1. What should you expect when it comes to care for your teeth?

    Advice and Information -

    Four questions staff should ask you or a loved one about your oral health if you’re a care home resident, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence quick guide.

  2. Dental Services - Report

    Report -

    One of the key issues that people in North Somerset discuss with Healthwatch North Somerset is difficulties experienced accessing NHS dental services, in particular in areas outside of Weston-super-Mare.

  3. Dentistry during Covid-19

    Report -

    Healthwatch Bristol, Healthwatch North Somerset and Healthwatch South Gloucestershire have been gathering feedback about dental practice and treatment throughout the Coronavirus pandemic.

  4. Zoom in for our next Prioritisation Panel meeting on February 23

    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.

  5. Advice for NHS Dental Contractors: updating your NHS website profile

    Advice and Information -

    Many dental practices are not updating their information on the NHS website. The Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, and Healthwatch are urging dental contractors to review their profiles, to help patients find dental care more easily.

  6. South West to receive almost £5 million to provide additional dental appointments

    News -

    £50 million will be made available to the NHS in England to allow people suffering from oral pain, disease, and infection to get the care they need. £4,726,000 has been allocated to the South West.

  7. Annual Report 2021/2022

    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.

  8. 'The barriers to accessing timely care can put people’s lives at risk' - Healthwatch England's response to the Care Quality Commission's 'State of Care' report

    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.'

  9. What to do if you can't find an NHS dentist

    Advice and Information -

    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.

  10. MPs to examine struggle to access NHS dentistry services

    Advice and Information -

    Parliament's Health and Social Care Committee has launched an inquiry into dentistry following a survey that showed 90% of practices across the UK were not accepting new adult NHS patients.

  11. Annual Report 2022/2023

    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.

  12. The way you make a complaint about some NHS services has changed

    Advice and Information -

    Everyone has the right to make a complaint about any aspect of NHS care, treatment, or service. How you make a complaint about primary care services changed on 1 July 2023. Primary care includes GPs, pharmacies, dentists, and opticians.

  13. A third of people in England lack confidence they can access critical NHS services

    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.

  14. 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.

  15. 10 top tips to get the most out of your dental appointment

    Advice and Information -

    Everyone should be able to access good quality NHS dental services. Take a look at our top tips to help you get the most out of your next dental appointment.

  16. Do you need help getting to hospital?

    Advice and Information -

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

  17. Raising awareness of diversity

    News -

    A trans health survey carried out by The Diversity Trust and supported by HWNS found that 51 per cent of trans and non-binary patients had self-harmed or injured themselves and 40 per cent had attempted to take their own life.

  18. Healthy Weston - Easy read documents

    News -

    Please click below for an easy read version of the Healthy Weston Documentation.

  19. University hospitals Southampton offer leadership development opportunity

    News -

    University Hospitals Southampton offer leadership development opportunity for aspiring leaders with disabilities.

  20. North Bristol NHS Trust

    News -

    North Bristol NHS Trust Equality Newsletter

  21. Workforce Race Equality Standard data report

    News -

    We are pleased to attach a copy of the 2018 WRES data report, which provides an overview of the data on all nine WRES indicators and makes comparisons to previous years’ data.

  22. Trans health, care and wellbeing report

    Report -

    This report aims to identify the health, care and wellbeing needs of *Trans and **Non-Binary people. This report summarises the evidence, feedback, and experiences, from the Trans and Non-Binary people who took part in the research.

  23. Pride 2019

    News -

    We enjoyed entering a wonderful rainbow world of fun and fiesta at Weston Pride and thanks to everyone who posed with our fluffy photo frame and told us their thoughts on health and social care - it WILL make a difference.

  24. North Somerset statement of action for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

    News -

    It was asked that the Clinical Commissioning Group and the Local Authority jointly submit a written statement to Ofsted following the Ofsted and CQC Inspection in North Somerset.

  25. NHS leaders commit to specialist help support for Veterans in every part of the NHS

    News -

    NHS leaders have confirmed today that specialist health support for veterans will be available in every part of the health service, across the country.

  26. University Hospitals Bristol Statement

    News -

    University Hospital Bristol response to The Diversity Trust and local Healthwatch report, Trans health, care and wellbeing report April 2018

  27. Black History Month Celebration

    News -

    University Hospitals Bristol Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Workers’ (BAMEW) Forum supported by RCN South West invite you to celebrate with them on 17th October 2018.

  28. "My voice - my choice" - Leonard Cheshire

    News -

    A series of workshops are being held in Weston-super-Mare to allow disabled adults to share stories and suggest ways of making it easier to be part of the community.

  29. "The struggle for healthcare when you are deaf" - Terry's story

    Blog -

    While most hearing people take daily communication for granted, there are barriers everywhere for Terry, who is profoundly deaf.

  30. Special Educational Needs and Disability Review

    News -

    Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have published their findings following their joint review of services for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in North Somerset, which took place 14-18 May 2018.

  31. Black and Ethnic Minority cancer patients encouraged to give feedback

    News -

    NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens today issued an appeal for more black and ethnic minority (BME) patients to help improve cancer care by sharing their experiences.

  32. Healthcare communication cards

    News -

    Action on Hearing Loss have a Health and Care Communication Card to support anyone with hearing loss in communicating their needs to health care professionals.

  33. Growing up with hearing loss

    Blog -

    The Reality of Growing Up with Hearing Loss – Action On Hearing Loss: RNID
    Kim’s Blog

  34. Taking pride in equality, diversity and inclusion

    News -

    NHS England will be represented at a series of Pride events this summer. This is first time that members of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender plus staff network will march representing the organisation.

  35. Better care in my hands

    News -

    CQC’s national reports and thematic reviews from the last five years consistently show that some groups of people are less involved in their care than others.

  36. BME Communities are heard

    News -

    A new joint venture will ensure the voice of black and other minority ethnic (BME) communities in North Somerset continues to be heard.

  37. Avon and Wiltshire Partnership

    News -

    Avon and Wiltshire Partnership (AWP) were anonymously nominated for ‘Excellence in Diversity Awards’ earlier this year, and then later shortlisted for the ‘Diverse Company – Public Sector’ category.

  38. British Sign Language Service

    News -

    British Sign Language (BSL) users are now able to get in touch with NHS England’s Customer Contact Centre using a video call supported by a BSL interpreter.

  39. Have your say

    News -

    On Thursday 27th August between 1.00-2.00pm the @NHSEngland twitter channel will dedicate this hour to Learning Disabilities, exploring the latest service model, discussing learning disability services and welcoming feedback via #TransformingCare.

  40. When to call 111

    News -

    A helpful video describing when to call 111 for advice compared to when to call 999 for an ambulance

  41. Women's only support group

    News -

    A women's only support group has been launched for people who need help with addiction and their friends and family.

  42. New review says BAME groups at higher risk of dying from Covid-19

    Report -

    A new review has shown the risk of dying from Covid-19 is higher among Black and Asian Minority Ethnic Groups compared to white groups. Healthwatch awaits recommendations from these findings which will really benefit BAME staff and patients.

  43. Action needed after review shows BAME 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.

  44. 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.

  45. Sir Michael Marmot says Healthwatch can energise and give power to communities

    News -

    Sir Michael Marmot author of the landmark report Marmot Review: Fair Society, Healthy Lives spoke to Healthwatch about how the Covid-19 pandemic has “amplified” health inequalities even further.

  46. Historic turning point - Covid vaccines rolled out to first patients at Southmead Hospital

    News -

    The new Covid-19 vaccine has been rolled out in Bristol today (December 8) – with the over 80s and care home staff first on the list to receive it.

  47. 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 be invited to have an important health check-up to pick up any symptoms of illness.

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

    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.