Healthwatch Staff promoting It Starts With You
Meet the people using their voice to make a difference to care of others
Five people and groups have been shortlisted for a national award that celebrates local people who, through their dedication, have helped improve health and care for their community.
25 June 2018
News
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Your health and care: What can we do to make the biggest difference?
We need your views and ideas to make sure that health and social care services work for those who use them. Help us shape our new strategy, which launches in 2018.
20 June 2018
News
Our response to NHS plans to cut long hospital stays
Our National Director responds to NHS plans to improve patient care by cutting long hospital stays.
The plan aims to see the number of people staying longer than necessary in hospital reduced by a quarter ahead of winter, through greater use of alternatives to admission.
13 June 2018
Response
Our response to CQC's "Driving improvement: Case studies from nine adult social care services"
Today, the CQC published a new report "Driving improvement: Case studies from nine adult social care services", which provides an insight into care services that achieved a significant improvement on their rating.
The report looks at services that were rated inadequate, the challenges they had to overcome, and how they got back on track. It also highlights the experiences of a wide range of people using the care services, as well as professionals. 
7 June 2018
Response
An older man in a blue shirt standing in a garden
How you can help improve health and care for your community
Last year 4,700 people gave up their time to help make a difference to local health and care. This Volunteers Week we spoke to Healthwatch Somerset about the difference our volunteers make and why we need more people to get involved.
1 June 2018
News
Our response to The Nuffield Trust's briefing on emergency readmissions
A new briefing from QualityWatch looks at the number of emergency readmissions to hospital. The report found there was a 41.3% rise in the number of people returning to hospital for "potentially preventable" conditions.
A new briefing from QualityWatch looks at the number of emergency readmissions to hospital. The report found there was a 41.3% rise in the number of people returning to hospital for "potentially preventable" conditions.
31 May 2018
Response
Picture of teenagers walking in a park
Our volunteers: Oriana's story
It’s Volunteers’ Week and we want to say thank you to the 4,700 people who volunteered for Healthwatch last year. Read Oriana’s story to find out what it’s like to be a Healthwatch volunteer.
30 May 2018
News
NHS worker collecting information from a patient
Our response to the introduction of the NHS data opt-out
From 25 May 2018 people will be given the choice to opt out of sharing their patient information with the NHS for reasons other than their individual care. Read our response.
25 May 2018
Response
Older man with glasses
What does good mental health care look like?
Over a million adults in England are currently in contact with mental health services but what should you expect when it comes to the care you receive?
18 May 2018
Advice and Information
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How do people feel about their data being shared by the NHS?
From 25 May 2018, people will be able to make a choice about how the NHS uses their confidential patient information for reasons other than their care. We polled over 2,000 people to find out more about their views and concerns on sharing their data.
17 May 2018
Report
A Healthwatch volunteer with a clipboard speaking to a woman outside a hospital
How do people feel about their data being shared by the NHS?
From 25 May, you’ll be able to make a choice about how the NHS uses your confidential patient information for reasons other than your care. 77% of the public say they are confident in the ability of the NHS to protect their patient data. Are you?
17 May 2018
News
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Our policies on information governance
Find out more about how we collect, process and store data.
16 May 2018
Report