News and reports

The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. Their latest report sets out the challenges the NHS and social care sector face: 'the health and care system is gridlocked, unable to operate effectively.'

The GP Patient Survey is an England-wide survey, providing data about patients’ experiences of their GP practices. It asks about issues such as making an appointment, getting through to your GP practice on the phone, and access to online services.

Technology can make it easier to access information and care, but can also pose challenges for those without the skills or confidence to use the internet. Here are all the places you can get digital support in South Gloucestershire.

Dementia meeting centres offer support for people with a recent dementia diagnosis, people living with mild to moderate dementia, and carers. The new centre at Bradley Stoke Evangelical Church will offer practical, social, and emotional support.

Learn about the NHS app, how to order prescriptions, view test results, book GP appointments, and access online consultations at one of our free digital skills workshops. You'll receive 1:1 support and be able to ask questions.

Disabled people and people with sensory loss have a legal right to get health and social care information in a way that's accessible for them. Yet Healthwatch England has found one in five people struggle to understand the information they receive.

As a local Healthwatch, we are able to visit health and social care services (such as hospitals and GP surgeries) and see them in action. This is called 'Enter and View'. Our goal is to identify what's working well and where improvements are needed.

That’s the question being asked by the new Integrated Care System (ICS) for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, as it launches a wide-ranging public engagement exercise to shape priorities for health and care in the years ahead.

Your feedback helps us influence positive change and encourages the improvement of local NHS health and social care services. Take a look at everything we've been up to throughout 2021/2022.

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.