1. Healthwatch wants equal access to shaping maternity services for all new and potential parents

    Report -

    Healthwatch Cambridgeshire has found that local people don’t all have the same chance to feedback on their experience of maternity care due to inequalities in funding local Maternity Service Liaison Committees (MSLCs).

  2. Making tongue tie services better for babies and breast feeding mums

    Report -

    Local health commissioners confirm that tongue tie services are available on the NHS in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Plans to improve them are to be included in the local Better Births Plan for maternity services.

  3. How Rachel is helping to improve maternity care

    Blog -

    Rachel James, Chair of Rosie Maternity Voices, talks to us about improving services for new and potential parents at the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge.

  4. Fertility service suspension to be reviewed

    News -

    Healthwatch wants Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group to reverse its 2017 suspension of fertility services.

  5. Mental health and parenthood

    News -

    New mums and dads in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have contributed their personal stories to a new Healthwatch England report 'Mental health and the journey to parenthood'.

  6. Sorting out a problem with healthcare

    Advice and Information -

    NHS care is usually very good and most people don’t have any problems. But occasionally things can go wrong. Find out how to complain about healthcare services.

  7. Healthwatch challenges decision to suspend fertility services

    Report -

    The decision to suspend IVFservices in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is against national guidance and will have a huge impact on those affected, particularly poorer people.

  8. First findings published from our Covid-19 survey

    News -

    Communications with patients and service users must be a priority as health and care services restart following the peak of the pandemic.

  9. Final survey briefing flags lonely motherhood journeys for some new mums

    News -

    Our third and final briefing from our three-month Covid-19 survey is published today.

  10. Tell us your story of maternal mental health care

    News -

    Pregnancy is a major life event for any family. It can be joyful and fulfilling but also challenging. We’re supporting a national survey to understand how well care works for new mothers and birthing parents. Share your story

  11. Six-week postnatal checks are failing many new mothers

    News -

    Deep-dive analysis of experiences of 2,693 new mothers and birthing parents shows that six-week postnatal checks – required of GPs in England - are failing many new mothers.

  12. The Integrated Care System – One year on

    News -

    In this article, we explain the role of Integrated Care Boards and Integrated Care Systems, identify their different roles, and look at how Healthwatch works with them.

  13. Support available when you have a terminal illness - planning end of life care

    Advice and Information -

    Palliative care is support for people who are in the last months or years of their life. We have pulled together some guidance to help you know what to expect, how to plan ahead and make decisions about your future care.

  14. Better care needed for local Gypsies, Romany and Travellers

    Report -

    Gypsies, Romany and Travellers make up the largest minority ethnic communities in Cambridgeshire yet are more likely to have poor health than other local people.

  15. Healthwatch calls for improvements in local wheelchair services

    Report -

    The wheelchair service is often poorly co-ordinated, with people waiting too long for wheelchairs and repairs says Sitting Comfortably, our new report published today.

  16. New Healthwatch report calls for better information for disabled people

    Report -

    Health and care services are not always offering people with sensory and learning disabilities information in a format they can understand. The law says that they must do this.

  17. Packed room for launch of new Healthwatch Accessible Information report

    News -

    A successful launch event shows there is still much to do to achieve Accessible Information as Standard

  18. Enzo speaks up about better information for people with learning disabilities

    Blog -

    Enzo Petruziello works to ensure people with disabilities can access the services they want and need. He provides disability awareness training and encourages friends with disabilities to speak up about their needs.

  19. Local people influence future of Minor Injuries Units

    News -

    Health commissioners listen to local people in plans to develop Local Urgent Care hubs in the Fens and East Cambridgeshire.

  20. Healthwatch helps to improve accessible information for disabled people

    News -

    Local NHS Trusts and care organisations are improving the information they give to disabled people.

  21. Healthwatch Board meeting in public - Wednesday 15 November 2017

    Report -

    At this meeting we will be talking about our Accessible Information as Standard report, published 8 November 2017.

  22. Healthwatch Board meeting in public - Weds 14 November 2018

    Report -

    At this meeting the Board will get an update on the progress made by local providers regarding the NHS Accessible Information Standard.

  23. Helping to tackle health inequalities

    News -

    Information from our 2016 'Our Health Matters' project to listen to the health experiences of local Gypsies, Roma and Travellers, has fed into a new House of Commons Committee report, published last week.

  24. New patient group gets policy change at hospital trust

    News -

    A new patient group - recruited with help from Healthwatch - is up and running, aiming to help shape policy and services at local hospitals.

  25. Know your NHS rights and responsibilities

    Advice and Information -

    The NHS Constitution is a useful document to know – setting out what patients, the public and the staff working for it can expect from the NHS.

  26. Will’s story

    News -

    South Cambridgeshire resident Will lost too much weight and became unwell with untreated Crohn’s disease after struggling to communicate with health professionals. Will is Deaf and uses British Sign Language.

  27. Our volunteers' programme earns UK quality award

    News -

    Healthwatch is toasting its volunteers after being awarded the Investing in Volunteers (IiV) award.

  28. Sensory Impairment Partnership Board Minutes April 2021 to March 2022

    Report -

    Read more about the issues discussed by the Sensory Impairment Partnership Board this year.

  29. Tackling disability hate crime

    Blog -

    It’s Hate Crime Awareness Week 2023. Our Partnership Development Manager Graham Lewis talks about how our Healthwatch and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Partnership Boards are highlighting disability hate crime.

  30. Report shines light on Covid health and care struggles

    Report -

    The final report from our three-month Covid survey is published today.

  31. Remembering the HIV and AIDS crisis

    Blog -

    February is the month where the UK celebrates the history of LGBT people and their achievements.
    So, for those who don’t know me, I’m Graham, the Partnership Development Manager here at Healthwatch. I’m also Gay.

  32. Making sure you count - the national census is coming

    News -

    The census is coming. By taking part, you can help inform decisions on services that shape your community, such as healthcare, education and transport.

  33. HIV in 2021 - tackling the stigma

    Blog -

    As part of LGBTQ+ History Month, Sharron Spindler, Chief Executive of local sexual health charity Dhiverse, tells us that modern treatments make HIV a manageable long-term condition. But outdated attitudes and stigma remain a barrier to diagnosis.

  34. Health and care for the LGBTQ+ community

    Advice and Information -

    This article highlights some of the health issues – and inequalities – facing the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer or questioning plus (LGBTQ+) community.

  35. Following my dreams - and becoming a mum

    Blog -

    In this personal blog for LGBTQ+ History Month, our Healthwatch CEO, Sandie Smith, reflects on the road to parenthood – and the joy of being a mum.

  36. Helping to tackle vaccine hesitancy

    News -

    Our Engagement Officer Rebwar has been helping to get Covid-19 vaccination, testing and self-isolation information out to communities in Peterborough and Fenland.

  37. Eight ... and counting

    Blog -

    Our Healthwatch is eight years old this month. Here, CEO Sandie Smith reflects on a unique 12 months. And thanks everyone who has supported us and shared their experiences to help us learn from the pandemic.

  38. Autistic Voices report will help shape new autism strategy for our area

    News -

    Our new report highlighting the health and care experiences of autistic people from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is published today.

  39. Autistic Voices Report captures local people's lived experiences

    Report -

    Autistic Voices, our new report about the health and care experiences of autistic people from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, is published today.

  40. Making it easier for Deaf people to share their views

    News -

    Today, as part of Deaf Awareness Week, we have launched our new British Sign Language survey to help Deaf people share their views on health and social care services locally.

  41. Healthwatch conference looks at tackling health inequalities - book now

    News -

    Bookings are now open for 'On equal terms" our Healthwatch Conference and AGM, in July. The spotlight will be on the issue of health inequalities and looking at how people can be better involved in developing services that work well for everyone.

  42. 'Co-pro' champ Enzo is improving services for all

    News -

    Enzo, from Peterborough, is a long serving member of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Learning Disability Partnership Board.

  43. Helping people get online and access services locally

    News -

    Digital exclusion is more complicated than just not having a computer and in this workshop at our recent 'On Equal Terms' conference, we explored what the issues are and some of the work being done locally to tackle it.

  44. How new Health and Care Experience profiles can help improve care

    News -

    Our Healthwatch was involved in an innovative pilot project to help health and care systems across the country understand how well they are supporting people in their communities who may face more barriers to care.