1. What to expect when waiting for care

    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.

  2. Colonoscopy confidence – your common sense bowel check

    Advice and Information -

    We know some people feel anxious or worried when they’re told they need a colonoscopy but it’s important to have this test if you’re referred. Bowel Cancer UK has launched the Colonoscopy Confidence campaign to explain what a colonoscopy is, why it matters and encourage people to attend their appointment.

  3. Because We All Care - take 5 minutes to share your experiences

    Blog -

    Healthwatch and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) are working together to hear your experiences of health and social care.

  4. Home from Hospital

    Advice and Information -

    Home from Hospital is a free service. It provides practical and emotional support to older people returning home from hospital in Newcastle. Support is flexible and tailored to a person's individual needs.

  5. Know the symptoms of a heart attack

    Advice and Information -

    This February, NHS England and NHS Improvement is raising awareness of heart attack symptoms as part of the latest ‘Help Us Help You’ campaign.

  6. A new Children’s Heart Centre

    News -

    Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has plans for a new Children’s Heart Centre in Newcastle.

  7. Bowel Cancer Awareness Month

    Blog -

    Nearly 43,000 people are detected with bowel cancer each year in the UK. If it is diagnosed early it is treatable and curable.

  8. Newcastle ranks as the 12th ‘least healthy’ area in England

    Blog -

    Newcastle ranks as the 12th ‘least healthy’ area of England according to the Office for National Statistics' Health Index. The Health Index score measures factors such as access to health services, living conditions and behavioural risk factors.

  9. Help teach lifesaving skills to community groups

    Blog -

    St John Ambulance is asking for volunteers to teach lifesaving skills to community groups. Can you support the delivery of a National Coordination of First Response project by teaching lifesaving skills to community groups?

  10. Organ Donation Week 26 September – 2 October

    Blog -

    It’s Organ Donation Week, and NHS Blood and Transplant services want to get people talking about organ donation.

  11. Our Resources

    Advice and Information -

    We’ve put together some of our resources on this page to help you keep up to date.

  12. Healthwatch Newcastle listening event 2015

    Report -

    This listening event in November 2015 enabled people to meet and talk with the organisations that plan and provide local social care and health services.

  13. 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.

  14. 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.

  15. What support can I get as a carer?

    Advice and Information -

    Many people who provide unpaid care are unaware of their rights. Find out more about the help and support you are entitled to.

  16. What is adult social care?

    Advice and Information -

    Do you or a loved one need help with social care? Read the article below and find out answers to key questions about who can access adult social care and how to pay for it.

  17. Calling all carers! Complete our survey

    Blog -

    We’ve teamed up with Newcastle Carers to hear your experiences of caring for someone during the COVID19 pandemic and understand what services you would like in the future.

  18. Understanding carers’ experiences during the pandemic

    Blog -

    We wanted to gain a greater understanding of carers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. We included a short evaluation for people who had used Newcastle Carers’ services.

  19. 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.

  20. Spotlight on home care

    Report -

    During late 2015 and early 2016 we carried out a large scale survey of service users, carers and relatives, and home care workers to gather their feedback on various aspects of home care services. Newcastle City Council took on board six of our ten recommendations when drawing up new care provider contracts.

  21. NHS continuing healthcare in Gateshead and Newcastle

    Report -

    During autumn 2017 Healthwatch Gateshead and Healthwatch Newcastle gathered the views and experiences from people, and their carers, who have been through the NHS continuing healthcare (CHC) process.

  22. Children and young people’s access to health services in Gateshead and Newcastle

    Report -

    This report builds on our ‘Don’t box me in’ report. Young people and their parents/carers were asked how easy or difficult it was for young people to access health services in Newcastle and Gateshead.

  23. Newcastle Carers’ survey 2022: Understanding carers’ experiences during the pandemic

    Report -

    We wanted to gain a greater understanding of people’s experiences of caring during the COVID-19 pandemic and in accessing information and support. We included a short evaluation for people who had used Newcastle Carers’ services.

  24. Comparison of Newcastle and North Tyneside carers’ survey data: Understanding carers’ experiences during the pandemic

    Report -

    We compared the findings from two surveys of carers — one in Newcastle and one in North Tyneside. Our report looks at the similarities and differences in carers' needs in the two local authority areas during the COVID-19 pandemic.