-
News -
On the 10th December 2015 Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Trust held a mental health anti-stigma event in the foyer of Weston General Hospital. -
News -
Mentally ill patients sent home unsupported, experts warn. Healthwatch England put in a Freedom of Information request and found psychiatric patients now spend six fewer days in hospital than in 2012-13. -
News -
The 1 in 4 Community Mental Health Recovery Centre has started new drop-in sessions following appeals from the public. The charity is also helping to set up a North Somerset Suicide Prevention Group to provide more help to people in crisis. -
News -
A young people’s positive mental health day was held at the college in partnership with Healthwatch North Somerset on Monday. -
News -
The Care Quality Commission has published its fifth annual monitoring report on the implementation of the deprivation of liberty safeguards (DoLS). -
News -
A new report from the Care Quality Commission finds that one in five records of mental health patients lack evidence that their rights have been explained to them after being detained. -
News -
A revised code of practice for the Mental Health Act 1983 provides guidance for professionals. -
News -
The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in many mental health support services being suspended or becoming 'self-service' online. We want to help you find the support you need and hear your experiences of online and telephone services. -
Advice and Information -
If you or your loved one feels unsafe, at risk or unable to cope, a new crisis support phone service is now operating in North Somerset. -
News -
Carers who assist people with learning disabilities are asked to help make sure their ‘Healthcare Passports’ are up-to-date for any hospital visits during the health pandemic. -
News -
Happy Talk....Charity We Are Aware is running an all day conversation on Zoom to raise awareness of mental health and the importance of connecting with others to boost your mood! -
Report -
Read our latest Annual Report for 2019/2020 - we expanded our geographical area and our staff team to make a difference to local health and care services. We take you through our highlights and achievements. -
News -
A new 24/7 phoneline to help people cope with the pressures of Covid-19 and beyond has been launched for people in the Bristol, North Somerset and South Glos region. -
News -
People are being warned to be more vigilant with 53 coronavirus cases reported in the last week in North Somerset. This means it has the highest number of cases per 100,000 people in the South West of 25. The national average is 15. -
News -
Our new mental health survey has been created with help from people who use Community Mental Health Services. Filling it in for yourself or loved ones will help us understand how services are working for those who need them the most. -
News -
Joe, from Clapton-in-Gordano in North Somerset, lives with a mental health condition called depersonalisation disorder. -
News -
Contact tracing is working well in the South West with an 83.3 per cent success rate compared to a national average of 77 per cent. -
News -
Many people are struggling with substance abuse and addiction are stuck in a vicious circle - and vice versa. A contributing factor can be adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). -
News -
Steve Thornton, whose experiences helped us form a survey about the support available for recovery from both addiction and mental health, said he was “pushed around the system for many years” before someone finally was able to help him. -
News -
Joe has been "languishing on waiting lists and waiting for phonecalls" for over a year trying to get mental health support. We put him in touch with the Patient Advice and Liaison Service and he has now been able to see a psychiatrist. -
Advice and Information -
One of our volunteers, 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. -
Advice and Information -
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." -
Report -
Our latest report examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on community mental health services in North Somerset and makes recommendations for change to improve access to services. -
News -
Safe Haven Crisis Centre has opened its doors to provide a safe space for up to 12 people suffering severe emotional distress every evening. Healthwatch played a part to make the service as welcoming and appealing as possible. -
News -
Safe Haven, a place for people in acute emotional distress, switched to providing remote support to people in distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2021, it opened its doors and was able to provide face-to-face support for those in need. -
News -
75% of parents and young people told us they have concerns about their mental health and service provision. We heard that people had to "fight" for support and that services were "swamped, meaning no help was available." -
Advice and Information -
Most of us will need support with our wellbeing at some point, but if you're struggling, it can be difficult to know where to go for advice. North Somerset Council have put together a booklet to ensure you can access the help you need. -
News -
The Care Quality Commission has published its latest report on community mental health services for children and young people, and hospital wards for older adults, provided by Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. -
News -
Howards Motor Group said they wanted to make a "meaningful financial contribution to their incredible efforts". The Safe Haven provides mental health support and a safe space for people in acute emotional distress. Image © Mark Simmons Photography. -
News -
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. -
Report -
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. -
Response -
Children and young people told us they needed better mental health support in schools. We identified that there were gaps in service provision. Now, Mental Health Support Teams are being introduced to secondary schools across the local area. -
News -
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.' -
News -
Have you given birth since April 2020? Did you experience any mental health issues or emotional challenges such as low mood before getting pregnant? We'd like to hear your story and find out if you got the support you needed from the NHS. -
News -
The number of people avoiding an NHS appointment because they can’t afford travel almost doubled between October and December as the cost of living crisis is forcing many to change how they use health and care services. -
News -
Three of the four wards for working age adults managed by Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust were inspected by the Care Quality Commission in January 2023. -
News -
Many women are struggling to access the support they need for their mental health during and after pregnancy. Only 1 in 5 were satisfied with the time their GP spent talking to them about their mental health at their six-week postnatal check. -
News -
Sexual safety incidents on mixed wards and environmental risks were among the issues identified by the Care Quality Commission, independent regulator for health and social care services in England. -
Blog -
Mental health issues are widespread and of significant concern to new parents, but many face substantial difficulties accessing mental health services. Mothers from across the local area told us about their experiences. -
Report -
Last year, 793 people shared their experiences of health and social care services with us. Our annual report sets out how your comments and concerns have had a real impact on local health and social care services. -
Advice and Information -
ChatHealth is a confidential text service enabling young people to discuss a range of issues with a school nurse, including emotional health, relationships, stress, self-esteem, bullying, drugs/alcohol and sexual health. -
Blog -
The commitment to personalised care has been a cornerstone of NHS policy on maternity care for many years. A crucial part of personalised care is good communication, listening and agreeing on actions together. -
News -
Healthwatch England has warned that people need more confidence that the NHS can provide timely care as the winter period approaches. A third of adults in England lack confidence that they can access timely care, including GP services, mental health support and hospital care. -
Advice and Information -
Over the next 18 months, Portishead residents will be able to attend a series of workshops to support their wellbeing needs. -
News -
The Care Quality Commission found Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust must improve in a number of areas, including monitoring the conduct of temporary staff, and considering the level of noise and the impact on patients. -
News -
Helping more people to manage their mental health through self-care is one of the key priorities set out in the draft mental health strategy prepared by health and care partners in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. People from across the region are being invited to have their say on a new Mental Health Strategy. -
Report -
What matters to you if and when you need help from social care services? Local people who don't currently receive any support told us about what's important to them, both now and when they need assistance in the future. -
News -
Do you have a loved one currently staying on a mental health ward? We're visiting a number of inpatient wards to speak to patients. We'd also like to hear from family, friends, and carers. -
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. -
Report -
102 people in Knowle West, Hartcliffe and Weston-super-Mare spoke to us about their experiences of health and social care. They shared the barriers and failures that prevented them from accessing local services, and what improvements are needed.