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

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    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.

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

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    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.

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

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    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.

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

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    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.

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

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    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.

  6. New public engagement programme to drive improvements in local health and social care

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    We have announced the areas we will investigate this year, to make sure that local people’s views and experiences are used to drive and support improvements in local services.

  7. What do you think about Somerset’s District Nursing Service? What works well and what could be improved?

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    We want to know what people think about the care they have received from Somerset’s District Nursing Service, to help the service develop and improve how it cares for local people.

  8. Healthwatch Somerset asks young people ‘How could health and social care services work better for you?’

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    What’s it like being a young person using health, social care and wellbeing services in Somerset, and what changes do young people want to see?

  9. Caring during COVID-19: Healthwatch Somerset shines a spotlight on unpaid care

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    It’s national Carers Week (8-14 June) and we want to know about your experiences of being an unpaid carer or being cared for during COVID-19, to help local services understand how to provide better social care and support.

  10. How easy is it to access support and advice to help you stay happy & healthy in Somerset?

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    People in Somerset are being asked to share how they access information, support and advice when they are ill, looking after someone or finding it difficult to manage living at home, to help shape local services going forward.

  11. The top four things people in Somerset would like to see improved in local NHS services

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    Hundreds of people in Somerset have shared their views on how to improve NHS health services in the county.

  12. Help people with their final wishes for health care – says Somerset man

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    Health and social services should openly talk about end of life care and the wishes of patients – says Healthwatch Somerset volunteer Steve.

  13. Somerset’s adult safeguarding service to be improved based on new feedback

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    New feedback gathered by us on the county’s Adult Safeguarding service will be used to improve it for the future.

  14. Roadshow finishes with more than 400 views on health and care services in Somerset

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    Our roadshow, which travelled almost 260 miles around Somerset to find out the views of local people on health and care services, has finished a seven-day tour with more than 400 views collected.

  15. Healthwatch England report: Faster progress needed to tackle barriers to care

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    Access to care is the main concern people have shared with Healthwatch in the past year. A new report by Healthwatch England looking at health and social care from the patients' perspective has warned that we risk "a two-tier health and care system" unless the NHS takes faster action to tackle access issues.

  16. Collaborative event sets the stage for renewed commitment to Somerset’s unpaid carers

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    The Somerset Carers Engagement Project recently achieved a significant milestone in its mission to empower and support unpaid carers across the county when it held a major collaborative event to inform Somerset's renewed Commitment to Carers.