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Advice and Information -
We've pulled together a number of services for parents in need of support for their mental health. Read more to find out where you can go to get the help you need. -
Advice and Information -
Take a look at our advice article on the organisations and groups that can support you if you’re grieving. -
Advice and Information -
If you are experiencing or feel at risk of domestic abuse, or are worried about someone who might be, find out where you can go for advice and help. -
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 -
Your mental wellness is as important as your physical health but seeking help can be daunting. Here's what to expect when you seek support for your mental health. -
Report -
Find out how COVID-19 impacted people's mental health in Stoke-on-Trent. -
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 -
The most common themes we hear about are GP services, Mental Health Services, Social Care, and Hospitals and to ensure that we
address your concerns and compliments we share your stories with relevant people and incorporate your priorities into our work programme. -
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 -
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. -
Advice and Information -
The continuing cost of living crisis is adversely affecting people's physical and mental wellbeing, with vulnerable people and those on lower incomes hit the hardest. -
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 -
Each year, your local Healthwatch puts together a work programme that reflects the health and social care needs of the area. -
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. -
Advice and Information -
In a post-pandemic world where the cost-of-living crisis is challenging for many of us, prioritising our mental health and wellbeing is necessary. -
Advice and Information -
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression triggered by seasonal changes. One in twenty people in the UK are diagnosed with the condition, with men more likely to be diagnosed with SAD than women. -
Advice and Information -
75% of children and young people who experience mental health problems aren't getting the help they need. -
Advice and Information -
Mental health problems are more common among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA+) people. If you are struggling, feel alone or need a little help, then check out our guide on how you can get the support you need. -
News -
Thanks to over 2,500 people who shared their views on the six-week check-up, we have ensured that the NHS prioritises mental health support for new parents. -
Blog -
On this World Mental Health Day, we're looking at people's recent experiences of mental health services. With GPs often acting as the front door for mental health support, we've also analysed our evidence about getting a GP referral for mental health. Read about what people told us and what this means for healthcare leaders. -
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. -
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 -
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. -
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 -
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.