1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. Future of home care services

    Report -

    This Elders Council of Newcastle report presents the findings of a December 2015 event where people discussed their expectations of home care services. The event was held in partnership with Newcastle City Council and Healthwatch Newcastle.

  4. Spotlight on home care

    Report -

    From October to December 2015 we asked service users, their carers and relatives, and also social workers, what they thought about home care services in Newcastle. We also interviewed the commissioners of home care services and met with several local voluntary and community sector organisations.

  5. 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.

  6. Spotlight on health at home

    Report -

    We estimate that around 2,600 people in Newcastle are housebound. During autumn 2018 we investigated how easy it was for housebound people to use GP practice, dentist, optician or pharmacy services in the city.

  7. 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.

  8. Knight shift for Healthwatch Newcastle 

    Blog -

    Jon Knight becomes the Chair of Healthwatch Newcastle Committee

  9. Violet campaigns for cleaner air in Newcastle

    Blog -

    Violet Rook is a longstanding volunteer with Healthwatch Newcastle and is campaigning for cleaner air in the city. During COP26 (the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Glasgow), Violet took part in an ITV news item.

  10. We’re here when you need us — just ask

    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.

  11. 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.

  12. There’s more to Healthwatch than health’ conference 2015

    Report -

    We held a highly successful first conference in March 2015. ‘There’s more to Healthwatch than health’ enabled us to gain valuable insights and information about local social care provision and experiences. Delegates also helped shape Healthwatch Newcastle social care priorities for 2015-16.

  13. Healthwatch Newcastle listening event 2016

    Report -

    This listening event in July 2016 enabled people to meet and talk with the organisations that plan and provide local social care and health services.

  14. 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.

  15. ‘Excellence in engagement’ conference 2018

    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.

  16. NHS Long Term Plan engagement report

    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.

  17. Don't box me in - young people-friendly services

    Report -

    We ran a questionnaire during spring 2020 to find out how young people felt about the way health professionals treated them. We used ‘You’re Welcome’ criteria and feedback as guidance (quality criteria set out by the Department of Health and Social Care).