News and reports

The Government has announced a major increase to GP funding and plans to cut targets to free up doctors' time.

In November, we conducted a semi-announced visit to Middleport Medical Centre, following feedback that we received earlier in the year from local patients.

If you are looking to share your stories and experiences of local health and social care services with us over Christmas, keep in mind our opening hours and other ways to get in touch.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published a report following an inspection of urgent and emergency services at Royal Stoke University Hospital, part of University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust.

Currently, with winter approaching, there is an abundance of social media infographics informing people on where to go for the right care, at the right place. The NHS 111 service offers advice and guidance on the most appropriate local service for their care needs – but sometimes they can get it wrong...

A local formulary is a list of medicines that are approved for use and are able to be prescribed by healthcare professionals, such as a GP or Advanced Nurse Practitioner within local healthcare services. However, these preferred prescribing lists can vary from locality to locality, which for Chloe* meant that her GP couldn’t continue her prescription.

Each year, people travel to millions of NHS appointments. But with growing pressure on local health services and the high cost of living, travelling to care is another expense many people struggle to afford. Read what they've told Healthwatch England.

We’re excited to share that we’ll be at the Together We Thrive event on 7th November, showcasing our SEND support services.

Pharmacy First was launched in January 2024 and enabled a range of minor ailments to be treated by local pharmacists rather than requiring a GP appointment. The service aims to free up GPs to be able to treat those with more serious ailments and those with long-term health conditions.

We supported Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) to gather patient experiences of the Haywood Hospital Walk-in Centre through a combined Quality Standards Assurance Visit (QSAV) and Enter and View visit.

We're conducting a survey to learn more about parents' experiences with their mental health and maternity services throughout the perinatal period.

New Freedom of Information findings reveal a worrying picture of pharmacy closures across England, hitting older people and rural communities the hardest. Read Healthwatch England's research to find out more.