1. 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.

  2. You Said We Did in 2021 and 2022

    Report -

    What have we done with your voice

  3. You Said, We Did 2023

    Report -

    What have we done with your voice in April?

  4. You Said We Did April 2016 - December 2020

    Report -

    What have we done with your voice between April 2016 and March 2019?

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

    Report -

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

  6. 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.

  7. Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report

    Report -

    Read Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board's 2022/23 annual report, acknowledging the large range of work done to safeguard vulnerable people who may be at risk across Kent and Medway.

  8. 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.

  9. We throw a spotlight on commissioning

    Report -

    With the commissioning landscape across Kent & Medway changing, we have been working to ensure the voice of patients is heard clearly by decision makers.

  10. Your feedback can help generate change

    Report -

    Every day people contact us to share their story about health and social care services. We're raising these voices to ensure the right people hear the feedback and can make changes as a result. Read our report detailing what people told us in March.

  11. Helping our volunteers to learn digital skills

    Report -

    During the pandemic, we wanted to ensure that our volunteers could continue to feel involved and empowered to complete their work in a digital world

  12. What did we hear in September?

    Report -

    In September we reached 2,220 people. This is what they told us.

  13. What did we hear in October?

    Report -

    In October, 1,801 people came to us for information, support or to tell us their experience of using a health or social service.

  14. What did we hear in November?

    Report -

    In November, 3,571 people came to us for information, support or to tell us their experience of using a health or social service.

  15. What did you tell us in December?

    Report -

    2,438 of you came to us in December to share your experience of using health and social care services or to seek information.

  16. Making it easier for people with learning difficulties to attend hospital appointments in East Kent

    Report -

    We've been working with East Kent Hospitals for several years now helping them to make it easier for people with learning difficulties to attend a hospital appointment. Check out what's changed as a result.

  17. What did you tell us in January?

    Report -

    2,624 of you came to us in January to share your experience of using health and social care services or to seek information.

  18. What did you tell us in February?

    Report -

    3,979 of you came to us in February to share your experience of using health and social care services or to seek information.

  19. What did you tell us in March?

    Report -

    2,395 of you came to us in March to share your experience of using health and social care services or to seek information.

  20. What did you tell us in April?

    Report -

    1,465 of you came to us in April to share your experience of using health and social care services or to seek information.

  21. What did you tell us in May?

    Report -

    Every month we review all the feedback we've heard. We're looking for the themes and trends in the information to see what we should be focusing on.

  22. Empowering people and communities to look after themselves better

    Report -

    We all know we need to look after ourselves better, but that's not always easy. Read our review of a project that's been helping people in Folkestone & Gravesend to manage their own blood pressure.

  23. Evidencing the impact of reducing health inequalities

    Report -

    We know that many many people aren't aware that they may have high blood pressure which could cause a heart attack or a stroke. Read our analysis about a new idea that has been helping people in Medway to mange their own blood pressure.

  24. We run a signposting and information service, but what difference does it make and how do we support people?

    Report -

    1167 people contacted our information and signposting service in the past year. 243 of these people across Kent and Medway told us how they had been impacted by our information and signposting service.

  25. Improving training for future healthcare workers

    Report -

    Across the end of 2022 and early 2023, Healthwatch Kent conducted ward visits to understand the traits that people valued from Allied Health Professionals.

  26. Listening to public experience in hospitals and around how they access care

    Report -

    Across the end of 2022 and early 2023, Healthwatch Kent conducted ward visits to understand the traits that people valued from Allied Health Professionals to improve training for future healthcare workers.

  27. 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.

  28. 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.

  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. 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).

  31. 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.