrounds who are often not heard by health and care decision makers. 

This year we worked with three local voluntary and community organisations to reach local people, mostly of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. Most of these people couldn’t speak English, so the voluntary organisations translated the survey into different languages that really helped us in understanding their views on the COVID-19 vaccine. 

We are particularly grateful for the support of our partners: Kings Cross Brunswick Neighbourhood Association (KCBNA), the African Health Forum, and the Santé Refugee Mental Health Access Project. 

## **Responses to recommendations and requests** 

There were no issues or recommendations escalated by our Healthwatch to Healthwatch England Committee and so no resulting special reviews or investigations. 

## **Health and Wellbeing Board** 

Healthwatch Camden is represented on the Camden Health and Wellbeing Board by Matthew Parris, Director. A key concern for us has been the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities in Camden. 

We presented reports on the differences in experiences of different groups, particularly Black, Asian and other ethnic minority groups (BAME). This lead to a discussion among Board Members about strengthening communications with these groups. We continue to participate in this forum and utilise our communications channels to support public health messages. 

**Patients and the public want to shape NHS services to local need. The NHS needs to hear that so we can co-produce something for that need. Healthwatch bridges that and keeps the debate relevant - with evidence from patients, carers and the public … its invaluable to listen to and learn from what they say. Graeme Caul, Borough Director, Central and North West London Foundation Trust** 

This annual report is made available to as many members of the public and partner organisations as possible. We publish it on our website, and promote it through our social media channels, and e-bulletin. We also share the annual report with local public bodies and the voluntary and community sector. It is available in alternative formats. 

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Healthwatch Camden 85-87 Bayham Street Camden London NW1 0AG 

www.healthwatchcamden.co.uk t: 020 7383 2402 

e: info@healthwatchcamden.co.uk 

@Healthwatchcam /Healthwatchcam 

@healthwatchcam healthwatch-camden 

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