1. NHS Long Term Plan: The views of Somerset residents

    Report -

    This report details engagement work we carried out around the NHS Long Term Plan.

  2. Accessing information about health & support in Somerset: The views of local people

    Report -

    We have been talking to local people about their experiences and views of the accessing health and support information in Somerset. This report tells you what people said when we spoke to them about this.

  3. Care Homes during Covid: Care staff perspective

    Report -

    We wanted to find out about the challenges faced by care home staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to understand how they have managed during this time. We held a focused feedback interview with a local care home; this is what they told us.

  4. Accessing health and social care during COVID-19: A Somerset perspective

    Report -

    We gathered real-time feedback on local health and social care services during the pandemic from the views of Somerset residents, to provide information that services can learn from once the outbreak has passed.

  5. Access to primary care GP surgeries in Somerset: What local people told us

    Report -

    We have been talking to local people about their experiences and views of accessing care at GP surgeries in Somerset. This report tells you what people said when we spoke to them about this.

  6. NHS 111 Out-of-hours service: Public feedback from Somerset, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay

    Report -

    Healthwatch in Somerset, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay joined forces to promote a regional survey to ensure that people using the NHS 111 service had their say on the way it is delivered to them.

  7. The District Nursing Service: People’s experiences of using the service in Somerset

    Report -

    We gathered the views of those currently using the District Nursing Service. We wanted to know what the current strengths and weaknesses were in the delivery of the service to patients in Somerset.

  8. Young Listeners Project Report

    Report -

    Sharing young people’s feedback to improve the health and social care services they use.

  9. The impact of waiting for NHS surgery in Somerset

    Report -

    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.

  10. Experiences with the NHS 111 service in Devon, Plymouth, Torbay, and Somerset

    Report -

    People who use NHS 111 in Devon and Somerset have reported ongoing concerns about the quality of the service, with the most common complaints being about long waiting times and difficulty getting through on the phone.

  11. Same day urgent care in West Somerset

    Report -

    The aim of this project was to gather the views of people living in West Somerset about same day urgent care. Somerset NHS Clinical Commissioning Group asked us to carry out this work as part of a review into how urgent care is provided in Somerset.

  12. People’s experiences of using GP websites to access information

    Report -

    We wanted to understand how the use of digital services by GPs, particularly websites, is affecting the way people access the information and care they need.

  13. Supported transfer of care from hospitals: evaluating people’s experiences to help shape improvements in care

    Report -

    We wanted to explore the quality of the transfer of care process in Somerset and use the experiences of people who have been discharged from hospital with ongoing care needs to guide improvements in the process.

  14. Dentistry data for local Healthwatch: October 2022

    Report -

    Quarterly feedback to the NHS Local Dental Network from local Healthwatch in the South West.

  15. Dentistry data for local Healthwatch: December 2022

    Report -

    Quarterly feedback to the NHS Local Dental Network from local Healthwatch in the South West.

  16. Advocating for fairer NHS dentistry: Dentistry data for local Healthwatch, July 2023

    Report -

    Quarterly feedback to the NHS Local Dental Network from local Healthwatch in the South West

  17. Healthwatch Somerset Annual Report: Working together to improve health and social care

    News -

    Last year, we supported over 4,370 people to have their say on health and social care and to get information and advice about local services.

  18. ‘Review culture’ is on the rise, yet only one in ten people feedback on health services

    News -

    As Healthwatch marks its tenth anniversary this week, Healthwatch Somerset joins the 152 local Healthwatch across England to appeal for more people to feedback on NHS care.

  19. Improving access to mental health support for young people in Somerset

    News -

    We've launched a new project with the aim of improving access to mental health support for young people and their families, guardians and carers.

  20. Evaluating people’s experiences of being transferred from hospital to care at home or in the community

    News -

    Our new report evaluates people’s experiences of being discharged from hospital to be cared for at home or in a residential or community care setting.

  21. Healthwatch England research: Six-week postnatal checks are failing many new mothers

    News -

    Healthwatch England, is warning that six-week postnatal checks – required of GPs in England – are failing many new mothers.

  22. Project launched in Bridgwater to improve health of people with chronic respiratory disease

    News -

    Our new community project asks people in Bridgwater to get involved to improve the health and wellbeing of those living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

  23. Healthwatch England research: Tell us your story of maternal mental health care

    News -

    Healthwatch is launching a national survey to understand if care works for new mothers and birthing parents.

  24. Making it easier for people to get healthcare and support via GP websites

    News -

    Our new report looks at people’s experiences of using GP websites to access healthcare services and information, highlighting that improvements are needed to make it easier for more people to get good care and support online.

  25. Share your views to help shape NHS Same Day Urgent Care services in Somerset

    News -

    The NHS is reviewing how it provides Same Day Urgent Care in Somerset, and we want to hear your views to help shape and improve access to services in the future.

  26. Healthwatch Somerset’s Annual Report shows how public feedback has improved health and care

    News -

    Last year (April 2021-March 2022), we supported almost 2,900 people to have their say on health and social care and to get the right information and advice about local services.

  27. Healthwatch Somerset welcomes the Integrated Care System and new opportunities to put people at the heart of care

    News -

    As Somerset’s new Integrated Care System (ICS) becomes a statutory body and formally starts work on 1 July 2022, we look forward to a productive partnership to make care better.

  28. Testing times…..the national COVID-19 study and me

    Blog -

    By Tanya Camberwell, Healthwatch Somerset Engagement Officer

  29. Supporting our community through COVID-19

    Blog -

    By Tanya Camberwell, Healthwatch Somerset Engagement Officer

  30. Bob’s story: Caring for your family in retirement

    Blog -

    Shepton Mallet resident Bob became a full-time carer when he retired from a long career with the ambulance service.

  31. Our first face-to-face meeting brings focus to the project

    Blog -

    By Max Popham, Healthwatch Somerset Youth Engagement Officer

  32. Mindfulness – what is it, and how can it help our Young Listeners?

    Blog -

    By Max Popham, Healthwatch Somerset Youth Engagement Officer

  33. Virtual get together and team building for our Young Listeners

    Blog -

    By Max Popham, Healthwatch Somerset Youth Engagement Officer

  34. What to expect when waiting for care

    Blog -

    Information and advice from Healthwatch England, September 2021

  35. Out and about in the community

    Blog -

    By Tanya Camberwell, Healthwatch Somerset Engagement Officer

  36. Thanks for coming to our roadshow in May

    Blog -

    By Gillian Keniston-Goble, Healthwatch Somerset Manager

  37. Think Pharmacy

    Blog -

    Information and advice from Somerset NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, May 2022

  38. Support for unpaid carers in Somerset

    Blog -

    We invited Fiona Harvey, Carers Service Coordinator for the Community Council for Somerset, to tell us about support for unpaid carers in Somerset as COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease.

  39. Lack of NHS Dentists in Somerset

    Blog -

    Lack of access to NHS dentists in Somerset is a significant issue raised with us by the public. They have told us that NHS dentists in Somerset are not taking on new patients.

  40. Carers Rights Day – 25 November 2021

    Blog -

    Know your rights and get the support you need

  41. Healthwatch England news: Lack of NHS dental appointments widens health inequalities

    News -

    A new survey of public attitudes to NHS dentistry shows that half of the adults in England find dental charges unfair amid escalating living costs.

  42. Share your feedback about Somerset GP websites

    News -

    We are investigating people’s experiences of using GP websites to get health and wellbeing information and support.

  43. Healthwatch report highlights ongoing public concerns about NHS 111 service in Devon and Somerset

    News -

    People who use NHS 111 in Devon and Somerset have reported ongoing concerns about the quality of the service, with the most common complaints being about long waiting times and difficulty getting through on the phone.

  44. Healthwatch recommends improved communication and support for patients waiting for surgery in Somerset

    News -

    In our recent survey, patients who are waiting for planned surgery in Somerset reported a lack of communication from hospitals and many felt their health and wellbeing had deteriorated while waiting for treatment.

  45. Young people tell Somerset’s health and social care services: communicate better to care better

    News -

    In our new report out today, young people are calling on the county’s health and social care services to improve how they communicate – with each other and with young people – to improve how they care.

  46. Local Healthwatch seeks public feedback on NHS 111 to help the service improve

    News -

    A new public survey has been launched to find out more about local people’s experiences of using the NHS 111 service in the region.

  47. Are you or your loved ones waiting for hospital care? Share your experience with Healthwatch England

    News -

    Millions of people have had their treatment delayed by the pandemic – are you one of them?

  48. New study asks people how they’ve been affected by waiting for surgery in Somerset

    News -

    As the number of patients waiting for surgery continues to grow, nationally and in southwest England, we are asking people about their experiences of being referred for surgery in Somerset and how they have been affected by waiting times.

  49. Annual report highlights how Healthwatch Somerset has supported the public throughout the pandemic

    News -

    Over the last year (April 2020 to March 2021), during the pandemic, 2,387 Somerset residents shared their feedback on the county’s health and social care services with us or sought information and advice on how to access the care and support they needed.