1. Our response to new draft guidance on safe staffing levels in A&E

    Response -

    NICE has outlined new draft guidance to help A&E departments ensure there are enough nursing staff available to provide safe care at all times to patients.

  2. Staff should work closely with patients all the time, not just at Christmas

    Response -

    New statistics released by NHS England show a decrease in delayed hospital discharge over the festive period.

  3. Our response to 'Culture change in the NHS' report

    Response -

    The Department of Health has released a report which sets out the progress made in applying the lessons learned from the failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.

  4. New NICE draft guidance on safe midwifery staffing levels

    Response -

    New guidance to help hospitals ensure that there are the right number of midwifery staff to provide care for women and their babies.

  5. Delayed discharge figures have risen steadily over the past 12 months

    Response -

    Latest statistics show a steady increase in delayed discharge from hospital settings over 12 months.

  6. Action needed on gender reassignment surgery delays

    News -

    Local Healthwatch across the country are hearing reports of long delays for access to consultations and surgery for people waiting for gender reassignment surgery, but how long should people wait?

  7. Our response to the CQC's inpatient survey

    Response -

    Findings from CQC’s survey show that too many people are experiencing delays in leaving hospital.

  8. Our Quality Statements

    Report -

    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.

  9. Improving access to health services for the deaf community

    News -

    Health and care services need to be accessible for everyone, but those who are deaf often face problems. Healthwatch Bedford Borough share how they are working to achieve change in their area.

  10. Safely home: People's experiences of leaving care

    News -

    With the help of 101 local Healthwatch, we heard from over 3,000 people who shared their stories with us about their experiences of the discharge process.

  11. Getting hospital discharge right would stop suffering and save millions of pounds

    News -

    Our new report brings together 3,230 stories gathered by 101 local Healthwatch from across the country, revealing the human and financial cost of getting the discharge process wrong.

  12. Safely Home - what happens when people leave hospital and care settings

    Report -

    With the help of 101 local Healthwatch, we heard from over 3,000 people who shared their stories with us about their experiences of the discharge process.

  13. Putting the focus back on patients

    News -

    Read a letter from our Chair Anna Bradley to the Times newspaper expressing her concerns regarding the need to champion patient voice.

  14. Use of discharge checklists - Freedom of information request results

    Report -

    As part of our research into unsafe discharge from hospital and care settings we conducted a Freedom of Information Request in May 2015 of 164 hospital trusts.

  15. Top tips for recruiting volunteers

    News -

    Healthwatch East Sussex recently hit the news for the fantastic response they received as a result of their plea for volunteers. They tell us the secret of their success.

  16. Involving local people in improving disability access

    News -

    Find out what happened when one Healthwatch Bolton worked with their local hospital to improve access for people with disabilities.

  17. 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.

  18. 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.

  19. 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?

  20. 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.