News and reports

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

In February 2023, Kent and Medway ICB and Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) launched a public consultation on Health Based Places of Safety. These are the facilities KMPT provides for adults needing emergency care and assessment under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act.

Women have a wide variety of experiences when accessing healthcare. However, a majority of women found that healthcare professionals were not listening or respecting them. There are several reasons that have been reported for these issues.

In the UK it is believed seven million people are voluntarily providing care and/or support to family and/or friends. And that many of these are either not accessing or are not aware of the help and support available to them. 

Stammer is one of the biggest challenges in accessing healthcare services. 

People with stammers face a variety of challenges in accessing healthcare services. In the UK a survey showed 1.8% of people have stammer.

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