1. How do you look after yourself?

    News -

    As of April 2020, and via our advice and information work (Signposting +), we will promote Sirona care & health's new Community Health Services (CHS). Sirona has secured a long-term contract to provide CHS in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

  2. How do you look after yourself in South Glos?

    Advice and Information -

    As services, such as the NHS, come under increasing pressure, people are being encouraged to take greater responsibility for looking after their own health and wellbeing.

  3. Ageing Better in South Gloucestershire

    Report -

    Healthwatch South Gloucestershire carried out a project in 2019 to engage with older people to understand their experiences of ageing and keeping themselves healthy and well.

  4. Healthwatch guides to help you get online advice and support

    Advice and Information -

    Use our new Healthwatch guides to help you get to grips with using health websites and apps. From Patient Access and NHS App to using Zoom, you can download and print our step-by-step guides.

  5. Dementia carers - our ambitious project to hear your experiences and ensure you have support

    News -

    Caring for someone with dementia takes patience and kindness. It can also take its toll physically and mentally - and if it's a family member you may not get any time off. But is there anyone to care for the carer? Tell HW...your views matter.

  6. If you have a learning disability you need to be on your GP's learning disability register to have the vaccine

    News -

    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.

  7. Free virtual monthly drop-in sessions for people who have had strokes, their families, and carers

    News -

    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.

  8. Risk of a "tsunami of unmet need" facing the health and care system, the Care Quality Commission reports

    News -

    In their annual 'State of Care' report - the first to cover a full year of the pandemic - the independent regulator has called for increased stability and collaboration across services, plus investment in 'new ways of working'.

  9. Pulse oximeter rollout to help people recover from COVID-19 at home

    Advice and Information -

    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.

  10. Hundreds more people to benefit from NHS care in the comfort of their own homes this winter

    News -

    The NHS@Home service offers hospital-level care and remote monitoring in an individual’s home, providing an alternative to hospital admission, or helping them to return home promptly following an inpatient stay.

  11. How can NHS@Home support you this winter?

    Advice and Information -

    NHS@Home offers healthcare in your home or normal place of residence, rather than in hospital. It can offer an alternative to going into hospital when you are unwell, and it can help you return home from hospital more quickly.

  12. CONfidence app for people with bladder and bowel leakage

    Advice and Information -

    The free CONfidence app provides self-help advice and information for people with bladder and bowel leakage, and carers and parents of children with symptoms.

  13. How will we make a difference in 2024-25?

    Report -

    Our workplan sets out the areas of health and social care we will be looking at over the coming financial year. It also outlines the research we plan to carry out in order to help improve local services.

  14. What should you expect from home care services?

    Advice and Information -

    The number of people being cared for in their own homes is increasing but what should you expect from home care services?

  15. Do you need help getting to hospital?

    Advice and Information -

    Find out what support is available to help you travel to your hospital appointments.

  16. Quarterly report: April - June 2018

    Report -

    Find out what the Healthwatch South Gloucestershire staff team and volunteers have been doing during Quarter 1 (April - June 2018)

  17. Trans Health, Care & Wellbeing Report

    Report -

    For the past six years, 2012-18, Diversity Trust and Healthwatch have been researching
    the health, care and wellbeing needs and experiences of local Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Questioning (LGBTQ+) people.

  18. Thornbury Hospital Enter and View 2018

    Report -

    Healthwatch South Gloucestershire Enter and View report Thornbury Hospital on 7 February 2018.

  19. Concord Medical Centre Enter and View 2019

    Report -

    Healthwatch South Gloucestershire and Hivewatch volunteers undertook the Enter
    and View visit during March 2019. The purpose of the visit was to understand the experience
    that a patient with a learning disability would have when visiting Concord.

  20. Your health rights - Easy Read

    Advice and Information -

    Find out more about your health rights.

  21. How people with learning disabilities are helping to improve local services

    News -

    Hivewatch is a partnership between Healthwatch and The Hive, a charity that supports people with learning disabilities. Authorised representatives conduct Enter and View visits in partnership.

  22. Stanshawes Care Home, Yate Enter and View

    Report -

    Healthwatch South Gloucestershire authorised Enter and View volunteers undertook two follow-up enter and view visits to Stanshawes Care Home on 14 October 2015 and 13 January 2016.

  23. Diversity Trust Report

    Report -

    ‘Evidence for Change’
    Bristol Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans
    Health and Wellbeing Research Report
    September 2016

  24. Rural Health Needs Report September 2014 - March 2015

    Report -

    A summary of engagement with rural communities in South Gloucestershire September 2014 - March 2015.

  25. Race Equality in the South West

    Report -

    This report results from work undertaken by ESW and members of the South West Race
    Equality Forum (SWREF) over an 18 month period between 2012-2013

  26. The British Institute of Human Rights Mental Health Advocacy and Human Rights Guide

    Report -

    The guide was launched during this NHS Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Week at a round-table with major policy-makers where the results of work commissioned from BiHR by the Department of Health was discussed.

  27. LGBTQ Young People Report

    Report -

    Report by The Diversity Trust Feb 2015

  28. What you can expect from going to the doctors - Easy Read

    Advice and Information -

    Find out what you can expect when you visit your doctor.

  29. Access improvements made by the people that matter - LOCAL PATIENTS

    News -

    We teamed up with local charity the Hive and assembled a team of six people with learning disabilities to look at how access and services could be improved in a project called Hivewatch.

  30. Celebrating LGBT History Month

    News -

    Our Healthwatch team Maisy and Vicky winged their way down to Bristol Aerospace to the event run by the Diversity Trust. Maisy is seen standing next to Concorde, which was brought to its new home in Bristol, three years ago - Feb 7th, 2017.

  31. Easy Read information about Coronavirus

    Advice and Information -

    The Keep Safe website has put together a range of resources for people with learning difficulties.

  32. Covid-19 impact on local deaf community

    Advice and Information -

    We are marking Mental Health Awareness Week by looking at the barriers faced by the deaf community making them twice as likely to develop a mental health condition. Healthwatch is supporting work to help tackle the added difficulties of Covid-19.

  33. A big hearty thanks to all our volunteers

    News -

    We are celebrating Volunteers' Week June 1st to 7th by saying a big thank you to our 30 volunteers and 7 trustees who help us at Healthwatch Bristol, North Somerset and South Glos.

  34. Action needed after report shows BAME groups adversely affected by pandemic

    News -

    Large scale research and data collection is needed to tackle “humbling inequalities" in Covid-19 death rates, according to the new Public Health England report. We want our feedback to build an understanding of health experiences of BAME groups.

  35. NHS Race and Health Observatory

    News -

    A new NHS centre to investigate the effects of race and ethnicity on people’s health has got the go ahead after Covid 19 helped to focus minds on the continuing problem of racism in medicine.

  36. Learning Disability Annual Health Checks Project

    News -

    We need your help to improve Learning Disability Annual Health Checks. We are creating a set of pre-check questions, tailored to the needs of those in South Gloucestershire and to help individuals get the most out of these checks.

  37. Celebrating 10 Years of The Equality Act

    News -

    Healthwatch South Gloucestershire joins other local organisations to mark 10 years since the introduction of the Equality Act.

  38. Webinar: Busking the Myth of Risk and InAbility with Adam Pearson

    News -

    Following the success of their last webinar, South Gloucestershire Disability Equality Forum are hosting a session with disability rights campaigner, Adam Pearson.

  39. Flu vaccinations - making a point about protection from viruses this winter

    News -

    Adults at high risk from flu are also more susceptible to coronavirus so having the flu vaccine is more important than ever, to help protect everyone this winter. Read the information in 12 different languages.

  40. Healthwatch is making a difference nationally

    News -

    Healthwatch’s work, highlighting people’s experiences of health and care, has formed part of a major House of Lords report on learning key lessons from the health pandemic.

  41. NHS Nightingale Bristol will open to day patients

    News -

    The NHS Nightingale Hospital in Bristol is to open for children and adults’ routine appointments to ease pressures on hospitals in the region caused by Covid-19.

  42. Equality, Diversity and Unconscious Bias Training for VCSE groups in South Glos

    News -

    Southern Brooks Community Partnerships and CVS South Gloucestershire have organised FREE training for VCSE groups, particularly Mutual Aid Groups, new community groups and groups involved in the COVID crisis response.

  43. Zoom in for our next Prioritisation Panel meeting on February 11

    News -

    At our Prioritisation Panel you can hear first hand how Healthwatch uses your feedback to understand the city's key health issues and works to bring about resolutions to help everyone have better health and care.

  44. Overcoming concerns about the Covid-19 vaccine if you have a learning disability

    Advice and Information -

    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.

  45. Webinar to share latest information on Covid-19 vaccine for over 50s

    Advice and Information -

    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.

  46. Winterbourne View 10 years on: Supporting those with learning disabilities to stay safe and well

    News -

    People with learning disabilities are still at risk of dying unnecessarily and receive poorer care – 10 years on from the abuse suffered at Winterbourne View.

  47. NHS patient data sharing scheme explained

    News -

    Plans to collect patient data to understand more about viruses and other conditions for planning and research have been delayed. The NHS wants to work with key organisations like Healthwatch so people understand who will use this data and why.