-
Report -
As statutory watchdog, our role is to ensure that local health and social care services and the local decision-makers, put the experiences of people at the heart of their care. -
Report -
Community assets that alleviate loneliness or promote communities should be considered, monitored and recognised as integral to the overall approach. This includes engaging the third sector in a meaningful way and accepting that financial investment is needed in the third sector if a gap cannot be met by health and care services. -
News -
Our CEO responds to the death of Queen Elizabeth II -
News -
Last week, we hosted our Annual Public Meeting in the Jubilee Hall. But, in case you missed it, we’ve put together a summary of the event. -
News -
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. -
Advice and Information -
With NHS staff holding industrial action this winter, this article aims to help answer common questions and find out from NHS providers any likely impact in the area. -
News -
Each year, your local Healthwatch puts together a work programme that reflects the health and social care needs of the area. -
News -
The UK government will be testing their new Emergency Alerts service this Sunday 23 April 2023 at 3pm. -
Advice and Information -
Throughout this coming May there will be multiple bank holidays, meaning that some services, including ourselves, will be closed or opening with reduced hours. -
Advice and Information -
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. -
News -
Stoke-on-Trent City Council are working with NHS colleagues to review and modernise local reablement services in 2024. As a result we would like to talk to people who have used the City Council’s Enablement service or the Home First Service provided by the NHS during the last 12 months. -
Advice and Information -
With more and more appointments happening online, we've put together some tips on how to get the most out of the virtual health and care appointments both for patients and health and care professionals. -
Advice and Information -
Waiting for planned medical care or surgery can be a frustrating time. That’s why it’s so important that while you wait, you get regular, clear and accessible updates so that you can plan your next steps. -
Report -
Find out to what extent canceled or postponed hospital appointments had on patients during the Coronavirus Pandemic. -
Report -
Find out people's experiences of local imaging services in Stoke-on-Trent. -
Report -
In the city we have 53 GP Surgeries, 122 Care homes (nursing and residential) 70 Pharmacies, 37 Dental Practices, 30 Opticians. -
Report -
Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent had undertaken an Enter and View visit in December 2019 to Wards 205 and 206 of the Maternity Unit and it was noted that some negative comments had been received regarding the MAU. The published report stated that Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent would visit the MAU at some point within ‘the next three months’. -
Report -
Purpose of the visit: The Crisis Care Centre is intended to provide a new, ‘joined up’ service to patients suffering from crisis and has only been operational since October 2019. It was our intention to walk through the Centre and see how the services provided are now offered. -
Report -
Purpose of the visit: part of the program of an ongoing program of visits to health and care facilities across the city and also to allow our visit team to see what changes and progress have been made since our last visit. -
Report -
Due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus Pandemic and the former suspension of the Enter and View Programme, Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent took the opportunity to pilot a series of virtual visits to ensure that public conversations, experiences and concerns can continually be shared with their local Healthwatch. -
Report -
The ward is a locked ward and entry is via an electronic secure admittance system. Similar to other parts of the hospital, this is primarily for the safety of patients. It has twenty-two beds which are made up of single rooms and four bedded dormitories. -
Report -
It has fifteen beds and on the day of our visit, there were 13 patients on the ward. This is a mixed-sex ward but all the rooms are single rooms with separate female and male bedroom corridors. It has small quiet rooms off the corridors for patients to access. It also has an outside garden area with tables and seating. -
Report -
Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent had, during September 2019, received verbal concerns
from a few new mothers. We felt these comments merited a visit and so
accordingly these two wards within the Maternity Unit were added to our Enter
and View schedule. -
Report -
Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent had received verbal evidence from a recently admitted patient alleging that parts of the ward were ‘dirty’, and that the food was of ‘poor quality. -
Report -
Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent received verbal evidence from a recently admitted patient alleging that the Unit was ‘dirty and unhygienic’. -
Report -
The report features our recommendations and acknowledgments, a background, the methodology utilised, an overview of findings, and a selection of experiences from responders who have an understanding of the Royal Stoke University Hospital Fracture Clinic. -
Report -
The Hospital Services Survey part 1 consisted of 10 core questions. There was a mixture between multiple choice questions and open text for subjective comments and opinions. The structure of the survey is mirrored within the report discussion through a breakdown of headlines that each relate to the respective survey questions. -
Report -
A proportion of patients remain digitally excluded and are unable to engage or communicate with a member of staff via the telephone booking system, due to limited digital knowledge and internet access. Therefore, consider how digital exclusion and inaccessibility of telephone communications can be addressed to provide systematic inclusion. -
Report -
With growing pressure on the NHS such as an ageing population, more people living with longterm conditions and lifestyle choices affecting people’s health, changes are needed to make sure everybody gets the support they need. The NHS has produced a Long-Term Plan1, setting
out the measures it intends to take to address changing need. -
News -
Pregnancy is a major life event for any family. It can be joyful and fulfilling but also challenging. We’re launching a national survey to understand if care works for new mothers and birthing parents. Share your story. -
News -
Locally and nationally, there are stories of people experiencing delays in the ambulances reaching them and then of delays when reaching hospital of being handed over to Accident and Emergency Department, sometimes with tragic outcomes. -
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.
Over a third (39%) of people say the changes they have made to their lives due to the cost of living crisis have affected their mental health.
• Women are disproportionately affected by spiralling costs, with 35% saying their mental health has got worse over the last two months, compared to 26% of men. -
Blog -
According to The Encephalitis Society, 77% of people do not know what encephalitis is. We want to help improve the encephalitis awareness through sharing information from The Encephalitis Society and the NHS. -
News -
The Care Quality Commission (CQC), has published a report following an inspection of services run by West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust (WMAS) in November. -
News -
When asked if they had a good understanding of gynaecological issues before it happened to them or a friend or family member:
• Only 5% said they had a good understanding of gynaecological cancers
• Only 7% said they had a good understanding of gynaecological symptoms
• 5% said they had a good understanding of HPV (human papilloma virus)
• 15% said they had a good understanding of cervical screening -
Blog -
This case study covers a local residents experience of being a patient at A&E, from first point of call and throughout their 21 hours of waiting. -
News -
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has told University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust it must make improvements in maternity services at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, after an inspection in March sees its overall rating move from good to requires improvement. -
Report -
We spoke to 197 people in Stoke-on-Trent who are living with a long-term condition(s) to find out more about their experiences. -
Report -
This report provides an analysis of Parkinson’s Provision in and around Stoke-
on-Trent from a service user perspective. -
News -
Findings from a survey of more than 36,000 people who used NHS urgent and emergency care services in September 2022 show that many people had a worse experience than in previous years – particularly those treated in an A&E type department. -
News -
· Impact of NHS pressures revealed in a new survey of 1084 people whose care has been cancelled this year.
· Over one in three, 39%, have experienced cancellations or postponements of care two or more times.
· Disruptions to care disproportionately affect unpaid carers, neurodivergent people, and those on lower incomes, widening existing health inequalities.
· Healthwatch England urges healthcare leaders to act on the number of cancellations, especially those that occur at the last minute, and ensure more significant support for those most affected. -
News -
The results of the latest annual survey of hospital inpatients published today (12 September) by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) show patient satisfaction levels have remained largely static since 2021, but indicate a longer term decline in most areas compared to previous years. They also highlight growing frustration with waiting times and reveal that four in ten people scheduled for planned treatment said their health deteriorated while waiting to be admitted. -
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. -
Report -
We spoke to 39 people in Stoke-on-Trent who are either living with Parkinson's disease or are a carer for someone who is. We found out about their experiences of receiving support, care and treatment. -
News -
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found improvements need to be made in services run by Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, following an inspection in June. -
Blog -
Our research reveals worrying problems with hospital discharge arrangements. Many people told us they are not given the right support or information when being discharged from hospital. Read their experiences and our calls to action. -
News -
Recent changes to hospital discharge policy and processes have been positive. But the experiences we hear from people and families still vary. Find out what we're calling for to ensure people get the support they need during this time. -
Advice and Information -
The usual processes the NHS follows to discharge you from hospital have changed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s what you can expect when it’s time to leave hospital. -
Advice and Information -
The wait for planned medical care or surgery can be frustrating. That’s why you must get regular and accessible updates while you wait.