News and reports

In the last 12 months local Healthwatch have been out in their communities putting on engagement events in libraries and supermarkets, visiting health and care facilities and running public surveys

The remarkable contribution local Healthwatch across the country have made to health and social care at a local and national level has been marked at the Healthwatch Network Awards of Achievement 2015.

Each local Healthwatch works in an area with its own unique issues but there are specific statutory activities which every local Healthwatch must undertake and it is important that this work is consistent.

As the All Party Parliamentary Group on Health meets to discuss patient complaints today, new poll reveals half of people who experience poor care want to complain but far fewer go on to do so.

The number of teenagers admitted to hospital with eating disorders, has nearly doubled in just three years. Two new videos aim to raise awareness of the impact of eating disorders on those affected by the conditions and their families.

With Care.data pilots planned in several parts of England, we've published ten principles to help give consumers confidence.

This report outlines the funding each local Healthwatch has received to deliver their statutory activities based on survey results from 148 local Healthwatch, working across 152 local authority areas.

People with mental health issues are often taken to police cells and are not given the help and support they need. We spoke to Healthwatch Kirklees who have worked to change this.

Survey finds local Healthwatch areas being hit cover half of hospitals in special measures.

Our seven-point action plan to help ensure that the complaints system gives patients what they need and ensures the NHS and social care services can learn from their mistakes.

We are calling on the Government to take action to reform the complaints system - our seven-point plan sets out how.

We have written to the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to take action with a seven-point plan for reform to help create an effective and compassionate complaints system.