1. Your vote determines our priorities

    News -

    All this week we are asking people to get involved in our campaign #YourChoiceOurPriority where we give you the power to choose our priorities for the year.
    Over the 7 days we will be asking you to vote for what you think we should prioritise.

  2. Do you use a wheelchair?

    News -

    We've heard from lots of people about wheelchair services in Kent. Do you have a story to share with us?

  3. Healthwatch Kent scruitinises the North Kent Urgent Care Review

    News -

    Urgent Care services in Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley are being reviewed with a view to making changes.

    Healthwatch has a statutory responsibility to scruitinise the process of change to ensure the voice of residents has been heard.

  4. Patient feedback drives improvements for partially sighted patients in Maidstone

    Report -

    Partially sighted patients will now find it easier to attend an appointment at Maidstone Hospital thanks to feedback from patients.

  5. Healthwatch Kent comments on the CQC rating of South East Coast Ambulance Service

    News -

    The Care Quality Commission has announced today that the ambulance service, which serves Kent, has been rated as ‘Good’ and the Trust will now exit Special Measures.

  6. Healthwatch Kent shortlisted for national award

    News -

    We've been nominated for a national award in recognition of the work we've done to ensure the challenges that people with additional communication needs face when attending a hospital appointment is heard and understood by decision makers.

  7. Feedback from people with Asthma

    News -

    Today we chatted with people about what it is like to have Asthma and how things could be improved

  8. We take pride at Pride

    News -

    Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat to us at Dover Pride today!

  9. Working with PPG groups

    News -

    This week, we took part in a conference to bring together all the Patient Participation Groups across Kent.

  10. Tips to keep your little ones healthy (and at school)

    News -

    With the schools opening up again for the new academic years the NHS have released a toolkit for parents to help keep your little snappers healthy, and in school.

  11. You Said, We Did April 2019 - March 2020

    Report -

    What have we done with your voice between April 2019 and March 2020?

  12. M20 closures!.... There’s no stopping us

    News -

    There was no chance our Helpline team weren't getting to the busy Boughton Monchelsea’s village Community Coffee Morning last Saturday.

  13. Working with HOSC

    News -

    We attend HOSC every month. HOSC stands for the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee and is a meeting of KCC Elected Members who scrutinise health services.

  14. Kent County Council Peoples' Panel

    News -

    A new Peoples' Panel met for the first time today. Its purpose is to bring a range of people together to input their ideas and thoughts at an early stage in discussions about social care services.

  15. State of the Nation by the Care Quality Commission

    News -

    Today the Care Quality Commission have published their State of the Nation report which is their annual assessment of health and social care services across the country.

  16. Have you heard that the Clinical Commissioning Groups are going to merge?

    News -

    Currently in Kent & Medway, we have eight Clinical Commissioning Groups who are responsible for commissioning our health services.
    From April 1st 2020, GPs have voted for all the CCGs to merge into one single Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

  17. How easy is it to attend a hospital appointment if you use a communication aid?

    Report -

    That's the question we asked ourselves when we visited Tunbridge Wells Hospital recently.

  18. My life as a carer – one of seven million stories

    Blog -

    Three in five of us will become an unpaid carer at some point in our lives. Kate* tells us about what it was like becoming a carer for her husband and the difficulties they faced.

  19. What have we heard at "Big day out event"?

    Report -

    Healthwatch Kent were honoured to be a part of BeYou’s ‘Big Day Out’ event in Maidstone last year.

  20. We continue our support of the NHS and Kent County Council in hearing from the public to codesign the future of their Integrated Community Equipment Services (ICES)

    News -

    ICES aims to maximise independence of Kent residents and enable them to carry out everyday activities at home.

  21. How Healthwatch making a difference ?

    News -

    Early this month a piece by Healthwatch England CEO Louise Ansari, explaining how Healthwatch helps the NHS engage with local people, was published in the Health Service Journal.

  22. What to watch for in your health and community this month - January

    Advice and Information -

    Each January multiple awareness raising campaigns are running, some focused on specific weeks or days.

  23. Cervical Cancer prevention week is held between the 22nd and 28th January 2024

    Advice and Information -

    This is a week to raise awareness of Cervical cancer, the screening programmes that currently take place and the vaccination programme designed to greatly reduce cases in the future.

  24. The team at Healthwatch Kent have been shortlisted for a national award for their work helping to improve care for local people.

    News -

    The National Healthwatch Impact Award recognises outstanding examples of where the views of local people have been used to make positive changes to local NHS and social care services.

  25. What to watch for in your health and community this month - February

    Advice and Information -

    Each February multiple awareness raising campaigns are running, some focused on specific weeks or days.

  26. Annual Recognition Awards evening is back this year

    News -

    Healthwatch Kent and Healthwatch Medway are pleased to announce the return of its annual Recognition Awards evening, now in its third year.

  27. Helping people to get health and care information the way they need it.

    Report -

    Over the last 5 years we’ve worked hard to work with Trusts to improve their support for people who have additional communication needs.

  28. What is domestic abuse and how can I get support?

    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.

  29. Healthwatch Kent have been working alongside the NHS in Kent and Medway to improve referral services.

    Report -

    This report shows a summary of the main issues the public are facing with the current referral service, and what we hope the Electronic Optimisation Referral System (EROS) will address.

  30. Healthwatch Kent service receives national award for improving care

    News -

    Healthwatch Kent was recognised at the National Healthwatch Impact Awards this week for helping to improve care for local people. 

  31. Healthwatch Kent and Healthwatch Medway annual Recognition Awards evening return for the third year.

    News -

    This annual awards evening aims to recognise and celebrate the people, innovations and collaborations that listen to the public and deliver successful projects and programmes across Kent and Medway.

  32. Last summer we attended the Kent Parents and Carers Together (PACT) picnic event in Dartford.

    Report -

    Here we spoke to parents of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

  33. what have we heard about how people are being supported with their mental health?

    Report -

    As many of you are aware we work closely with Mental Health Voice (MHV) and the 4 Local Mental Health Networks (LMHNs) based around each Health and Care Partnership area.