News and reports

Bristol, North Somerset and South Glos will receive a share of £160 million in an NHS plan to test new ways of reducing the elective care waiting lists post Covid-19.

Healthwatch South Glos is delighted that our work with Bristol Health Partners on how easy it was for people to get help from bladder and bowel services during Covid-19 has been included in a national research portfolio.

If you or a loved one has suffered a stroke, register for a free, monthly drop-in session to learn more about how to manage life after a stroke.

Radio presenter and Asperger's champion Alex Manners spoke to Healthwatch ahead of his talk organised by Bristol Autism Support tomorrow (April 7th). His tips for coping with the pressures of Covid-19? "Find a project and focus on the next few days."

The pandemic has shown the importance of collaboration to help everyone get the care they need. This is the principle behind the new regional Integrated Care System, which began operating from today, April 1.

To support the over 50’s, South Gloucestershire Council, Healthwatch South Gloucestershire and the region's Over 50s Forum organised an event with local representatives from the NHS and Public Health, to provide guidance and answer questions.

NHS staff delivered almost 100,000 Covid-19 vaccinations in a single hour on 20 March breaking the record for the largest number of doses given. In a South Glos Primary Care Network over 1,900 had their jabs in one day.

The pandemic has led to delays in patients getting seen at Bristol Royal Infirmary’s A&E department due to high demand and lack of staff, a new report has found.

NHS dental care has been massively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it's been almost impossible to find an NHS dentist that's accepting new patients or doing emergency treatment.

Our South Glos volunteer, Jemma Ballinger, says while it is great news that people on the learning disability register will be prioritised to have the vaccine, they will still often need a lot of reassurance and understanding to receive it.

Find out more about how to get on your GPs learning disability register to ensure you have the Covid-19 vaccine. Being on the register also means you should also be invited to have an important health check-up to pick up any symptoms of illness.

People who have learning disabilities or a mental health condition can have their vaccination experience made easier for them. Healthwatch and the local clinical commissioning group put on a webinar to explain extra support or help that's available.