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Here you can find helpful advice and information about health and social care related topics along with general interest articles for Somerset. Advice & information Understanding NHS data sharing: What you need to know The NHS and social care use your health information to care for you and also to improve services. They keep it safe and private. If you don’t want your data used for planning or research, you can choose to opt out. Why is data shared? Shared data helps you and the NHS . For example: It brings your records together to improve your care It was used to find the first coronavirus treatment It supported vaccine research Your individual care Health and care staff may use your confi Healthwatch Somerset Nov 28, 2025 What should you expect from the NHS when it comes to accessible information? NHS England has published a refreshed version of the Accessible Information Standard (AIS) which was first released in 2016. Here we look... Healthwatch Somerset Jul 17, 2025 Healthwatch Somerset - Still here, still listening We want to reassure everyone that Healthwatch Somerset continues to operate as usual. The Government has announced plans to end the... Healthwatch Somerset Jul 10, 2025 1 2 3 4 5

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Your opinion can make a difference, take part in our surveys and polls to help us campaign for the right changes in health and social care for Somerset. Surveys & polls Live surveys & polls Here you can find all of our live surveys & polls. Sharing your thoughts and opinions on a range of health and social care topics helps us to take action and make the changes you want to see.

Proposed cuts to young carers’ groups and the Young Carers in Schools programme have been withdrawn after families and local organisations raised concerns. Somerset Council had been considering withdrawing funding from young carers’ groups and the Young Carers in Schools programme. We learned about the proposals just 24 hours before the deadline for submitting public statements and questions to the council’s Executive Committee. We know how important this support is. Our 2025 report, Who cares? Hearing how caregivers view available support and resources in Somerset, highlighted the challenges young carers face and gaps in the support available to them. As Somerset’s independent health and social care champion, and a member of the Carers Strategic Partnership Board, we submitted a statement raising our concerns about the proposed cuts. We could not present our statement at the meeting because all the available speaking places had already been filled. Clare Rendell, Governance Specialist at Somerset Council, confirmed: We will include your submission in the published public speaker list, which will be distributed to all councillors, and we will get a written answer for your statement. Other organisations also raised concerns, including Somerset Parent Carer Forum and Carers Trust. Representatives from both organisations attended the meeting. At the Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday 7 October, the council confirmed that the proposed cuts had been removed from its Medium-Term Financial Plan Update for 2027–28 to 2031–32. Councillor Heather Shearer, Lead Member for Children, Families and Education, told BBC Somerset: This particular stream of potential savings has been taken off the table quite definitively. This is welcome news for young carers and their families. It also shows why it is important for people and organisations to speak up about services that matter to them. Further information: Help for young carers - Social care and support guide - NHS Young Carers - Help & Support | Carers Trust Advice and support for young carers | The Children's Society Young carers grants for days out or short breaks - Somerset Community Foundation Download our statement of concern, or read it below. Links in our statement: Somerset Young Carers strategy 2026-28 Somerset Council website: Young Carers Somerset’s Commitment to Carers 2024: Valuing and supporting unpaid carers Caring and Classes 2025: Young Carers and attainment Inequalities

In June 2026, Healthwatch carried out an Enter and View visit to Ivelhurst Nursing Home in Yeovil. During our visit, we observed the quality of care and spoke with people who use the service, including residents, relatives, and staff. What we found All Authorised Representatives reported positive first impressions of the home, its environment, and its culture. The manager was visible throughout the home and readily available to speak with residents and staff. Residents told us they enjoy living at the home and feel safe. They said staff are friendly, kind, and take time to get to know them. We observed staff treating residents with dignity, respect, and courtesy. The home has strong links with the local community. Our recommendations Consider introducing a staff photo board to help residents, relatives and visitors become more familiar with members of the care team. Add more photographs and displays around the home, particularly those that showcase residents' activities and achievements. We were pleased to see the home supporting the wider community by hosting a local loneliness group that meets regularly on site. We also welcomed the home's positive links with the local college, including volunteer and work placement opportunities. James Dale, Registered Manager, Ivelhurst Nursing Home told us: We welcome the recommendations made and will use these constructively as part of our ongoing improvement plans, including further developing displays around the home, reviewing signage, and continuing to strengthen opportunities for companionship and community involvement. Read our report If you need this report in a different format, please email info@healthwatchsomerset.co.uk or call 0800 999 1286.

Somerset’s NHS leaders asked us to help them understand how people are being affected by waiting for surgery to inform their ongoing work to improve support for patients. Key messages 48 out of 72 of people had been waiting over 40 weeks for their surgery. Many people indicated a lack, or absence, of communication from their specialist during their wait. A large proportion of people told us they had experienced one or more of the following due to waiting for surgery: - Their condition had deteriorated. - Their mobility had reduced during their wait, and this had impacted on their ability to carry out everyday tasks. - They had experienced changes in their daily mood. 35 of 46 people relied on family and/or friends to help them manage their daily tasks. Many people indicated that they did not know how much longer they would have to wait for their surgery. Read our report If you need this report in a different format, please email info@healthwatchsomerset.co.uk or call 0800 999 1286.