About us How sharing your healthcare experiences can help everyone - BSL subtitles Healthwatch England Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Now Playing How sharing your healthcare experiences can help everyone - BSL subtitles 00:41 Play Video Now Playing How Healthwatch can help you find health advice and information - BSL subtitles 00:55 Play Video Now Playing Who are Healthwatch? BSL subtitles 00:59 Play Video Easy Read documents Healthwatch Information We are Healthwatch It starts with you Who we are and what we do We are the independent champion for people who use health and social care services. We’re here to make sure that those running services put people at the heart of care. ​ Our sole purpose is to understand the needs, experiences and concerns of people who use health and social care services and to speak out on their behalf. ​ We focus on ensuring that people’s worries and concerns about current services are addressed. ​ We work to get services right for the future. How we work We are here to listen to what you like about services and what you think could be improved. No matter how big or small the issue, we want to hear about it. ​ Where possible, we will let you know when changes are planned to services in our community and help you have a say. We will also encourage those in charge of local care to involve you when changes are being planned to services. ​ You can also speak to us to find information about health and social care services available locally. Our approach People's views come first - especially those who find it hardest to be heard. ​ We champion what matters to you and work with others to find ideas that work. We are independent and committed to making the biggest difference to you. Our Advisory Group Find out about who our members are, what they do and find the latest meeting minutes by visiting the Advisory Group page. Our staff We have a small team of dedicated individuals with a remit to engage with, offer support, signpost and listen to all our local residents experiences and suggestions relating to NHS Health and Social Care services in Somerset. Our staff Gillian Keniston-Goble Manager Karen Ball Information and Signposting Administrator Sheila Burridge Volunteer Officer Tanya Camberwell Engagement Officer Mandy Starks Engagement Officer Our volunteers Our volunteers are at the heart of what we do, they support our team with anything from day to day tasks to speaking to the local community. We wouldn't be able to do what we do without their support. If you'd like to find out more about volunteering with Healthwatch, click here . Enter and view Enter and View is one way Healthwatch Somerset can gather information needed about services and collect views of service users, their carers and relatives, as well as staff. ​ Our authorised Enter & View Representatives are: June Barnes Sheila Burridge Sue Burton Tanya Camberwell Bob Champion Richard Corp Judith Goodchild Helen Hancox Gill Keniston-Goble Alan Kitch Keith Paine Carole Parker-Wilkinson Tony Robinson Jill Rossiter Mandy Starks Sue Thomas Gill Waldron Jane Watson Mike Welton Sandra Wilson

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Our November newsletter includes updates about our work, information about health and care services, and helpful advice. To read our November newsletter - click on the pdf below If you need this newsletter in a different format, please email:   info@healthwatchsomerset.co.uk  or call 0800 999 1286.

In our latest Annual Report, The Value of Listening, we highlight how we've worked throughout the year to understand people’s health and care needs, and to use public feedback to help NHS and social care services improve care in Somerset. The report also outlines our work planned for 2024-25. The year in numbers 2,621 people shared their experiences of health and social care services with us, helping to raise awareness of issues and improve care. 4,325 people came to us for clear advice and information about topics such as mental health and the cost of living crisis. 35 outstanding volunteers supported us last year, giving up 126 days of their time to make care better for their community. We published eight reports about the improvements people would like to see to health and social care services. Next steps Over the next year, we will keep reaching out to every part of society, especially people in the most deprived areas, so that those in power hear their views and experiences. We will also work together with partners and our local Integrated Care System to help develop an NHS culture where, at every level, staff strive to listen and learn from patients to make care better. Our top three priorities are: Care at home Unpaid carers Pharmacies Read the full Healthwatch Somerset Annual Report 2023-24 to find out more about our work during the past year, including findings and recommendations for changes to services.

Do you know about your rights to language support in NHS settings? High-quality translation and interpretation are vital to ensuring that people access the health and care services they are entitled to and understand their treatment. But did you know that healthcare providers must provide patients with translation and interpretation services?   Do you have a right to an interpreter?   It is your right to have a professional interpreter help you at every stage of your healthcare journey. It is the responsibility of your healthcare provider to arrange an interpreter for you.   The NHS has a  legal responsibility  to make sure that the services they provide are equally accessible to all sections of the community.  Guidance  to services also makes clear that a professional interpreter should always be offered where language is an issue in discussing health matters.  What should I expect?   You have a right to expect that the NHS provides timely interpretation support. Additional time should be provided at appointments when an interpreter is required.   Your healthcare worker should also record in your healthcare record:   your preferred spoken language (including dialect)   your preferred written language    whether you require an interpreter   This information should be passed on when you get a referral to other health or social care services.   You should never have to pay for language interpretation services.   Can I provide my own interpreter?   You might think that it’s easier to ask a friend or family member to help translate or interpret important information. Sometimes this may seem like the simplest, most straightforward solution.   But this brings up a range of risks and issues, and it is safer to use interpreters provided by NHS services. Even a person with excellent English skills may not be able to understand health-related information very well. This can create gaps in the information shared and increase the likelihood of something going wrong along the patient's healthcare journey.   Children should not be used to interpret or translate health and care information.    NHS guidance states that professional interpreting services should always be provided.  Using professional interpreters also benefits the NHS  There are many benefits of using professional interpreters, including:    ensuring accuracy and impartiality of interpreting   minimising legal risk of misinterpretation of crucial clinical information (for example, informed consent to undergo clinical treatments and procedures)   minimising safeguarding risk (for example, for victims of human trafficking)   allowing family members and friends to attend appointments and support the patient (emotionally and with decision-making) without the added pressure of needing to interpret   fostering trust with the patient Should health information be translated for me?  Healthcare providers should provide you with written information about health and care services (such as leaflets) in a language and format that you understand. When translated information isn’t available in your preferred language, it should be provided free.   High-quality translations provided by a trained translator should be available. Online tools, such as Google Translate, should not be relied on for translation in healthcare settings, as they may result in inaccurate or misleading communications between staff and service users.   Further support   Sources of existing translated health-related information include:  NHS.UK and NHS Inform  provide a series of health information translated into other languages  Doctors of the World  has produced translated health related information  While using visual aids should not replace the need for professional interpreting and translation, various tools have been developed to facilitate communication with people whose first language is not English:  The British Red Cross and NHS  Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook  is available in many languages. Picture Communication Tool