1. 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.

  2. You have chosen our priorities and we have listened

    News -

    Over 7,800 saw our vote and hundreds of you voted, so thank you!

  3. Focus on nursing care at home on the Isle of Sheppey

    Report -

    On the Isle of Sheppey, 700 people receive nursing care at home from Virgincare. We wanted to hear what their experience was like.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. Feedback from people with Asthma

    News -

    Today we chatted with people about what it is like to have Asthma and how things could be improved

  7. We ensure your voice is heard for the future of Extra Care Housing

    Report -

    When you get older, you may need to have care in your home. Many people consider moving into Extra Care Housing which ensures you have your own home but care and support is available should you need it. We wanted to know what you may want.

  8. 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.

  9. Have you been looked after by the community nursing team?

    News -

    Do you have ideas about what could be improved about the nursing care that you receive at home? Your questions could help inform what researchers should focus on.

  10. 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.

  11. What is adult social care?

    Advice and Information -

    Do you or a loved one need help with social care? Read the article below and find out answers to key questions about who can access adult social care and how to pay for it.

  12. Are you under 18, live in East Kent or Swale and have a long term health condition?

    News -

    This is your chance to speak up.

    The NHS want to hear from you because they want to improve the way your care is organised and co-ordinated.

  13. New idea to support older people and people with disabilities in Kent to live better at home

    News -

    A new project is being developed by Kent County Council to help support people with disabilities as well as older people in Kent to stay in their own homes and communities.

  14. Are you receiving care in your own home or in the community?

    News -

    Or did you reach pension age before 6th April 2016?

  15. What should you expect from home care services?

    Advice and Information -

    The number of people being cared for in their own homes is increasing but what should you expect from home care services?

  16. Feedback about Frank Lloyd Unit in Sittingbourne

    Report -

    We recently met with Carers whose loved ones were being cared for at the Frank Lloyd Unit in Sittingbourne.

    This report details al that they told us.

    We have shared the feedback with the mental health trust.

  17. Community mental health services : what have you told us?

    Report -

    We visited 6 community mental health units in 2018 talking to 86 people about their experience of using the service.

  18. 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.

  19. Looking after someone? You're entitled to support

    Advice and Information -

    Most of us will provide care at some point in our lives to ill or disabled loved ones.

  20. 3 alternatives when you can't get GP appointment

    Advice and Information -

    It’s never great when you can’t get a GP appointment in a moment of need

  21. Update on Carers services

    News -

    Last year, we spoke to 158 Carers across Kent about how they were coping. Has anything changed since then?

  22. Focus on Hidden Carers

    Report -

    What's it like being a carer and how much support are you getting? We wanted to make sure people knew what it was like to be a carer in Kent.

  23. Help the NHS improve services for children and young people

    News -

    We recently spoke to nearly 300 people in Kent about children and young people’s services. Now the NHS is seeking people to get involved and help shape health and social care services for young people across Kent.

  24. 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.

  25. Talking about End of Life services

    News -

    We recently had the opportunity to chat with a group of Carers about End of Life services in North Kent.

  26. My life as a carer – one of seven million stories

    Blog -

    Three in five of us will become an unpaid carer at some point in our lives. Kate* tells us about what it was like becoming a carer for her husband and the difficulties they faced.

  27. We want to hear from more people about lockdown. Could you help?

    News -

    It’s really important that we hear how people are coping right now. We can ensure that your feedback can inform emergency planning and help organisations to plan how to get back to 'normal'.

  28. Do you know someone who is helping to look after someone?

    News -

    Many people might normally be caring (albeit informally) for a neighbour or family member. For example, they may usually collect a prescription or do the shopping for someone. They may cook a hot meal for someone regularly.

  29. New phone app to support carers in Kent

    News -

    If you look after someone then the NHS has launched a new phone app to support you called, Help to Care.

  30. What's it like to care for someone during a pandemic?

    News -

    This week is Carers Week. We know that hundreds of people in Kent are looking after someone right now. If you, or someone you know, has found themselves looking after someone during Covid, did you know that there may be support available to you?

  31. Calling daughters who look after their Mums

    News -

    Do you do the shopping for your Mum, or help her get to appointments? Maybe you help in the house or with her personal needs?
    If that sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you.

  32. Becoming a carer for the first time in the middle of a pandemic

    News -

    Many people have found themselves looking after someone during lockdown for the first time in their lives. This is never a planned life event and would be hard even during ‘normal’ times.

    Catherine talked to us about her experience.

  33. Looking for those that don't know they need to be found

    Report -

    We know that more people than ever before have been looking after someone during the Covid-19 pandemic.

  34. Do you look after someone who is living with Dementia?

    News -

    Would you be willing to chat about your experience of looking after someone with Dementia to help improve services?

  35. The challenge is that my husband won’t remember having the first vaccine

    News -

    People who look after someone at home are now entitled to the Covid vaccine. Penny looks after her husband who has Parkinson's. Both of them have recently been vaccinated for Covid. We spoke to Penny about her experience.

  36. Inspirational women for International Women's Day

    News -

    To celebrate International Women's Day we chatted to the brilliant Katy Styles. We've worked with Katy many times over the years and we know she has inspired many other people too.

  37. "Covid was frightening. I couldn't afford to get ill"

    News -

    We're lucky enough to hear from Carers every week so we know just how brilliant they are and how vital it is that they get the support they need. Today marks the start of Carer's Week, and to celebrate we chatted to Jenny who is a Carer.

  38. Do you look after someone who has recently been discharged from hospital?

    News -

    We'd love to hear from you!

  39. Are you looking after someone? Do you know your rights?

    Advice and Information -

    Each year on November 25th we celebrate a Carers Rights Day.

  40. Social care: What is in the new plan?

    Advice and Information -

    Find out what's in the Government's new social care plan and how it compares with what people have told us.

  41. Have your say on Kent's strategy for Carers

    News -

    Nearly 150,000 people are thought to be looking after someone in Kent right now. Many of them may not realise that they are carers.

  42. We chat to the Director of Adult Social Care about Carers

    News -

    We asked Chris McKenzie from Kent County Council, your questions about Kent's adult carers strategy.

  43. Do you know someone who could be a young carer?

    Advice and Information -

    Right now, 30,000 young people in Kent are believed to be looking after someone, but not getting any help.

  44. What happens when the person you care for is discharged from hospital?

    Report -

    Around 150,000 people in Kent are looking after someone right now. What happens when the person they care for is discharged from hospital? What support is available? How do they cope?

  45. Can you claim carers support if you have recently moved to the UK?

    Advice and Information -

    The short answer is yes! But it can be complicated so we have more detail for you.

  46. Visible, valued and supported. We LOVE Carers!

    News -

    A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, illness, mental health condition, addiction or who needs extra help as they grow older.

  47. 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.

  48. Are you a carer? Are you getting the help and support available? 

    News -

    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. 

  49. Read our annual report

    Report -

    Each year we publish an annual report. Here is the 2018 one!

  50. The Healthwatch Guide to Public Consultations

    Report -

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