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Blog -
Healthwatch and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) are working together to hear your experiences of health and social care.
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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. -
Blog -
The Good Egg Partnership distributes Easter eggs to good causes throughout the north east. The last 35 Easter eggs of more than 1,700 handed out were allocated to Healthwatch Newcastle last week. -
Report -
Healthwatch Gateshead and Healthwatch Newcastle recently engaged with local residents to understand experiences and opinions of the North East Ambulance Service. We wanted to understand public perceptions of the service, what trust means to the public, and overall levels of trust felt towards NEAS.
Overall, feedback was positive, however, most of those we consulted felt that they could not fully trust NEAS. Specific elements of trust were identified and included:
- Reliability, Availability, and Responsiveness
- Delivering a High Standard of Care
- Integrity and the Alignment of Words & Actions
- Patients’ Safety
Our full report is available to read here
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News -
This year our volunteer Raj will be presenting on stroke awareness on June 7. He will be talking about what a stroke is, risk factors, signs of a stroke and some ideas on how to support people following a stroke.
Raj is a part of the Stroke Association and worked on NHS Stroke wards. He also supports children and young people with their special needs in schools.
Following this presentation, our Volunteer and Engagement Officer Lesley Tweddell will ask for a vote of thanks and appreciation to all our volunteers for supporting the work of Healthwatch throughout the year.
If you would like to know more about the role of a volunteer in Healthwatch come along and get more information from our stall on the day. -
News -
If you would like to know more about Youthwatch,
please email-
Healthwatch Newcastle
info@healthwatchnewcastle.org.uk or
Text 07551052751 or Freephone 0808 801 0382
Healthwatch Gateshead
info@healthwatchgateshead.co.uk or
Text 07498503497 or Freephone 0800 038 5116 -
News -
Healthwatch Gateshead and Healthwatch Newcastle would like to understand:
- The impact of the cost of living on your physical, mental, and social health.
- Changes to your health and social care due to the cost of living.
- The impact of the cost of living on your interaction with health and social care services. -
News -
Healthwatch Volunteer Raj Takes Initiative to Raise Awareness of Strokes -
News -
Read all our Monthly Newsletters for 2023 , stay up to date with activities of your local Healthwatch. -
Blog -
Healthwatch Newcastle stands united with Newcastle City Council in their unwavering commitment to the White Ribbon campaign! -
News -
Don't miss our upcoming Online Forum featuring "Barnardo's Young Dads Service." This dedicated program offers vital support and guidance to young fathers navigating parenthood's challenges.
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Advice and Information -
With more than thirty recognised symptoms of menopause and growing awareness of the impact on day-to-day life, it can help to know what to look out for and what support is available. -
Advice and Information -
Do you struggle to speak to your doctor about your medical concerns? You’re not alone. Take a look at our top tips to make the most of your GP appointment. -
Advice and Information -
In a groundbreaking revelation, the latest report from Diabetes UK has sent shockwaves through the nation's healthcare landscape. The number of people living with diabetes in the UK has surpassed the 5 million mark for the first time, marking a significant milestone that demands our attention. This unprecedented figure not only highlights the scale of the diabetes epidemic but also underscores the urgent need for awareness, education, and proactive measures to tackle this growing public health challenge. -
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. -
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. -
News -
Read all our Monthly Newsletters for 2024 , stay up to date with information and activities from Healthwatch Newcastle. -
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. -
Report -
Our complaints process outlines how to make a complaint about us and our approach to making sure complaints are resolved. -
News -
Healthwatch Newcastle welcomes our newest recruits and volunteers -
Blog -
Volunteering with Healthwatch can help develop skills, gain experience and make a difference. Volunteers play a vital role in helping people have their say on health and social care. -
Report -
A concern about the impact of the COVID-19 related lockdowns of 2020—21,was a recognition that restrictions had made life particularly difficult for families experiencing domestic abuse. Healthwatch Newcastle's Committee chose this as a priority piece of work to explore in greater detail. -
Blog -
Our joint Annual General Meeting with Healthwatch Gateshead is being held to celebrate our recent work -
Blog -
Jon Knight becomes the Chair of Healthwatch Newcastle Committee -
Blog -
Our confidential signposting and information service can help you find the answers you need. We have helped people with many queries from patient transport to hospital to finding social care support. We can also make referrals to the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and Independent Complaints Advocacy (ICA) on your behalf. -
Blog -
Tell Us North is a community interest company (CIC) in the North East of England. It has three new job vacancies that will support the delivery of the Healthwatch Gateshead and Healthwatch Newcastle contracts. -
Blog -
All the news and views from Healthwatch Newcastle this September -
Report -
Agendas, notes, and minutes for our committee meetings and annual general meetings. -
Blog -
October is going to be a busy month in the Healthwatch Newcastle and Gateshead office, as we’re planning more outreach, engagement, and activities than ever before… we’re out and about at a few events this month so come and meet the team! -
Report -
Agendas, notes, and minutes for our committee meetings and annual general meeting. -
Report -
Agendas, notes, and minutes for our committee meetings and annual general meeting. -
Report -
Agendas, notes, and minutes for our committee meetings and annual general meeting. -
Report -
Agendas, notes, and minutes for our committee meetings and annual general meeting. -
Report -
Agendas, notes, and minutes for our committee meetings and annual general meeting. -
Report -
Agendas, notes, and minutes for our committee meetings and annual general meeting. -
Report -
Agendas, notes, and minutes for our committee meetings and annual general meeting. -
Report -
Agendas, notes, and minutes for our committee meetings and annual general meeting. -
Report -
The 2013–14 annual report outlines how we work with Newcastle communities and statutory and voluntary and community organisations to ensure “outstanding social care and health services for all”. You can read about all our activities, including how our volunteers helped us with GP ‘mystery shopping’ and how we gathered local opinions and experiences of health and social care. A summary of this annual report is also available. -
Report -
The annual report for 2014–15 sets out how we have continued to build on our commitment to outstanding social care and health services for all in Newcastle upon Tyne, it also outlines our refreshed strategic priorities and key goals for 2015–16. -
Report -
Our annual report for 2015–16 describes the work we have done over the last year to understand and improve people's experiences of social care and health services in Newcastle upon Tyne. -
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). -
Report -
Our annual report detailing our work for the financial year 2017-18. -
Report -
Our annual report detailing our work for the financial year 2018-19. -
Report -
Our annual report detailing our work for the financial year 2019-20. -
Report -
Our annual report for 2020–21 outlines our activities over the year to understand and improve people's experiences of social care and health services in Newcastle upon Tyne. -
Report -
Our annual report for 2021–22 outlines Healthwatch activities over the year to understand and improve people's experiences of social care and health services in Newcastle upon Tyne. -
Report -
This is a copy of our Record Keeping and Retention Policy -
Report -
Our Safeguarding policies outline what our processes and steps are to ensure the safeguarding of children and adults we engage with. -
Report -
Our Whistleblowing policy is intended to assist staff and volunteers who believe they have discovered malpractice or wrongdoing within Tell Us North, by enabling them to raise their concerns in a responsible and effective manner. -
Report -
Read our annual report and all that we have done through the year as your local Healthwatch.