1. Katherine Rake to move on from Healthwatch England

    News -

    Having set Healthwatch England up and nurtured it through the first three years, Healthwatch Chief Executive Katherine Rake has now decided to move on in the New Year to pursue a portfolio and consultancy career.

  2. NHS England working to improve communications with people who are transgender or non-binary

    News -

    NHS England publish their first in their series of regular updates about what they are doing to improve gender identity services.

  3. Our response to the CQC's State of Care report

    Response -

    The Care Quality Commission (CQC) today publishes its annual analysis of the quality of health and adult social care in England. Read our response

  4. Young Ambassadors champion eye care at local primary schools

    News -

    Healthwatch Bedford Borough has taken part in the first child-led campaign launched to tackle avoidable blindness in the UK.

  5. Our response to Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report on resolved public service complaints

    Response -

    A new report from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman reveals that health and social care services are leaving too many complaints unresolved and not learning from mistakes, often having a devastating impact on individuals.

  6. Our Annual Governance Statement 2014/15

    Report -

    Find out more about the processes and procedures in place for Healthwatch to carry out its functions effectively.

  7. People as partners for better care

    News -

    The past year has shown what is possible when services engage people as equal partners in improving care. This needs to happen more if health reforms are to be successful.

  8. Our Annual Report 2014/15

    Report -

    Find out what we, along with the Healthwatch network, have achieved over the past year.

  9. Plans for a more patient-focused health service welcomed

    Response -

    With the public wanting more control of their own health and care, we welcome Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s plans to increase patient power.

  10. My first 7 days with local Healthwatch

    News -

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

  11. Our letter to Julia Cumberlege to share what people have told Healthwatch about maternity services.

    Response -

    NHS England has announced a national review of maternity services in England.

  12. Our response to HSCIC data on written complaints to the NHS

    Response -

    New statistics show that there were 24,900 new written complaints in the first quarter of 2015/16. Read our response.

  13. Our public Committee Meeting November 2015 - supporting materials

    Report -

    Find out what happened at our public Committee Meeting.

  14. Our response to NHS Providers report 'Right place, right time'

    Response -

    New report outlines practical approaches to tackle the cause of delayed transfers of care.

  15. Three ways Healthwatch are making sure everyone’s voice gets heard

    News -

    Last year local Healthwatch engaged over 300,000 people across England to help understand people’s experiences of care, but how do they do it?

  16. Is there a feedback gap?

    News -

    We look at what recent public polling tells us about people's desire to provide feedback to help care services improve.

  17. Better orthotics services thanks to one courageous mother

    News -

    Today’s announcement by NHS England of a drive to improve orthotic services will come as welcome news to patients who depend upon services to help improve their mobility, independence and help with pain relief.

  18. Our consultation response to the NHS Mandate

    Response -

    We have highlighted our concerns about the time frame people have to respond to the consultation and for their views to be responded to.

  19. Our response to the National Audit Office report on GP access

    Response -

    New report finds that while patient satisfaction with access to General Practice remains high, it is declining.

  20. People's experiences of primary care

    News -

    Accessing GP services is a key concern people share with their local Healthwatch. Here are some of the issues people from different communities face.

  21. Perspectives on primary care part 1: Mothers of young children

    News -

    Being able to access primary care services is a key concern that the public have raised with local Healthwatch. Our first in a series of blogs focuses on what one group of mothers in Southend-on-Sea told us.

  22. Understanding the everyday experience of unpaid carers in Essex

    News -

    Carers play a vital role in supporting people who are frail, ill or disabled, but, in doing so, carers often become vulnerable themselves. We look at one example of how local Healthwatch is working to find out if carers could be better supported.

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

    News -

    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.

  24. Our response to report on investigations into serious incidents in the NHS

    Response -

    New report from the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman finds three key issues with how investigations into serious incidents in the NHS are conducted. Read our response.

  25. Our response to the Regulation of Dental Services Programme Board's report 'The Future of Dental Regulation'

    Response -

    The Regulation of Dental Services Programme Board has released a report reviewing dental regulation and inspection in England, outlines seven key areas of improvement and agreed actions and how it can be made more effective.

  26. Keeping people in hospital too long will over-burden health service this winter

    Response -

    Latest statistics show a notable increase in delayed discharge from hospital settings over 12 months. Read our response.

  27. Five common concerns with maternity services

    News -

    With a report out today highlighting that one in three women do not feel they are always given the information they need during labour, we take a look at what people have been telling local Healthwatch about maternity services.

  28. 12 ways local Healthwatch have made a difference in 2015

    News -

    As the year comes to a close, we look back on some of the great things the Healthwatch network has achieved this year.

  29. Maternity services: findings from the Healthwatch network

    Report -

    Our new report, published today, highlights five common concerns that people across England have shared with Healthwatch about maternity services.

  30. Our response to the NHS Mandate 2016/17

    Response -

    NHS England publishes its ambitions for the health service for 2016/17

  31. Anna Bradley stepping down as Chair of Healthwatch England

    News -

    The Department of Health has today started advertising for a new chair to lead Healthwatch England through the changing landscape of health and social care.

  32. NHS mandate emphasises need for services to learn from complaints

    Response -

    Following a public consultation to which over 130,000 responses were received, the Department of Health has now published the NHS mandate.

  33. People's experiences of primary care

    Report -

    Most people when surveyed say that they are satisfied with the care they get from primary care services, but this does not tell the full story.

  34. Would you use a pharmacist instead of visiting your GP for advice?

    News -

    One in three people said yes when asked this question in a recent England wide poll. We spoke to Healthwatch Cornwall to find out more about changing attitudes to pharmacy services.