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. What support is available for partially sighted patients?

    Report -

    Attending a hospital appointment can be daunting. If you struggle to read, hear, understand or communicate these worries can be extreme.

  10. Focus on hospital food

    Report -

    We asked patients in East Kent for their feedback about the food and drink they had received during their time in hospital in East Kent.

  11. If you had learning difficulties, what support is available to help you attend a hospital appointment

    Report -

    We wanted to understand what support is available for people who have learning difficulties when they need to attend a hospital appointment

  12. 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.


  13. What did people tell us about being discharged from hospital in East Kent?

    Report -

    Over 190 people shared their experience of being discharged from the three hospitals in East Kent in 2018.

  14. What have we changed in A&E?

    Report -

    Our volunteers spoke to 138 patients during visits to every Accident & Emergency department in Kent.

    We made a number of recommendations based on their feedback.

  15. 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.

  16. 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.

  17. 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.

  18. 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.

  19. 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.

  20. 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.

  21. 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.

  22. 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.

  23. 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.

  24. 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.

  25. 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.

  26. 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.

  27. 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.

  28. 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.

  29. 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.

  30. Focus on Patient Experience

    Report -

    NHS Trusts all over Kent come to Healthwatch regularly seeking guidance on how to involve patients, carers and families more constructively in their services.  In this report, we discuss patient experience.

  31. Stroke patients & carers continue to design the new stroke service

    News -

    Stroke patients and their families were invited to Maidstone Hospital this week to chat with hospital staff about what the new Stroke Unit may look like in the future.

  32. Stroke patients & carers continue to design the new stroke service

    News -

    Stroke patients and their families were invited to Maidstone Hospital this week to chat with hospital staff about what the new Stroke Unit may look like in the future.

  33. Healthwatch Kent comments on the National Review of Maternity Services in East Kent

    News -

    Today a national enquiry has been launched into maternity services in East Kent.
    We have already been in touch with East Kent Hospitals to discuss the review and will be fully involved in the process going forward.

  34. A better 111 service for Kent, Medway and Sussex

    News -

    Last summer the NHS Commissioners in Kent, Medway and Sussex announced that South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) had been awarded a five year contract to provide the new NHS 111 service. The new service is due to start in April this year.

  35. Kent Care Homes & Covid : The Reality

    Report -

    Today we are publishing a report detailing feedback from 204 Care Homes across Kent. The report shares what it has been like during COVID-19 and what lessons have been learnt.

  36. Kent Care Homes & Covid : The Reality

    News -

    Today we are publishing a report detailing feedback from 204 Care Homes across Kent. The report shares what it has been like during COVID-19 and what lessons have been learnt.

  37. Final decision on stroke services

    News -

    A decision has finally been made in the long running review of stroke services across Kent & Medway.
    The Court of Appeal refused an appeal against the judicial review which means plans to create three new hyper acute stroke services can go ahead.

  38. How are our hospitals coping?

    News -

    It's no secret that Kent & Medway's hospitals are under extreme pressure right now due to increasing numbers of Covid patients.

  39. Have you had a stroke recently? We need to hear from you

    News -

    If you, or someone you know, has had a stroke since June 2020 then we'd really like to hear from you. Your story could help improve the stroke service for other people.

  40. If you're D/deaf and use East Kent Hospitals, we can help you to get an interpreter

    News -

    D/deaf patients are now being offered a free card that clearly indicates that they need a British Sign Language interpreter when they have an appointment at East Kent hospitals. Get in touch if you want yours.

  41. Your views helped improve non-emergency patient transport services

    News -

    NHS England has published a new report outlining changes to non-emergency patient transport services (NEPTS) and broader NHS transport support. Take a look at what the changes mean for you and your loved ones.

  42. What to expect when waiting for care

    Advice and Information -

    Waiting for planned medical care or surgery can be a frustrating time. That’s why it’s so important that while you wait, you get regular, clear and accessible updates so that you can plan your next steps.

  43. People living in deprived areas waiting longer for hospital treatment

    News -

    In partnership with the King’s Fund, we are calling for urgent action to improve peoples’ experience of delays to their treatment.

  44. Final decision on Kent's stroke services

    News -

    The Secretary of State has today agreed proposals for three new stroke units to be created for Kent & Medway.

  45. Changes to Cardiology services in West Kent

    News -

    The NHS is considering making changes to cardiology services in West Kent and they need to hear your thoughts.

  46. Join a public meeting to hear about changes to Cardiology in West Kent

    News -

    The NHS is considering plans to change cardiology services in West Kent. Join their public meeting to hear more details and share your thoughts.

  47. Last chance to have your say on changes to heart services in West Kent

    News -

    This week is your last chance to share your thoughts about changes to cardiology services in West Kent.

  48. Plans to tackle NHS backlog : our response

    News -

    In a new report, MPs have today warned that tackling the backlog caused by the pandemic is an "unquantifiable" challenge and have called for a broad national health and care recovery plan to be introduced.

  49. How will the NHS tackle the backlog?

    News -

    With a record six million people currently waiting for hospital treatment in the UK, the NHS has set out its plan to address the backlog that has built up during the Covid-19 pandemic and tackle long waiting lists for care.

  50. Cardiology services in West Kent to be located at Maidstone Hospital

    News -

    A decision has been made to centralise inpatient cardiology services at Maidstone Hospital.