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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. -
Advice and Information -
Health issues unfortunately don't leave us alone at the weekend and people are often in need of medical assistance out of hours. Using NHS guidelines, we have provided some advice and information on where you can go for help when your GP is closed. -
Advice and Information -
If you are experiencing or feel at risk of domestic abuse, or are worried about someone who might be, find out where you can go for advice and help. -
Advice and Information -
Find out the signs and symptoms of monkeypox, what to do if you think you have it and who is eligible for a vaccine. -
Advice and Information -
When you need specialist NHS support, like hospital tests or treatment, you often need a referral from your GP first. Find out what this includes and what to expect. -
Blog -
In 2012 adults around 459,000 adults smoked in the North East. Now it’s around 325,000 – a drop of around 134,000.
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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. -
Advice and Information -
The Accessible Information Standard is mandatory for all organisations that provide NHS or adult social care. It aims to make sure that people who have a disability, impairment or sensory loss get information that they can access and understand and the communication support they need from health and care services. -
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. -
Advice and Information -
Wednesday 9 March is No Smoking Day. -
Blog -
Do you have a condition that affects your ability to communicate or understand information? We’re campaigning with Healthwatch England - so everyone has health and care information in the way they need it. -
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. -
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. -
Report -
The NHS Long Term Plan introduced targets to ensure GP practices offer an annual health check for people with learning disabilities.
People with learning disabilities can have poorer physical and mental health than others and die younger. Annual health checks can provide a way to detect, treat and prevent new and unmet health conditions. Care for ongoing conditions can also be reviews during the annual check. -
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 -
The Little Orange Book is an information book given to parents and carers of children in Newcastle and Gateshead. -
Blog -
All the news and views from Healthwatch Newcastle this September -
Blog -
It’s Organ Donation Week, and NHS Blood and Transplant services want to get people talking about organ donation. -
Blog -
National Eye Health Week: it’s time to improve the nation’s eyesight. -
Advice and Information -
We’ve put together some of our resources on this page to help you keep up to date.
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Blog -
Our monthly forums are a chance for anyone and everyone to learn more about health and social care services in our area. We aim to keep you updated with any changes to services in particular, and health and social care in general. This is for sharing, so while we have a lot to say, we also want to hear your views and feedback, and answer your questions. -
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. -
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. -
Report -
Throughout the autumn of 2017 we asked people in Newcastle why they do or do not take part in screening programmes, what the barriers are to taking part, and how these barriers could be overcome. -
Report -
The take up of flu vaccinations in Newcastle for people aged 65 and over is above the national target of 75%. However, for other people considered at risk, it is below the national target of 75%. Towards the end of 2017 we gathered the views of people living in Newcastle (who are over the age of 65 or considered at risk) about the flu vaccination. -
Report -
This joint conference between Healthwatch Newcastle and Healthwatch Gateshead examined the principles, approaches and methods we use to engage with the public.
Delegates also shortlisted Healthwatch priorities for 2018—19. -
Report -
During spring 2019 communities across the North East spoke about how they would like to see the NHS Long Term Plan implemented. We spoke to people in Newcastle about what the changes should look like. The responses for Newcastle were included in this report covering Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and County Durham. -
Report -
The report from the first forum, held in February 2020. This forum supports and develops patient participation groups (PPGs) in Newcastle and Gateshead.