1. We take your views to Parliament

    News -

    Last week, we travelled to London to join forces with more than 100 fellow local Healthwatch organisations at our annual parliamentary reception.

  2. What did people from Folkestone tell us?

    Report -

    Last month we visited Folkestone & Hythe District Council to talk to their staff about their experiences of local health & social care services. We met 230 people in total during our visit.

  3. Have you heard about improvements to hospital discharge in West Kent?

    Report -

    In 2018 we spoke to 89 people about their experience of being discharged from both Maidstone Hospital and Tunbridge Wells Hospital.

  4. 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.

  5. Spotlight on Gypsy & Traveller communities

    Report -

    Kent has one of the highest populations of Travellers in the UK.

    At Healthwatch Kent we regularly visit Traveller sites to hear directly from the community about the issues they face about health and social care services.

  6. Spotlight on Learning Disabilities

    Report -

    In the second of a new series of reports, we have highlighted the feedback we’ve heard from people with learning disabilities.

    Everything we have heard from people is included in the report.

  7. Healthwatch Kent comments on the CQC rating of East Kent Hospitals Children’s services

    News -

    The Care Quality Commission has announced today that hospital children’s services provided by East Kent Hospitals are rated as inadequate.

  8. Stroke services : a decision is made

    News -

    For many months now, stroke services across Kent & Medway have been reviewed. The decision has now been made.

  9. Have your say about Outpatients in Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley

    News -

    Outpatients services in Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley are set to change as part of a new transformation programme launched by NHS.


  10. Healthwatch Kent comments on the BBC story about Cancer waiting times

    Response -

    The BBC has today published figures about waiting times for cancer treatment. The national target for hospitals is that patients are treated within 62 days after being referred by their GP.

  11. 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.

  12. Our volunteers make improvements at Darent Valley Hospital

    News -

    Our volunteers in North Kent had a very positive morning at Darent Valley Hospital this month talking to 25 people about their experiences of the Emergency Department.

  13. Urgent care in Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley is going to change. Get involved

    News -

    A formal public consultation has been launched this month to decide the location of a new Urgent Treatment Centre in Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley area.

  14. 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.

  15. We hear from children and young people

    Report -

    Children and young people from across Kent & Medway have talked to us about their experience of using health and social care services.

  16. Healthwatch and Dartford Gravesham, Swanley CCG hit the highstreet

    News -

    To make sure you have your voice heard on the plans to create a new Urgent Treatment Centre in Gravesend or Dartford, we headed out with Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley Clinical Commissioning Group.

  17. Improvements to hospital discharge in North Kent

    Report -

    Thanks to you, we have been able to improve people's experience of being discharged from hospital in North Kent.

  18. We are winners!!!

    News -

    We have been recognised as highly commended in the Championing Diversity & Inclusion category at the 2019 Healthwatch Network Awards last night.

  19. Calling all Parkinson's patients

    News -

    Have you recently been in hospital? Did you receive your Parkinson's medication at the right time? We really want to hear your story.

  20. 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.

  21. Last chance to have your say about Urgent Care in North Kent

    News -

    Time is running out if you want to get your voice heard about changes to Urgent Care services in North Kent.

  22. Stroke patients being heard loud and clear

    News -

    Together with the Stroke Association and Healthwatch Medway, we have set up the Stroke Co-Design Group to ensure the voice of patients and carers is clearly heard during the design of our new stroke services in Kent & Medway.

  23. Nominate your ambulance service hero!

    News -

    South East Coast Ambulance (SECAmb) want you to nominate an ambulance service or NHS 111 hero in a new award to be presented at SECAmb’s annual staff awards.

  24. 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.