Taking part in consultations, surveys and polls gives you the opportunity to have your say in decisions that affect your local services.
Survey on public toilets here.
Local Consultations
You can also access consultations in other areas of community life in Brighton and Hove from the city-wide consultation portal (external link).
National Consultations
B&H LINk's response to the Listening Exercise. More information on the modernisation of health and care: http://healthandcare.dh.gov.uk/
The Department of Health has published a consultation document on its new public health service – to be known as Public Health England – setting out proposals on who will have primary responsibility for commissioning different services. The majority of public services will be commissioned by local authorities, on their own or in partnership with Public Health England (see list below).
Healthy lives, healthy people: consultation on the funding and commissioning routes for public health consultation - Brighton and Hove LINk's Response.
Proposed commissioning and funding responsibilities:
• Current functions of the Health Protection Agency – responsibility will transfer to Public Health England.
• Immunisation – Public Health England will be responsible for decisions on the make-up of vaccine programmes and their funding. The NHS Commissioning Board will commission all immunisation programmes except for those delivered in schools, which will be commissioned by local authorities.
• Screening – Public Health England will design screening programmes and provide their funding. The NHS Commissioning Board will commission all screening services on behalf of Public Health England.
• Sexual health – local authorities will commission open-access sexual health services and termination of pregnancy services from the public health budget. The NHS Commissioning Board will commission specialised sexual health services, such as HIV testing, and primary care delivered contraception.
• Tobacco control, obesity, physical activity and nutrition – local authorities will commission local services and programmes, while Public Health England will run and coordinate national programmes. The NHS will commission surgery and drug treatment for obesity.
• Alcohol and drug misuse – local authorities will commission treatment and prevention services, supported by guidance from Public Health England which will take on the core functions of the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse.
• NHS Health Check Programme – local health authorities will commission the NHS to provide the programme, and the NHS will commission any further testing or treatment that results.
• Early presentation and diagnosis – Public Health England will design and fund initiatives which local authorities “may choose” to commission.
• Reducing birth defects – Public Health England will be responsible for the surveillance of birth defects.
• Dental public health – responsibility for oral health surveys and fluoridation schemes will be the role of Public Health England while local authorities will provide local advice to the NHS.
Summary: Government response to the Health White Paper - Healthwatch 16/12/2010 Excerpt from the Government response to the White Paper relating to Health Watch. Full response here.
B&H LINk consultation responses:
White Paper and Local democratic legitimacy in Liberating the NHS: health.
Summary of The White Paper
White Paper: Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS
White Paper Summary - easy read Polish Urdu Punjabi
SECAmb (ambulance service) response to White Paper
Health White Paper: Andrew Lansley’s speech to parliament