1. Do you or someone you care for use NHS special care dental services in the South West?

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    The UK’s largest independent regulator of official statistics wants to hear from patients, carers and their families about how they access and use statistics on mental health in England.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Health visitor still the first point of call when parents of young children need advice and support – new report reveals

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    Parents of young children still prefer to ask their health visitor or GP surgery for health advice and support rather than go to Facebook or consult their Red Book – according to the findings of our survey published today.

  5. People’s real-life experiences of health and social care services in Somerset set out in new report

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    More than 1,800 people have shared their views on the county’s GP surgeries, hospitals and social care over the last year with us – helping to shape and improve those services for all.

  6. Healthwatch says thank you to volunteers who help to shape local health and care in Somerset

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    We will be celebrating the difference volunteers make to the local community during this year’s Volunteers’ Week, which runs from 1-7 June.

  7. Thank you: Over 260 people tell Healthwatch Somerset what they think would make the NHS better

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    Local people share their views about how they want local health services to improve.

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. How does living in a rural area affect access to healthcare?

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    One man shares his views about how NHS services where he lives should change.

  11. 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.

  12. NHS figures reveal more people with dementia are being admitted to A&E in Somerset

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    More people with dementia are being rushed to hospital emergency departments in Somerset, according to NHS statistics.

  13. Share your views on NHS services for those with learning disabilities and autism in Somerset

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    Hundreds of children have learning disabilities and autism in Somerset and now families are being asked to help shape local NHS services supporting them.

  14. Six years of championing people’s views of health and care in Somerset

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    Today we celebrate six years as the county’s independent health and care champion.

  15. Former ambulanceman urges people to have their say about changes to the NHS

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    Healthcare in Somerset will only work if people get to have their say – urges former ambulanceman Bob Champion.

  16. Roadshow aims to put Somerset people in the driving seat on health and social care issues

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    Our staff and volunteers will be taking to the roads of Somerset in March to find out what people think about their local health and care services.

  17. Share your experiences of Health Visiting Services in Somerset

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    Parents of young children in Somerset are being asked to share their views and experiences about the health visiting services they have received in the County, to help shape the service going forward.

  18. Join a People’s Panel

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    Have your say on the future of health and social care in Somerset – by joining a new Public and Patient People’s Panel.

  19. Healthwatch network reveals top priorities for 2019

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    To mark the start of 2019, Healthwatch England has published its annual network priorities list – setting out the key health and care topics which local teams will be working on over the year ahead.

  20. Helping young people have a voice on health and social care in Somerset

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    The health and care issues affecting children and young people in Somerset have been the focus of our recent work.

  21. Improving Lives Strategy

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    We will be monitoring the progress of a new strategy, launched this month by Somerset’s Health and Wellbeing Board.

  22. Hundreds of people reveal their experiences of Somerset’s 111 non-emergency phone line service

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    We are calling for the NHS non-emergency phone line to provide better communication with the public.

  23. “Join us and help give everybody in our community a better future!”

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    New Healthwatch Somerset volunteer Stephen Sharples is urging people in Somerset to be more actively involved in the decisions around their health and wellbeing

  24. There’s still time to give your views on Somerset’s 111 service

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    People in Somerset are being urged to give their views on using the county’s 111 non-emergency phone line.

  25. Board members wanted to help shape health and social care services in Somerset

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    People with a passion for seeing local health and social care services changed for the better are being sought by us, the county’s independent health and social care champion.

  26. Views wanted to help improve Somerset’s failing 111 service

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    People in Somerset are being asked for their views on using the county’s 111 non-emergency phone line.

  27. Five ways to give feedback to help shape local health and care services in Somerset

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    Share your experiences of local health and care services and make it better for everyone – that’s our message as we celebrate our fifth birthday next week (April 1).

  28. Healthwatch Somerset welcomes new announcement

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    As the county’s independent health and care champion, we welcome news a new provider will run the out-of-hours GP services in the county.

  29. Healthwatch Somerset calls for more feedback from public

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    We are encouraging local people to give their views and experiences of local health and care services following a recently published report on Mendip House in the county.

  30. New chair of Somerset’s independent health and care champion announced

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    A former school inspector from North Petherton with a passion for shaping local health services will help to lead our board as the county’s independent health and care champion.

  31. Local volunteer Bob urges others to join him to help shape local health and care services

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    Listening to patients and their experiences of health and care is key to improving these services in Somerset – says local volunteer Bob Champion.

  32. A voice for the people of Somerset

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    People in Somerset will be given a strong voice to air their views on health and care services in the county – thanks to plans by Evolving Communities, the new provider of the local Healthwatch service.

  33. World Patient Safety Day: Shining a spotlight on patient engagement to support safer care across Somerset

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    Together with NHS Somerset, we are shining a spotlight on patient and family engagement for safer care across Somerset for World Patient Safety Day on 17 September.

  34. What’s your experience of NHS dental care in Somerset?

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    Share your feedback by 31 October 2023 to help improve access to NHS dentistry.

  35. Empowering Bridgwater residents to live well: Focus group aims to help transform lives of COPD patients

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    The Victoria Park Community Centre in Bridgwater, Somerset, will host an important event on Thursday 30 November, from 10am to 3pm, dedicated to enhancing the lives of Bridgwater residents who live with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

  36. Are you struggling to see an NHS doctor in Somerset?

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    We are asking people to share their experience of booking face-to-face appointments with their GP to help improve access to GP services in the county.

  37. Improving access to young people’s mental health services

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    In our latest report, we call on those responsible for young people’s mental health services to improve awareness, availability and access to mental health support for young people.

  38. 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.

  39. 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.