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. 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.

  4. ‘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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. 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?

  10. 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.

  11. Healthwatch report highlights inconsistencies in NHS 111 service in Somerset and Devon

    News -

    A joint report released today by a group of local Healthwatch in the South West, shows that although the NHS 111 service in Somerset and Devon is rated highly by the public, there are inconsistencies in the quality of the service.

  12. 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.

  13. 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.

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

    News -

    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.

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

    News -

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

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

    News -

    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.

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

    News -

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

  18. Join a People’s Panel

    News -

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

  19. Improving Lives Strategy

    News -

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

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

    News -

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

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

    News -

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

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

    News -

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

  23. Healthwatch Somerset welcomes new announcement

    News -

    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.

  24. Healthwatch Somerset calls for more feedback from public

    News -

    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.

  25. A voice for the people of Somerset

    News -

    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.

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

    News -

    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.

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

    News -

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

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

    News -

    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).

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

    News -

    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.

  30. Reaching out: Looking at mental health support for young people in Somerset

    Report -

    We have been working with our young volunteers to investigate how accessible young people’s mental health services are in Somerset, and to understand how access to support could be improved.

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

    News -

    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.

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

    News -

    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.

  33. Dentistry in Somerset: Access, affordability and the impact on oral health

    Report -

    A lack of access to NHS dentists in Somerset remains a pressing issue, including for parents, vulnerable individuals and those with financial constraints. We have residents who are enduring persistent pain and grappling with unresolved dental issues.

  34. Access to GP appointments in West Somerset

    Report -

    As part of our Somerset-wide project, we decided to carry out some focused work looking at access to health and social care services in West Somerset.

  35. What the new dental recovery plan means for you

    Advice and Information -

    Are you struggling to find an NHS dentist? The new dental recovery plan might help you get the dental care you need.

  36. Where can I go to get help for my health out of hours?

    Advice and Information -

    People are often in need of out-of-hours medical assistance. Using NHS guidelines, we have provided some advice and information on where you can go for help when your GP is closed.

  37. People are increasingly avoiding NHS appointments and prescriptions due to cost of living, Healthwatch England warns

    News -

    With spiralling costs of living, Healthwatch England is warning people are making changes to how they use health and social care services, which can have an adverse impact on their health and wellbeing.

  38. 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.

  39. What is a GP referral and how can you get one?

    Advice and Information -

    When you need specialist NHS support, like hospital tests or treatment, you often need a referral from your GP first. Find out what this includes and what to expect.

  40. Think you need to go to A&E? Learn how NHS 111 can help you

    Advice and Information -

    The NHS wants to make it easier and safer for patients to get the right treatment when they need it, without waiting a long time to be seen in A&E. Find out what this means for you and your loved ones.

  41. Enter and View report: West Mendip Hospital, Glastonbury

    Report -

    Our report following a visit to West Mendip Hospital, Glastonbury. The wards provide 36 beds, which host a mixture of patients: on Pathway 2, Pathway 3 or end of life patients.

  42. Information stand at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton

    Report -

    Our Enter and View Team engaged with members of public at Musgrove Park Hospital. We spoke to people and recorded their comments about health and social care services, and we gave out dozens of leaflets, and ‘How Connected Are You?’ Surveys.

  43. Post Polio Syndrome consultation in Somerset

    Report -

    We consulted with members of the Somerset Polio Support Group to document the care they receive from the NHS in relation to their condition, at both primary and hospital level, in order to raise the understanding of PPS with NHS health commissioners.

  44. Somerset Polio Foundation Support Group

    Report -

    In September 2016 we returned to visit this group to find out how their report on Post Polio Syndrome (PPS) was progressing and to hear the key issues identified so far.

  45. Post Polio Support Group, Taunton

    Report -

    This report details our engagement with Taunton Post Polio Support Group, the issues around the understanding among professionals about Post Polio Syndrome and the ongoing joint work to highlight these with commissioners, GPs and health professionals.

  46. Early support discharge - independent patient engagement

    Report -

    Early Supported Discharge is a service that aims to help patients who have suffered a stroke to be discharged from hospital sooner and to carry out rehabilitation at home rather than in hospital.

  47. NHS 111 service report: Experiences and views of local people in Somerset

    Report -

    We created a survey that could be accessed online and completed at engagement events. The survey ran from 11 June to 31 August 2018. It asked for the views of local people who had used the service within the last three years.

  48. Health Visiting Service Report: Views on early years support

    Report -

    We have been talking to local people about their experiences and views of the Health Visiting Service in Somerset. This report tells you what people said when we spoke to them about the service.

  49. 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.

  50. 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.