News and reports

Throughout the pandemic, multiple changes were made to maternity care and health visiting services. We heard from 100+ women about their transition from maternity care to the health visiting service between 2020 and 2022.

Healthwatch England has responded to the Independent Review of Maternity Services at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, led by Donna Ockenden. The review examined almost 1,600 clinical incidents and found repeated failures in care.

On the February 10 2022, our Prioritisation Panel came together to discuss the health and social care issues you've raised, and what Healthwatch North Somerset can do to bring about change.

GPs offer a range of health services, including advice about physical and mental health, treatment, and prescriptions for medicines. To register with a GP, you don't need a fixed address, proof of your immigration status, or identification.

Practice Plus Group - NHS 111 South West, who have a contact centre in Bristol and answer NHS 111 calls from people across the South West, were found to be safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led by the Care Quality Commission.

Our collaborative research with Bristol Health Partners' Bladder and Bowel CONfidence Health Integration Team (BABCON HIT) found that one in three people who use bladder and bowel services had been affected by changes to these services during COVID.

Many people are able to recover from COVID-19 at home. If you are at a higher risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19, you may be eligible for a free pulse oximeter to monitor your health and ensure you can get medical care if you need it.

North Bristol NHS Trust asked us to carry out a survey with people attending A&E at Southmead Hospital. We found that the management of people's long-term conditions in the community needs to improve, to reduce some of the pressure on A&E.

When COVID-19 vaccination rollout began, there was a great deal of misinformation about the vaccine. To help people to make an informed decision, we hosted a series of webinars with experts who could provide reliable guidance and answer questions.

Caring for someone with dementia can be challenging, and carers often report feelings of guilt, confusion, and anger. We spoke to carers across South Glos to find out what help they needed, and put together a resource to help them access support.

People with a learning disability can sometimes find it difficult to identify any health issues they may be having. To make this easier, we created a checklist to help people with a learning disability get the most out their annual health check.

Co-production is a way of working that recognises that everyone has a contribution to make. Our goal is to involve people in the planning and designing of our research and project work right from the beginning.