1. What motivates people to volunteer for Healthwatch?

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    Healthwatch is supported by over 6,000 volunteers who give their time to help improve health and care services. To celebrate International Volunteer Day, we spoke to people from across the country about what motivates them to donate their time.

  2. Engaging young volunteers and giving them a voice

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    In part two of our series on young volunteers, we find out why Healthwatch Leeds set up a volunteer programme for young people and how it has benefited local services.

  3. Meet our student volunteer: Becky

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    With students across the country starting university soon, we spoke to Becky to find out what it was like to be a student volunteer at Healthwatch Sheffield.

  4. How do we invest in volunteers?

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    Volunteers play a key role in helping local Healthwatch speak to as many people as possible in their community. But recruiting and keeping volunteers is not always straightforward. Healthwatch Islington explains how they invest in their volunteers.

  5. Get to know our volunteers: Emma

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    Last year, our volunteers visited over 3,500 health and care services to see if they work for people. Find out more about the work our volunteers do in their local communities.

  6. Getting to know our volunteers: Les

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    Last year our volunteers helped over 283,000 people find information about local health and care services. Find out more about how our volunteers raise awareness of important health issues.

  7. Get to know our volunteers: Kay

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    It’s Volunteers' Week, and we’ve been speaking to our volunteers about their work with local Healthwatch and with the public, and about what inspired them to support our cause.

  8. My first 7 days with local Healthwatch

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    We ask Emilia, Healthwatch Dorset's new engagement officer about her first seven days in the job.

  9. Perspectives on primary care part 5: young people

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    As part of our “Perspectives on primary care” series, which highlights the issues different people face, we hear what a group of young people have to say about their experiences of primary care.

  10. What does a great maternity service look like?

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    One in five local Healthwatch have identified better maternity services as a priority for their communities in the past two years. We look at the work one local Healthwatch did to find out what women think a great maternity service looks like.

  11. Five ways local Healthwatch have helped change mental health services

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    Access to and the quality of mental health services has been raised as a priority by more than half of local Healthwatch, making it the number one issue for 2016.

  12. Your community needs you – NHS call for volunteer army

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    Protect your loved ones and protect the nation, volunteer to help those that are most vulnerable to the effects of coronavirus (COVID-19) stay at home. Join the army of NHS volunteers today.

  13. Government listens to our concerns about rising emergency readmissions

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    In January, we highlighted six key areas to the Government for NHS England to focus on over the next year. Find out how these issues will be addressed through the NHS Mandate.

  14. Healthwatch England's new strategy to put people in charge of their health and care

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    Today we launch our new strategy, setting out the difference Healthwatch will make over the next five years.

  15. Perspectives on primary care part four: over 65s

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    In the latest in our series of blogs looking at the issues different groups of consumers face when using primary care services, we share what we found when we spoke to a group of over 65s, in partnership with Healthwatch Surrey.

  16. Improving access to GP services for people who are homeless

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    Most people take access to a GP for granted but if you become homeless, it’s not always so easy.

  17. Healthwatch network award winners 2016

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    Over 400 people came together to celebrate the difference local Healthwatch across the country have made to health and social care at a local and national level at the Healthwatch Network Awards.

  18. Six ways we can improve services for people with autism

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    For most people, going to the doctor or dentist is a routine experience. However, if you have autism, accessing health and care support can be a difficult and stressful experience.

  19. Over 220,000 people helped to navigate local health and care services

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    Over 220,000 people helped to navigate local health and care services.

  20. Getting young people involved with health research

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    Up and down the country, local Healthwatch are finding new ways to make sure people get to share their views of health and care. We look at Healthwatch Dudley’s award-winning approach to listening to young people.

  21. Understanding people's experiences of home care in Bexley

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    Recent reports have raised significant concerns about the quality and reliability of some home care services. Hear how one local Healthwatch has worked to gain an understanding of people's experiences of home care.

  22. Championing fairer access

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    Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit that provides extra money to help with the costs caused by long-term ill-health or a disability.

  23. Are people waiting too long to be assessed for social care support?

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    This is the question we are working with local Healthwatch to find out.

  24. How IPSIS could help improve the way the NHS handles complaints

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    From April, the Independent Patient Safety Investigation Service will start work. We look at what it will do and how it could help improve the way the NHS improves complaints.

  25. What should you expect from the NHS when it comes to accessible information?

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    From 31 July, all organisations providing NHS or adult social care will have to comply with the accessible information standard. Here we look at what you should expect as a result.

  26. The NHS can’t afford to be scared to talk about change

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    Services are going through major changes that aim to help make them more efficient and better at delivering tailored support. However, these reforms will only work if services listen to what the public wants.

  27. Help improve how the NHS learns from unexpected deaths

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    When someone dies unexpectedly while under NHS care, it is important that the correct processes are in place to find out why. The Care Quality Commission is looking at this issue and wants to hear your views.

  28. New GP surgery to open thanks to local Healthwatch

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    When people complained that they couldn’t get GP appointments in Tottenham Hale, local Healthwatch decided to find out the root cause of the problem.

  29. Improving access to gender reassignment surgery: The story so far

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    With the NHS recently announcing £6.5m of additional funding for gender identity services next year, we take a look at the progress that has been made so far, and what happens next.

  30. Exploring sexual health support in Southwark: schools and sexual health services

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    Young people in Southwark are calling for better education about sex and relationships and improvements to sexual health services.

  31. What help do you need to look after your health in the future?

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    Read our new report on how people want to play a bigger role in looking after their own health and care and what would support them to do that.

  32. People's views help GPs spot ways to improve care

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    8 in 10 people report a good overall experience of their GP service, but when we ask people to tell us more, they say there is still room for improvement. Find out how one local Healthwatch is helping to change GP surgeries in Camden.

  33. Share your views on new standards to keep your patient data secure

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    The Government is now consulting on new standards to strengthen the security of health and care information and to help you make informed choices about how your data is used.

  34. What do people think of dementia services?

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    With cases of dementia on the rise, it's more important than ever that services give people the support they need. Read our briefing to find out what people have told local Healthwatch about their experiences of care.

  35. Traditional health and care services need to change - but how?

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    Demand for healthcare is increasing, but so are the costs of delivering it. Traditional support needs to change to better meet people’s needs.

  36. Making care homes a better place to live

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    With over a quarter of a million older people living in care homes, what is local Healthwatch doing to make sure these services meet the needs of residents?

  37. How well do health and care services work together?

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    Across England, reforms are taking place that aim to make health and care services better at working together to meet your individual needs.

  38. Three steps people think would help prevent male suicide

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    On average 13 men take their life through suicide every day in the UK alone. During the Movember campaign, we spoke to a local Healthwatch to hear what people think could help tackle this issue.

  39. Healthwatch England launches first Annual Report to Parliament

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    Our annual report to Parliament outlines the role of Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch, as well as highlighting our activity over our first six months.

  40. How are local Healthwatch making a difference to blood testing services?

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    Most people will have a blood test at some point in their lives. Take a look at just some of the ways local Healthwatch in London have been working to improve blood testing services.

  41. Local Healthwatch challenges council to cut care waiting times

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    People often need extra help from their council because of a disability, ill health or old age but they must have a care assessment first. Read what Healthwatch Cambridgeshire did when people told them they had to wait too long for an assessment.

  42. I didn’t know what to expect when dad was taken to hospital

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    During lockdown, Tony was admitted to hospital with chest pains. His son, Robin, 35, talks to us about the difficulties family members face trying to find out what’s happening when a loved one is in hospital.

  43. Helping people in care homes access activities that will improve their health

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    One local Healthwatch calls for meaningful activity to become an integral part of the culture of care homes after speaking to people in 15 services.

  44. Every Voice Matters - our Annual Report to Parliament 2015-16

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    Published today, Every Voice Matters, our Annual Report to Parliament 2015-16, outlines how together we are putting people at the heart of care.

  45. Is fear of public engagement holding the NHS back?

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    Sustainability and Transformation Plans could fundamentally change the way the NHS works. With the first plans now being published our Interim Chair calls on the NHS to work hand-in-hand with communities to get these reforms right.