REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 08413881 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1154278

HEALTHWATCH DERBYSHIRE LTD

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND

UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026

Page

Report of the Trustees

1

to

4

Independent Examiner's Report

5

Statement of Financial Activities

6

Balance Sheet

7

to

8

Notes to the Financial Statements

9

to

14

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2026. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

The organisation aims to be a strong, independent, and effective champion for people that use health and social care services. The organisation will continue to influence health and care services and seek to improve joined-up care for the people of Derbyshire.

Its aims and objectives are:

1. To be an independent, free-standing body that is respected for its independence and trusted by residents and stakeholders.

2. To enable people to share their views and concerns about their local health and social care services.

3. To provide a health and social care information and signposting service for the people of Derbyshire.

4. To give authoritative, evidence-based feedback to organisations across the health and care system as a valued system partner.

5. To be an exemplary Healthwatch that is a valued, authoritative organisation within the health and care system.

6. To address emerging issues by being flexible, responsive, and agile.

7. To actively highlight inequality, and pay attention to the voices that can most struggle to be heard.

8. To influence service development across health and care services by representing the views of people in Derbyshire.

9. To extend reach across Derbyshire, through local champions.

10. To liaise with and alert local and national stakeholders of health and social care service concerns.

11. To operate as a viable, sustainable entity, that is strong, well-led, and well-governed.

12. To use our human and financial resources in a way that achieves the greatest impact.

13. To be a great place to work and volunteer, as an organisation that demonstrates through action the value it places on our staff and our volunteers.

Public benefit

The charity's Trustees have had due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.

The organisation works towards a vision to see consumers of health and social care services being put centre stage so that service providers and commissioners listen to what they have to say and use their voices to shape, inform and influence service delivery and design.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

The work of Healthwatch Derbyshire is achieved by:

Exploring key topics and themes, and planning engagement to collect insight.

Routinely sharing patient and service user's feedback with organisations, to help improve how services are delivered and designed.

Writing reports on specific topics, containing recommendations for improvement to have impact.

Representing the voice of patients in key strategic meetings in the health and care system

Running a programme of activity for Enter and View Representatives, who can visit and observe health and care settings and write a report.

Developing communication systems to collect feedback, report on our activity and outcomes, and raise awareness of the Local Healthwatch movement.

Examples of our work this year include collecting insight from people in Derbyshire about the NHS App, and sharing this feedback with the NHS Transformation Directorate team to help improve the NHS App. We have also collected information around Home Care workers' views on infection prevention and flu vaccines and have influenced the communications around vaccinations for this group. We have also spoken to people who work in routine and manual job roles, and Derby and Derbyshire residents more broadly, about their views on smoking. We have carried out Enter and Views with our Volunteer Authorised Representatives at a local GP practice, local pharmacy and a hospital pharmacy. These visits have all had significant outcomes and impact.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Principal funding sources

The principal funding source for the organisation comes from a contract with Derbyshire County Council to perform the Healthwatch statutory function. Income is classified as un-restricted funds.

Healthwatch Derbyshire had a total income of £359,652 for the year ended 31st March 2026, working to ensure value for money and effective use of our resources.

Reserves Policy

Healthwatch Derbyshire's Board of Directors recognise that to demonstrate prudent financial management a sum of money, identified as reserves, must be maintained. These reserves are retained to demonstrate resilience and ensure the sustainability of Healthwatch Derbyshire's mission and services, to manage risks associated with unexpected changes in income or expenditure, and to take advantage of new opportunities in accordance with Healthwatch Derbyshire's objectives. Reserves will be identified to ensure Healthwatch Derbyshire can satisfy legal obligations to staff, suppliers, funders and others in the event of closure of the organisation.

Three months of operational costs should ideally be maintained as unrestricted funds in order to meet the Charity's objectives.

The unrestricted reserves held at 31st March 2026 were £176,609 (2025 - £220,371). This equates to at least three months of operational costs based on projected expenditure.

Operating Efficiency

Healthwatch Derbyshire has effective governance and monitoring systems in place, overseen by both the Finance and Audit and Governance subgroups of the Board.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity was originally incorporated under the Companies Act 1985 on 21 February 2013 as a company limited by guarantee and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association which were amended by special resolution on 9 July 2013. It was registered as a charity on 18 October 2013.

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

A director (who also serves as a trustee and management group member) must be aged 18 years or older. Directors are appointed at the Annual General Meeting or by other directors. For full details of the appointment and duties of directors please refer to the Articles of Association.

Organisational structure

The Trustees delegate management responsibilities to the Chief Executive, and also delegate certain functions to subgroups. Each subgroup has specific terms of reference and a chair appointed by the trustees.

These delegations are controlled by requiring regular reporting from the Chief Executive and the subgroups to the Board of Trustees. Trustees acknowledge that such a system is designed to manage rather than eliminate the risk of failure to achieve Healthwatch Derbyshire's charitable purposes, and can only provide reasonable and not absolute assurance against material misstatement or loss.

Through the oversight of both the Finance and Audit, and the Governance subgroups, Trustees review the effectiveness of the system of internal control and risk management.

Wider network

Healthwatch Derbyshire is part of a national network of Healthwatch organisations in England.

Future of Local Healthwatch

The Government intends to introduce a health reform bill which, if enacted, will abolish the local Healthwatch network across the country, including Healthwatch Derbyshire. The directors will continue to closely monitor this situation and take appropriate action to ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Company number

08413881 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity number

1154278

Registered office

Unit 14 Riverside Business Centre

Foundry Lane

Milford

Derbyshire

DE56 0RN

Trustees

Mrs D Gould

Mr T M Broadley

Mrs H Parry-Payne

Mr A Garrett

Dr F Marshall

Mrs H Severns

Dr J Hall (resigned 17.11.25)

Mrs V Sweetmore

Mr C Hardman

Independent Examiner

G S Gilbert FCA

CAMERON HUGHES LTD

Chartered Accountants

16 Jubilee Parkway

Jubilee Business Park

Derby

Derbyshire

DE21 4BJ

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 22 June 2026 and signed on its behalf by:

Mrs D Gould - Trustee

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Healthwatch Derbyshire Ltd ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2026.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

Since your charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a listed body. I can confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

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

1.	accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2.	the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3.	the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or

4.

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.

G S Gilbert FCA

CAMERON HUGHES LTD

Chartered Accountants

Derby

22 June 2026

2026

2025

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

fund

funds

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

358,065

-

358,065

432,670

Investment income

2

1,587

-

1,587

22,997

Total

359,652

-

359,652

455,667

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

Cost of provision of services

384,461

-

384,461

383,891

Other

18,953

-

18,953

9,550

Total

403,414

-

403,414

393,441

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

(43,762

)

-

(43,762

)

62,226

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

220,371

-

220,371

158,145

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

176,609

-

176,609

220,371

2026

2025

Notes

£

£

FIXED ASSETS

Tangible assets

6

3,771

2,905

CURRENT ASSETS

Debtors

7

-

14,345

Cash at bank

178,195

206,721

178,195

221,066

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due within one year

8

(5,357

)

(3,600

)

NET CURRENT ASSETS

172,838

217,466

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES

176,609

220,371

NET ASSETS

176,609

220,371

FUNDS

10

Unrestricted funds

176,609

220,371

TOTAL FUNDS

176,609

220,371

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2026.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

(a)	ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and

(b)

preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 22 June 2026 and were signed on its behalf by:

Mrs D Gould - Trustee

1.	ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Fixtures and fittings

-

20% on reducing balance

Computer equipment

-

33% on cost

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Hire purchase and leasing commitments

Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight line basis over the period of the lease.

Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charitable company's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

2.	INVESTMENT INCOME

2026

2025

£

£

Deposit account interest

1,587

22,997

3.	NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):

2026

2025

£

£

Depreciation - owned assets

4,040

4,169

Hire of plant and machinery

1,330

1,320

4.	TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2026 nor for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Trustees' expenses

Travel costs amounting to £277 (2025 - £257) were reimbursed to 1 (2025 - 1) trustees during the year ended 31 March 2026.

5.	STAFF COSTS

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:

2026

2025

Charitable activities

11

11

No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.

6.	TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Fixtures

and

Computer

fittings

equipment

Totals

£

£

£

COST

At 1 April 2025

4,002

21,394

25,396

Additions

-

4,906

4,906

At 31 March 2026

4,002

26,300

30,302

DEPRECIATION

At 1 April 2025

3,422

19,069

22,491

Charge for year

116

3,924

4,040

At 31 March 2026

3,538

22,993

26,531

NET BOOK VALUE

At 31 March 2026

464

3,307

3,771

At 31 March 2025

580

2,325

2,905

7.	DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

2026

2025

£

£

Prepayments

-

14,345

8.	CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

2026

2025

£

£

Other creditors

1,517

-

Accrued expenses

3,840

3,600

5,357

3,600

9.	ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS

2026

2025

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

fund

funds

funds

funds

£

£

£

£

Fixed assets

3,771

-

3,771

2,905

Current assets

178,195

-

178,195

221,066

Current liabilities

(5,357

)

-

(5,357

)

(3,600

)

176,609

-

176,609

220,371

10.	MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Net

movement

At

At 1.4.25

in funds

31.3.26

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

220,371

(43,762

)

176,609

TOTAL FUNDS

220,371

(43,762

)

176,609

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

359,652

(403,414

)

(43,762

)

TOTAL FUNDS

359,652

(403,414

)

(43,762

)

Comparatives for movement in funds

Net

Transfers

movement

between

At

At 1.4.24

in funds

funds

31.3.25

£

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

73,204

87,332

59,835

220,371

Restricted funds

Mental Health Grant

70,743

(25,106

)

(45,637

)

-

Living Well

14,198

-

(14,198

)

-

84,941

(25,106

)

(59,835

)

-

TOTAL FUNDS

158,145

62,226

-

220,371

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

480,773

(393,441

)

87,332

Restricted funds

Mental Health Grant

(25,106

)

-

(25,106

)

TOTAL FUNDS

455,667

(393,441

)

62,226

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:

Net

Transfers

movement

between

At

At 1.4.24

in funds

funds

31.3.26

£

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

73,204

43,570

59,835

176,609

Restricted funds

Mental Health Grant

70,743

(25,106

)

(45,637

)

-

Living Well

14,198

-

(14,198

)

-

84,941

(25,106

)

(59,835

)

-

TOTAL FUNDS

158,145

18,464

-

176,609

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

840,425

(796,855

)

43,570

Restricted funds

Mental Health Grant

(25,106

)

-

(25,106

)

TOTAL FUNDS

815,319

(796,855

)

18,464

11.	RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 March 2026.