We run, host and attend many events each month. Find out more about local events taking place in Somerset and Have Your Say. Events We run and attend multiple events throughout the year, check the calendar below to see what we've got coming up. June 2025 Today Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6

Healthwatch Somerset is the independent champion for people who use health and social care services. We’re here to make sure that those running services put people of Somerset at the heart of care. We want to hear from you We're collecting your stories and experiences about GP surgeries, Dentists, Pharmacies and all other health and social care services. Tell us about your experiences and help shape the future of care. Have your say News & Views To see all news posts, click here British Empire Medal awarded to Somerset carers campaigner HM The King’s New Year Honours List 2025 celebrated over 1200 people who have made outstanding contributions to their communities across... Healthwatch Somerset - May 2025 Newsletter Our May Newsletter includes updates about our work, information about health and care services, and helpful advice. The people have spoken We asked you to help shape our workplan for 2025/26 and our latest report shows the results of what you told us. Each year, we gather... Thank you so much for all your help. I had been sent around in circles before coming to you; for you to be so kind and determined was a breath of fresh air. Parent who struggled to find an NHS dentist Upcoming events To see all events, click here Unlocking the power of people‑driven care Tue 15 Jul Edgar Hall, Somerton Register Unlocking the power of people‑driven care Thu 17 Jul Online annual report launch Register subscribe Sign up for our news letter Email First Name Last Name I agree to my data being stored and used in line with the privacy policy. Click here to see the privacy policy Subscribe Thank you for subscribing

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We want to reassure everyone that Healthwatch Somerset continues to operate as usual. The Government has announced plans to end the current model of local Healthwatch services and bring them under control of the Local Authority and the Integrated Care Board. However, this change is not yet law  — and until any legislation is passed, we remain fully active and independent . Our work hasn’t changed. We’re still here to listen to your experiences, provide advice and support, and make sure your voice shapes local health and care services. We believe a strong, independent public voice is vital — and we’re proud to continue representing our community during this time. We’ll keep you updated, but for now, please be assured: it’s business as usual at Healthwatch Somerset .

In our latest report, we detail the engagement with ABI survivors and professionals which has revealed gaps in the county's healthcare and rehabilitation pathways for people with an acquired brain injury. One of the activities of a Local Healthwatch is to make reports and recommendations about how local care services could or ought to be improved. In 2022 Healthwatch Somerset worked with NHS Somerset ICB to create a series of case studies, to support a business case for change, by interviewing people who had lived experience of an acquired brain injury (ABI) and neurological rehabilitation. An acquired brain Injury is any damage to the brain that occurs after birth and is not related to a congenital or degenerative condition. It can be the result of a range of causes, including traumatic events such as falls or accidents or medical issues like strokes, infections or oxygen deprivation. One key area of focus raised in 23/24 was support and care at home and the suggestion was made to us that we should link the two areas together. This gave us the chance to assess the current situation, review reports and projects that have been conducted both locally and nationally. This report builds on previous work and explores the current situation. Key findings There is a shortage of neuropsychologists in Somerset. There are gaps in the provision of appropriate information for ABI patients/families, especially on discharge from hospital. There is a lack of awareness of ABI in the general population. There is a lack of data tracking for ABI survivors. There is a need for standardised outcome measures. The support provided by Headway Somerset is invaluable. Read our report If you need this report in a different format, please email info@healthwatchsomerset.co.uk or call 0800 999 1286

Our annual report, Unlocking the power of people-driven care, highlights how we've worked throughout the year to understand people's health and care needs, and used public feedback to help NHS and social care services in Somerset improve. The report also outlines our work planned for 2025-26. The year in numbers 5094 people shared their experiences of health and social care services with us, helping to raise awareness of issues and improve care. 1364 people came to us for clear advice and information on topics such as how they can find an NHS dentist and how they can make a complaint about their GP surgery. 34 outstanding volunteers supported us last year, giving up 595 hours of their time to make care better for their community. We published 5 reports about the improvements people would like to see to health and social care services. Our priorities for the next year Investigating waiting lists for procedures, including the timing and method of patient contact during waiting periods for medical treatments. Holding an event in October 2025 focusing on accessible information in Somerset health and care. Following up on the Healthwatch England pharmacy survey by looking at the pharmacy provision in Somerset. Working with Somerset Council to listen to people’s experiences of working with micro-providers. Supporting our communities to understand the future NHS 10-year plan and it’s recommendations. These include moving from hospital to the community, embracing digital transformation, and shifting from treatment to prevention. Following up on the recommendations that have been made in our work in 24/25. Read our report Read the full Annual Report 2024-2025 to find out more about our work during the past year. If you need this report in a different format, please email  info@healthwatchsomerset.co.uk   or call 0800 999 1286.