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Advice and Information -
Many people who provide unpaid care are unaware of their rights. Find out more about the help and support you are entitled to. -
Advice and Information -
We explain why it’s important to have a plan in place, should you or a loved one become critically ill. -
Advice and Information -
Tips to help you stay well this winter and get the care you need. -
Report -
Members of this support group run by the Parent Carer Forum shared their concerns and experiences with us. Many of the group had common issues with assessments and having their needs met at GP surgeries. -
Report -
We engaged with members of the carers support group, who meet monthly at Quantock Vale Surgery, Bishops Lydeard. We informed the group about our work and role of Healthwatch and listened to their queries and concerns about the health and social care services that they use. We also introduced our survey on ‘How Connected are You?’ -
Report -
We engaged with members of the carers support group who meet monthly at the GP Medical Centre in Ilchester. We informed the group about our work and role of Healthwatch, and listened to their queries and concerns about the health and social care services that they use. We also introduced our survey on ‘How Connected are You?’ -
Report -
We engaged with members of the carers support group who meet monthly at the GP Medical Centre in Martock. We informed the group about our work and role of Healthwatch, and listened to their queries and concerns about the health and social care services that they use. We also introduced our survey on ‘How Connected are You?’ -
Report -
Our Manager and a Local Board member attended a Young Carers Forum meeting to hear the views of young carers on the Somerset Young Carers Service. This took place at the Young People’s Centre in Street. -
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. -
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. -
Blog -
Shepton Mallet resident Bob became a full-time carer when he retired from a long career with the ambulance service. -
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. -
Blog -
Know your rights and get the support you need -
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. -
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. -
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. -
News -
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. -
News -
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. -
News -
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? -
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. -
News -
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. -
News -
Hundreds of people in Somerset have shared their views on how to improve NHS health services in the county. -
News -
Health and social services should openly talk about end of life care and the wishes of patients – says Healthwatch Somerset volunteer Steve. -
News -
New feedback gathered by us on the county’s Adult Safeguarding service will be used to improve it for the future. -
News -
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. -
Advice and Information -
Do you or a loved one need help with social care? Read the article below to find out answers to key questions about who can access adult social care and how to pay for it. -
Advice and Information -
Each day 6,000 people become carers. Looking after a loved one can be physically and emotionally exhausting so it's vital that you get the support you need. Find out how you can make sure you look after yourself. -
News -
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. -
Advice and Information -
Here we look at six things you should expect when making a complaint about social care services. -
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. -
Advice and Information -
Confused about Long Covid? Find out the common symptoms and how to get support. -
Advice and Information -
Take a look at what you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccination programme, including where to go and why it's important. -
Advice and Information -
Take a look at our advice article on the organisations and groups that can support you if you’re grieving. -
Advice and Information -
Understanding the symptoms of flu and what the flu vaccine is helps you make informed decisions about your health. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
Blog -
By Tanya Camberwell, Healthwatch Somerset Engagement Officer -
Blog -
By Tanya Camberwell, Healthwatch Somerset Engagement Officer -
News -
Our new report out today reveals local people’s experiences of health and social care during the first six months of COVID-19. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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.
