1. Visits to care homes in Cambridgeshire

    Report -

    The reports from 13 care homes we visited using our legal power to enter and view.

  2. First of our care home food and drink reports published

    Report -

    Our volunteers stepped up to the plate when they dined with the residents at Rheola Care Centre in St Ives on a planned visit to the home.

  3. Whittlesey care home visit report published

    Report -

    Our volunteers visited Keneydon House in Whittlesey as part of our care home food project to find our about the residents' experiences of food and drink in the home.

  4. New report published after vist to Symonds House

    Report -

    Our volunteers visited Symonds House in Cambridge as part of a project to find our about people's experiences of food and drink in care homes.

  5. Making choices about the end of life

    News -

    Most people want to die at home, but the reality is that the majority of us are spending our last days in hospital.

  6. Report from our End of Life event

    News -

    Today Healthwatch has published a new report Empowering people at the end of life.

  7. Covid-19: county council ups adult social care payments

    News -

    People receiving direct payments for adult social care are to get a 10% rise from Cambridgeshire County Council.

  8. Latest guidance on testing for coronavirus

    Advice and Information -

    Free testing for coronavirus (Covid-19) from the NHS has ended for most people in England.

  9. New vaccine hopeful but stick to lockdown rules

    News -

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson is urging people to continue with the lockdown rules and basic hygiene advice and not get distracted by news of the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine progress.

  10. Leaving hospital during Covid-19 - our new report

    News -

    The way people are discharged from hospital across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough should work better for patients says our new report published today.

  11. Leaving hospital during Covid 19

    Report -

    Hospital discharge is a complicated process. And the way people leave hospital across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough should work better for patients says our new report out today.

  12. Why ReSPECT matters in decisions near the end of life

    News -

    The local NHS has responded to a letter from us promising improvements to end of life care for people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

  13. Tell us your care home experiences

    News -

    The Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on care home residents and on their friends and families and staff.
    Our new survey records your experiences and challenges over the last 12-18 months – and asks what life is like now.

  14. Are you able to visit loved ones in local care homes?

    News -

    Limits on visitors at care homes have been lifted in updated Government guidance. But is this making a difference for local families getting to see their loved ones?

  15. Life in a care home report

    Report -

    Our new report, Life in a care home, is published today. And tells the experiences of people living at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough care homes during the Covid-19 pandemic and their friends and families.

  16. Insights from our new care home report welcomed

    News -

    Our new Life in a care home report, published today, has been welcomed by local councils and our local NHS as "important" and providing "valuable insights".

  17. How your feedback is helping to improve end of life care

    News -

    Thanks to the feedback you shared, NHS and care services have worked hard to improve the support people and their families get near the end of life.

  18. Healthwatch Summit shines light on challenges facing Adult Social Care

    News -

    At our recent Healthwatch Summit – Adult Social Care: Meeting the challenges, we welcomed a wide range of local health professionals and service users who shared their experiences.

  19. 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.

  20. Registering with your GP: understanding your rights

    Advice and Information -

    People have told us they can have problems registering with a GP. This article explains more about your rights and what do to if you are refused the right to register.

  21. Where can I go to get help for my health out of hours?

    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.

  22. 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.

  23. Do you need help travelling to NHS services?

    Advice and Information -

    Find out what support is available to help you when travelling to your GP, hospital or other NHS services.

  24. First Steps to Health report published

    Report -

    Over 1,000 people told us what their First Steps to Health would be in an innovative survey to find out about local people's attitudes to using primary care services.

  25. Healthwatch Board meeting in public - Weds 8 May 2019

    Report -

    Our Board will hear from Dr Mark Sanderson, Medical Director of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG, who will talk about the local development of primary care networks.

  26. Get patients involved with the help of our Patient Participation Group toolkit

    Report -

    Establishing an effective Patient Participation Group (PPG) allows people to get involved with their local GP surgery and help to improve care.

  27. Should I see a pharmacist instead of a doctor?

    Advice and Information -

    ​​​​​​​Avoid the wait at the GP and know when to visit your pharmacist instead. Look at how your pharmacist can help you.

  28. 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.

  29. Community Values Panel helps NHS

    News -

    A unique approach to tackling funding issues in our local NHS has been highlighted in our newly-published Community Values Panel reports.

  30. Over the counter medicines on prescription - can our NHS afford this?

    Report -

    Big savings can be made for the NHS if people buy over the counter medicines rather than ask for them on prescription.

  31. 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.

  32. We're here ... and we're listening

    Blog -

    It's business as usual for Healthwatch says CEO Sandie Smith. And it's more important than ever for local people to tell us how their health and care has been affected during the coronavirus crisis.

  33. How are people with sensory impairments coping in the pandemic?

    Blog -

    Imagine trying to socially distance or navigate a new supermarket layout if you can't see. Or how about trying to communicate with a health professional wearing a mask if you rely on lip-reading?

  34. Getting the most out of online and telephone appointments

    News -

    Our Healthwatch supported a national study into people's experiences of online and telephone consultations.

  35. Using health services in lockdown - Rob's experience

    Blog -

    Rob is one of the 19,000+ people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who have been shielding for the last four months. As shielding is due to be paused tomorrow, he reflects on his experience of care.

  36. 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.

  37. Giving GP Websites a Check-up

    Report -

    Our new report out today looks at how easy it is to find information on GP websites across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough .

  38. We give GP websites a check-up

    News -

    Our new report - Giving GP Websites a Check-up - is out today and looks at how easy it is to find information on GP websites across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

  39. Staying well this winter

    News -

    People across Cambridgeshire are being urged not to delay getting help for their health this winter. And our local NHS services say they are here to help you stay well, safely.

  40. Making GP websites clearer for patients

    News -

    A new information checklist has been developed by our Healthwatch volunteers to help GP surgeries make their websites clear and accessible for patients.