1. Changes to Somerset’s District Nursing Service: What patients and carers want to see

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    Our new report out today, shows that people who receive care and support at home from the District Nursing Service, would like to see the introduction of weekend and evening visits, but many people are more cautious about the introduction of digital consultations.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

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

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    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.

  5. 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?

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

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

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

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    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.

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

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    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.

  9. Healthwatch Somerset launches #BecauseWeAllCare campaign

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    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.

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

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    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.

  11. 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.

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

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    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.

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

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    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.

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

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    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.

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

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    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.

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

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    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.

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

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    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.

  18. 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.

  19. 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.

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

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

  21. Local Board members wanted to help shape Somerset health and care

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    We are the county’s independent health and social care champion and are seeking people with a passion for seeing local health and social care services change for the better.

  22. Dorothy House Hospice Care seeks to improve services for people with life-limiting illness

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    Dorothy House Hospice Care wants to hear from those with a life-limiting illness, their carers and families about what Day Services they think would improve their wellbeing.

  23. National research launched on mental health statistics

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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.

  24. Hundreds share how they look for help when ill in Somerset

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    People in Somerset looking for health advice and support want to see better access to their GP to get the information they need, rather than looking online for help.

  25. Healthwatch calls on health professionals in Somerset to enable new parents to talk about mental health

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    As the independent health and social care champion for Somerset, we are calling on local services to make more space for new parents in the county to talk about their mental health.

  26. 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.

  27. 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.

  28. 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.

  29. 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.

  30. 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.

  31. 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.

  32. 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.

  33. 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.

  34. 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.

  35. 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.

  36. 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.

  37. 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.

  38. 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.

  39. 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.

  40. 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.

  41. 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.

  42. 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.

  43. 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.

  44. 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.

  45. 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.

  46. 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.

  47. 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.

  48. “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

  49. 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.

  50. 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.