1. Join the new virtual quality improvement panel at Dorothy House

    News -

    Help shape the future of services for people living with a life-limiting illness.

  2. Enter and View: Oak Lodge Care Home, Chard

    Report -

    Our report following a visit to Oak Lodge in Chard, which is a purpose-built care home and provides accommodation for frail older people.

  3. Make your voice count – Help shape the future of health and care services in Somerset

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    We are calling on local people to make sure their voice is heard and reflected in proposals being drawn up by Somerset NHS health and care services, for changes to community-based services and non-emergency care.

  4. Enter and View: Oak Meadows Care Home, Taunton

    Report -

    Our report following a visit to Oak Meadows in Taunton, a care home that was adapted some years ago from an original military building on the site. The home specialises in the care of older people living with dementia.

  5. Accessing GP primary care in Somerset: What works for you and what doesn’t?

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    We are asking local people to complete a survey to share their experiences of accessing primary care through GP surgeries in Somerset.

  6. Enter and View: Centenary House Care Home, Shepton Mallet

    Report -

    Our report following a visit to Centenary House, a residential care home in Shepton Mallet, which is able to care for up to 13 residents.

  7. Continence care - what are my options?

    Advice and Information -

    If you or a loved one are affected by incontinence, find out where you can go for support.

  8. Coronavirus: Healthwatch Somerset helps people find information about local health and social care services

    News -

    As local health and care services come under increasing pressure due to the coronavirus, and access to services becomes more challenging, we are reminding people that we're here to help.

  9. Healthwatch Somerset’s Readers Panel can help organisations communicate about coronavirus

    News -

    We can help health and social care organisations to communicate clearly and effectively with local people about the coronavirus and the impact on services and support.

  10. Share your stories to help health services adapt during coronavirus

    News -

    We have launched a new survey asking local people to share their stories to help identify how health and care services are adapting and working well during the coronavirus outbreak, and to highlight common challenges that need to be addressed.

  11. Planning care at the end of life

    Advice and Information -

    We explain why it’s important to have a plan in place, should you or a loved one become critically ill.

  12. Healthwatch Somerset announces new projects to help make health and care better for local people

    News -

    We are looking forward to helping health and social care services develop and improve with the announcement of several new projects for the year ahead.

  13. Supporting our community through COVID-19

    Blog -

    By Tanya Camberwell, Healthwatch Somerset Engagement Officer

  14. What is domestic abuse and how can I get support?

    Advice and Information -

    If you are experiencing or feel at risk of domestic abuse, or are worried about someone who might be, find out where you can go for advice and help.

  15. Living with dementia during lockdown – sharing stories to raise awareness and help make care better

    News -

    During Mental Health Awareness Week (18-24 May), we are highlighting the care and support needs of people living with dementia and their families, and the particular pressures of life under lockdown due to coronavirus.

  16. Healthwatch Somerset thanks inspiring volunteers who help make health and social care better

    News -

    It’s Volunteers’ Week 1-7 June, so we are is sending a huge ‘Thank You’ to the inspiring volunteers who help to make health and social care better for local people.

  17. 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.

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

    News -

    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.

  19. Healthwatch Somerset Annual Report: Listening to local people helps make health and social care better

    News -

    Over the last year, more than 1,400 people shared their views on the county’s health and social care services with us, helping to make care better for local people.

  20. Guided by you: Annual Report 2019-20

    Report -

    Healthwatch Somerset Annual Report 2019-20: A review of our work over the past year and its impact, plus our work planned for 2020-21.

  21. Healthwatch Somerset launches #BecauseWeAllCare campaign

    News -

    We have joined local and national health and care organisations calling on Somerset residents to give feedback about their care during coronavirus (COVID-19) to help services reflect, recover, and improve.

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

    Blog -

    By Tanya Camberwell, Healthwatch Somerset Engagement Officer

  23. Somerset care homes – before and during COVID-19: Healthwatch Somerset reports

    News -

    Today we have published four reports about care homes in Somerset – three reporting on the quality of care in Somerset care homes prior to COVID-19 from a residents perspective, and a fourth looking at the challenges faced by care home staff during the pandemic.

  24. 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.

  25. Children's Mental Health Week

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  26. Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week

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  27. Local Healthwatch plea for public feedback on NHS 111 service

    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.

  28. Dying Matters Week

    Event -

  29. Volunteers week

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  30. Organ Donation Awareness Week

    Event -

  31. World Suicide Prevention Day

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  32. Healthwatch Somerset reveals what Somerset residents are saying about health and care during COVID-19

    News -

    Our new report out today reveals local people’s experiences of health and social care during the first six months of COVID-19.

  33. 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.

  34. 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.