1. Dentists : The Tooth Be Told

    Report -

    In 2016 we spoke to 44 people about their experience of going to the dentist.

    In 2017 we wanted to find out what had changed as a result.

  2. Healthwatch Kent visits 24 Care Homes in Kent

    Report -

    Across the country, Independent Age has been working with Healthwatch to explore what people are looking for when choosing a care home.

  3. 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.

  4. Planning care at the end of life

    Advice and Information -

    We explain why it’s important to have a plan in place, should you or a loved one become critically ill with coronavirus.

  5. Do you have a friend or relative in a Care Home right now? Can you tell us your thoughts?

    News -

    This month our spotlight is on Care Homes, as we gather feedback from residents, families and Care Home staff about how Kent’s Care Homes are coping and what lessons have been learnt. We want the positive stories as well as what could be improved.

  6. Tough decisions facing Kent County Council

    News -

    This week, the Council announced it was facing a £40 million shortfall in its budget.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. What will you want your care home to look like?

    News -

    It’s a fact of life that we will all get older, and some of us may need to go into a residential or nursing home. Whilst we might try not to think about it too much, people who work in care homes need to plan for our future.

  10. Can I finally hug my Mum in a Care Home?

    News -

    From this week, some visitors are being allowed into Care Homes. But what are the rules and regulations and will you actually be able to hug your loved ones just yet?

  11. Coronavirus: What does shielding mean?

    Advice and Information -

    Find out more about shielding, who it applies to, and what to do if you're a shielder.

  12. How do you feel about Care Homes after the pandemic?

    Report -

    Today we are talking to Care Homes across Kent. We wanted to make sure they were hearing from you about how you feel about Care Homes and care at home since the pandemic.

  13. Stories of Care Home residents receiving the wrong medicine

    News -

    Today we heard stories of Care Home residents in Herne Bay receiving the wrong medicine. In some cases people were given other peoples' prescriptions, or weren't given their medication at all. What's your experience of care homes in Kent?

  14. Understanding Care Homes near you

    Advice and Information -

    Having concluded our visits to 15 Care Homes across Kent & Medway talking to residents, their families and staff about the Enhanced Health in Care Home programme we have now completed our stakeholder facing report and have now shared our findings with Aging Well.

  15. 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.

  16. 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.

  17. 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.

  18. We're giving evidence to the Education Committee

    News -

    Next week we are giving evidence to the Education Committee about SEND.

  19. 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.

  20. West & North Kent residents - your views are needed

    News -

    You may already have heard about some potential changes to health services in East Kent. The ideas include changes to hospital and community services such as GPs.

  21. Changes to bus services in Thanet

    News -

    The Thanet Over Fifties Forum recently attended a meeting about changes to bus services in Thanet. They shared with us a report from the meeting.

  22. Additional public meetings in Faversham & Tenterden

    News -

    It has just been announced that two additional public meetings are being arranged to discuss the potential changes to health services in East Kent.

  23. Final public meeting about East Kent services this week

    News -

    Seven public meetings have already taken place across East Kent for people to hear and discuss the potential changes for health services in East Kent.

  24. Dermatology services : have your say

    News -

    If you live in Medway or North Kent, your dermatology services may change.

  25. Help shape Urgent Treatment Centres in North Kent

    News -

    Plans are being developed for Urgent Treatment Centres across the UK. The Centres would treat all minor illnesses and injuries for all age groups in one place.

  26. What changes have we secured to the CAMHS service?

    Report -

    Back in 2016, we spoke with 302 people about their experience of children and adolescent mental health services.

  27. What should happen when GP surgeries close or merge?

    Report -

    Healthwatches across the South East have heard from people who are concerned about their GP surgery either closing or merging.

  28. Calling all young people : make your voice heard

    News -

    We want to hear what's good, or not so good, about children's and young people's services in Kent & Medway.

  29. Commissioners respond to our GP report

    News -

    In March we published a report detailing all the feedback we had heard from Kent residents about GP services.

  30. The Healthwatch Guide to Public Consultations

    Report -

    This guide is intended to support commissioners and service providers to deliver genuine, meaningful public consultations.

  31. 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.


  32. 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.

  33. Get involved with the changes to health and social care in East Kent

    News -

    Those of you who live in East Kent will be well aware that plans are being developed to transform and improve services for local residents.
    The public are now being invited to evaluate the options before the public consultation later in the year.

  34. Making your voice heard: Wheelchair services

    News -

    Earlier this year, we started to hear a number of serious stories from patients and professionals about wheelchair services.

  35. 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.

  36. 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.

  37. 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.

  38. Help turn the national NHS plan into a Kent & Medway vision

    News -

    You’ve probably heard about the NHS Long Term Plan in the news.

    The Long Term Plan is a national vision for our health services over the next 10 years.

  39. Healthwatch Kent met with senior NHS leaders this week to discuss their concerns about how NHS contracts will happen in the future.

    News -

    This week we gathered senior commissioners to discuss how health services could be commissioned in the future.

  40. Update on the East Kent Transformation

    News -

    This week we joined the first of three sessions to discuss the options for the transformation of services in East Kent.

  41. 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.

  42. 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.

  43. 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.

  44. 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.

  45. 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.

  46. 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).

  47. 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.

  48. Special Educational Needs : a new pathway

    News -

    We've been helping decision makers to develop a new pathway for children and young people who have special educational needs.

  49. 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.