1. My home, my say

    Report -

    Throughout autumn 2016 we asked care home residents, relatives, and care home managers how residents are involved in decisions about their own care and in how their care home is run. Our report identifies best practice in various cares homes in Newcastle.

  2. What does urgent care mean to me?

    Report -

    Following the publication our ‘GP appointments: what do Newcastle patients want?’ report we wanted to better understand how people define the term ‘urgent’ and whether they define it differently in different circumstances.
    We collaborated with Healthwatch Gateshead to carry out a short survey with the public in our respective local authority areas during the summer and autumn of 2016.

  3. Spotlight on SEND

    Report -

    During the summer and autumn of 2016 we gathered people’s experience of education, health and care (EHC) plans in Newcastle. This report on the findings includes 12 recommendations.

  4. Investigating BAME involvement in NEAS services and recruitment

    Report -

    In autumn 2016, we were invited by the North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS) to carry out some research on the organisation’s behalf. The purpose was to hear views and experiences of NEAS services and also investigate the barriers that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities face.

  5. Prisoner experiences in HMP Durham

    Report -

    During January 2017 we ran two pilot focus groups at HMP Durham. The aim was to help staff better understand male prisoners’ experiences of health and wellbeing and look at new ways of engaging with prisoners to gather their opinions.

  6. Annual report 2016–17

    Report -

    This annual report covers our research into residents' involvement in care homes and the experiences of children and young people's with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

  7. ‘The whole me’ conference 2017

    Report -

    This was the first joint conference between Healthwatch Newcastle and Healthwatch Gateshead. We discussed our recent research, which included looking at people’s experience of education, health and care (EHC) plans in Newcastle and at how residents are involved in decisions about their own care and in how their care home is run.

    Delegates also shortlisted Healthwatch Newcastle’s priorities for 2017—18.

  8. What should you expect from home care services?

    Advice and Information -

    Five things you should expect from home care, domiciliary care or help in the home.

  9. Spotlight on intermediate care

    Report -

    During summer 2017 we asked people receiving intermediate care about their experiences and if they felt these services had a positive impact on their wellbeing.

  10. Focus on Newcastle Eye Centre

    Report -

    During spring 2017, in collaboration with Newcastle Eye Centre, we gathered the feedback of service users on eye services run by Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

  11. Healthwatch Newcastle Committee meetings and AGM 2017

    Report -

    Agendas, notes, and minutes for our committee meetings and annual general meeting.

  12. Have your say about health and social care services in Newcastle and Gateshead

    News -

    Healthwatch Newcastle and Healthwatch Gateshead are here to help make local health and care services better for you. We do this by finding out how you are experiencing these services and ultimately feeding this back to the people delivering and commissioning the services, to influence positive change based on what we have been told.

  13. Loneliness in the retirement-age population in Gateshead and Newcastle

    Report -

    Healthwatch Gateshead and Healthwatch Newcastle undertook a joint research project to engaged with retirement-age residents of Gateshead and Newcastle to understand their experiences of loneliness and isolation. The project focused on three key areas including:

    • Any factors people felt contributed to feelings of loneliness & isolation and its prevalence in people’s lives. 
    • Awareness and use of local services that focused on reducing loneliness and isolation.
    • What worked well and areas for development.

    We collected data from the survey from January 2023 to April 2023, and circulated both a digital survey and a paper-based survey format.

    The key findings are:

    • Loneliness can occur to anyone, and in particularly felt by those aged between 65 and 74, are women, and are carers. 
    • Loneliness is not simply a symptom of getting older but is instead prevalent when the needs of older people are not effectively taken care of. This is especially important in terms of access and mobility, including travel routes and venues for activities.
    • Loneliness is something often felt for a long period of time and felt more actively in those aged between 65 and 74, possibly due to recent retirement and bereavement.
    • Social activities are often the most successful in engaging older people, and community-based groups are well-received.
    • Users who engage with some services are more likely to engage with multiple, services though there is a high rate of respondents here who do not participate at all.
    • Key issues preventing potential users from engaging with services are poor transport options and a lack of development of local facilities.
    • There is interest in specific activities, like physical fitness and arts activities for some people within some communities.

    Our key recommendations are:

    • Support those leaving the workforce in adjusting to the changes that retirement brings.
    • Work with communities to create community action plans to make sure local facilities are being utilised effectively and for the benefit of local communities.
    • Improve service infrastructure to ensure maximum reach and accessibility
    • Establish a focus group or engagement group to help services better understand how to reach older people.

  14. Joint Healthwatch Response to Latest CQC Report on Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    News -

    Following on from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) reports on Newcastle Upon Tyne NHS Hospital Trust. Healthwatch Gateshead and Healthwatch Newcastle, alongside Healthwatch Northumberland and Healthwatch North Tyneside have released a joint statement.

    Please download the full statement below.

  15. Monthly Newsletters

    News -

    Read all our Monthly Newsletters for 2024 , stay up to date with information and activities from Healthwatch Newcastle.

  16. The Impact of Winter Pressures and the Cost of Living 2022-2023

    Report -

    The sudden rise in energy prices and accompanying increase in inflation in 2022 led to a big leap in the cost of living for people in the UK and wage growth since summer 2021 had not kept pace with inflation. Added to this, inflation has been higher in essential goods and services such as food prices. The cost-of-living crisis has dropped out of the news over the summer, but Citizens Advice Bureau Newcastle reports that there has been no drop-off in requests for support, especially around financial matters, and material support.

  17. Your experiences of Dentistry in 2023

    News -

    People have been telling us about challenges they face getting NHS dentistry. As a result we are working with the NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) in the North East and North Cumbria to better understand people’s experiences of dentistry in 2023.

  18. Committee meeting – Healthwatch Newcastle

    Report -

    Minutes of committee meeting held on 08 November 2023