Healthwatch News & Blog
Find out what Healthwatch Dorset is up to in our updates below, plus other local health and care sector news from around Dorset and beyond.
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Public’s confusion over ‘right’ to register with an NHS dentist
Almost two decades after the public lost their right to register permanently with an NHS dentist, Healthwatch England's new research shows two-thirds believe this right exists. Healthwatch England has published it new findings and called for dental reform, building on...
Share your feedback about Dorset pharmacies
What’s working well and what needs to improve? Survey closes 31 October We want to know how you use your local pharmacy, and whether you have experienced difficulties recently getting the care you need. We will use your feedback to identify common concerns and...
What’s your experience of using local pharmacies?
Share your feedback by 31 October 2024 As your local health and social care champion, we want to hear about your experience of using local pharmacies to help identify challenges and make recommendations for improvements to local services. We want to know how you use...
Healthwatch England report: Women in England want at home cervical screening tests on the NHS
New research by Healthwatch England calls for a more personalised approach to cervical screening to help the NHS meet its ambition to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. A poll of 2,444 women hesitant about cervical screening has shown that three-quarters, 73%, would...
Report highlights urgent need for improved health and social care for homeless and vulnerably housed
We have published a new report highlighting the significant challenges faced by local people experiencing homelessness or living in vulnerable housing when they need to access health and social care services. In the report, Voiceless, unheard and socially excluded:...
Evolving Communities wins Healthwatch Dorset contract to be local people’s health and care champion
Evolving Communities has been appointed by Dorset and BCP Councils to continue providing Healthwatch services for local people, following a competitive tender process. Healthwatch Dorset is an independent statutory body with the power to make sure that NHS leaders and...
Healthwatch Dorset Annual Report 2023-24: The value of listening
Healthwatch Dorset’s Annual Report 2023-24 highlights how we listened to over 2,000 people last year, supporting them to have their say to improve health and social care and to get information and advice about local services. Here are some of the ways we used your...
Supporting young people with their mental health: It’s Time to Talk
Time to Talk Day (1 February) is the perfect opportunity to start a conversation about mental health. Talking about mental health isn't always easy, and sometimes it's hard to say how you really feel. But a conversation has the power to change lives, and the more...
Healthwatch England report: Faster progress needed to tackle barriers to care
Access to care is the main concern people have shared with Healthwatch in the past year. A new report by Healthwatch England looking at health and social care from the patients' perspective has warned that we risk "a two-tier health and care system" unless the NHS...