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Healthwatch England is concerned that coverage in recent days showing the NHS at breaking point will exacerbate already-low public confidence that people can get urgent and emergency care when they need it most.
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Our new data shows a worrying increase in the number of people avoiding vital care. We're calling for urgent action from government and health and care services to ensure rising costs are not a barrier to healthcare.News -
The NHS will buy thousands of extra beds in care homes and other settings to help discharge more patients to free up hospital beds. Our national director Louise Ansari responds.News -
Digital and remote methods are playing an increasingly important role in how people access care since the pandemic. Building confidence in digital skills is key to helping people who are digitally excluded from getting online.News -
Our national director, Louise Ansari, responds to the latest NHS performance stats.News -
With the NHS under extra pressure this winter, we need to hear your experiences of care to help services understand what is working and spot issues affecting support for you and your loved ones.Report -
Download an Easy Read version of our 'Have your say' form.News -
Healthwatch Bolton helped to arrange walk-in cervical cancer screening clinics in the community, removing barriers to lifesaving healthcare.Blog -
NHS 111 First is now obliged to offer pre-booked slots at A&E for people needing non-life-threatening care.News -
Working with deaf people and people affected by hearing loss, Healthwatch Norfolk created a step-by-step guide on how GP practices can improve communication and make care accessible.Response -
We have written a letter to NHS England to express our disappointment at the lack of progress in reviewing the legally-binding Accessible Information Standard.News -
Thanks to people sharing their views with Healthwatch, local leaders have invested £17m to improve hospital discharge – read more.News -
One year ago, NHS England published its elective care recovery plan. Our national director, Louise Ansari, comments on the progress of this plan and responds to the latest NHS performance stats.News -
Read our response to the latest A&E figures published by NHS England.Blog -
One in five people we spoke to with a GP referral for specialist care had bounced back to general practice. This suggests potentially serious issues with referral processes. We are calling for more to be done to understand people’s experiences.
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When one person advocates for themselves for better health care and improved accessibility, we all benefit.Report -
Take a look at our supporting papers for the February 2023 committee meeting.News -
Clear, understandable information is important to help you make decisions about your healthcare. It is feedback from people like Karl that inspired us to launch the Your Care, Your Way campaign last year.Response -
NHS England has unveiled plans to tackle a deepening staffing crisis. Read our response.Response -
NHS cuts elective backlog with longest waiters down a quarter in one month. Read our response.Report -
Our latest report sets out what funding the Healthwatch network has received to carry out its statutory activities in 2022-23.News -
Recent research highlighted that long delays for hospital treatment, last-minute cancellations, and a lack of personalised information and support were huge concerns for people. Find out what we're calling for.News -
From 1 December 2020, the NHS introduced a new system called NHS 111 First. Find out what we’re calling for to ensure the service works for everyone.Blog -
Our annual report demonstrates the power of public feedback to help services think about how care can be better. But, with the NHS facing such big challenges, public feedback is more critical than ever.
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NHS and social care services only make the best decisions if they listen to the people they care for. Read our Annual Report to Parliament to see how your feedback has helped decision-makers prioritise what matters most.Response -
The latest Emergency Department performance figures show the number of people waiting over 12 hours to be seen have gone down. Yet, still many people are waiting too long for vital NHS care. Read our response.News -
Deep-dive analysis of experiences of 2,693 new mothers and birthing parents shows that six-week postnatal checks – required of GPs in England - are failing many new mothers. We call for action.Response -
Public satisfaction with the NHS has slumped to its lowest level ever recorded by the British Social Attitudes Survey (BSA). Despite this, the public shows very strong support for the NHS. Read our response.Response -
NHS maternity delivery plan includes steps that new mothers have told us would help to improve mental health support. Read our response.Blog -
We mark the difference the public has made in improving NHS and social care services.News -
Patient champion appeals for more people to feedback on NHS care.News -
Take a look at our work on women's health concerns, and what we're calling for to improve and tackle health inequalities.Blog -
Our latest research follows people's experiences of getting a GP referral. The process for many is long and often confusing. We need to address issues around people's GP referral journey so that it works for everyone.News -
Read what the public think about cancer care, and what we're calling for to make critical improvements.Response -
With junior doctors staging a four-day strike, we urge all parties involved to find a resolution.News -
The latest NHS data shows that a record number of people are waiting for care. However, our new research indicates that there is also a hidden waiting list, and more needs to be done to understand what it's like for people trying to get referred.Blog -
Find out what was included in the recent urgent and emergency care recovery plan, and how this will affect services next winter.Response -
We've responded to the outcome of the NHS Staff Council meeting on the pay offer made by government to the Agenda for Change unions.Blog -
Your experiences of maternal mental health care continue to shape NHS services, with NHS England recently announcing improvements to maternity and neo-natal services. Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing stories from new mothers to highlight the importance of delivering on those plans.Response -
Today, NHS England has published its GP Recovery Plan. Read our response.Advice and Information -
A new scheme could see women across England save hundreds of pounds a year on their Hormone Replacement Therapy with a prepayment certificate.Blog -
Research shows that continuity of carer is best practice in maternity care. Yet, the experiences of the new mothers we spoke to showed that services don’t always implement it. Read their stories.Advice and Information -
Receiving a dementia diagnosis can be a life-changing event, but knowing what support is available to you and what steps to take next can help you or a loved one process the diagnosis and plan for the future.Blog -
NHS England has recently published its "Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care". We outline what the planned changes will mean for you.Report -
Take a look at our supporting papers for the May 2023 committee meeting.News -
Health and social care services face big challenges, and if they are to improve, decision-makers must listen to public feedback. Read how we aim to help make this happen.Report -
With unprecedented challenges facing NHS and social care services, we've launched a new plan setting how we work to make sure your experiences help make care better.News -
The cost of living is having a detrimental impact on people's decisions about their healthcare. But if you are disabled, on means-tested benefits or aged 18-24, you're more likely to avoid vital health services due to the fear of extra costs. We set out immediate actions for the government and the NHS.News -
The cost of living crisis is putting people under a lot of pressure - and affecting their ability to access the care they need. Read our evidence on the problems people are facing and how we believe these can be reduced to ensure cost is not a barrier to accessing care.Advice and Information -
Living in a care home can increase your risk of oral health problems. That's why knowing what questions to ask care staff about your oral health or loved ones can prevent problems from developing.
