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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. -
Advice and Information -
Dental practices are recovering from backlogs due to strict hygiene measures to minimise the risk of spreading COVID-19 to patients and staff. -
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 -
Our call for NHS dental reforms has once again been featured in the media. -
Report -
A qualitative research design was formed to collect public feedback items. From 28 July 2020 to 14 August 2020 social media platforms and our website was utilised for a callout to residents of Stoke-on-Trent, for dental services experiences during the coronavirus pandemic -
Blog -
Thanks to people sharing their experiences around the challenges to access a local dentist with us over the last year, we’ve helped the Government and the local Dental Network stay informed of the barriers that people across Stoke-on-Trent are facing when seeking dental care. -
Report -
Find out what people in Stoke-on-Trent had shared of their experiences with NHS dentistry services over the last couple of years. -
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. -
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. -
Advice and Information -
Can't find an NHS dentist? Read our tips on what to do if you’re facing problems finding an NHS dentist taking new patients. -
Advice and Information -
How can I get the most out of my next visit to the dentist? Take a look at our tips to help you prepare for your appointment and make sure you understand your treatment and how much it will cost. -
Advice and Information -
Living in a care home can increase your risk of oral health problems. That's why knowing what questions to ask care staff about your oral health or loved ones can prevent problems from developing. -
News -
New figures published today in the annual report on NHS Dental Statistics for England in 2022-23, show that NHS dentists still see fewer people than pre-pandemic. Read Healthwatch England's response. -
Response -
Under a new plan published today, people will benefit from millions more NHS dental appointments over the next year. Read Healthwatch England's response. -
Response -
Read Healthwatch England's response to the increase in fees for NHS dental care. -
Advice and Information -
Are you struggling to find an NHS dentist? The new dental recovery plan might help you get the dental care you need. -
Blog -
The cost of living remains a barrier to health, particularly for people on low incomes, and those requiring dental care. -
Advice and Information -
How can I get the most out of my next visit to the dentist? Take a look at our tips to help you prepare for your appointment and make sure you understand your treatment and how much it will cost. -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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. -
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. -
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.