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If you would like to know more about Youthwatch,
please email-
Healthwatch Newcastle
info@healthwatchnewcastle.org.uk or
Text 07551052751 or Freephone 0808 801 0382
Healthwatch Gateshead
info@healthwatchgateshead.co.uk or
Text 07498503497 or Freephone 0800 038 5116
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This survey was developed by Healthwatch Gateshead to help Gateshead Council understand the experiences of care givers (unpaid carers) as we come out of the Covid 19 pandemic.
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Healthwatch Gateshead and Healthwatch Newcastle would like to understand:
The impact of the cost of living on your physical, mental, and social health.
Changes to your health and social care due to the cost of living.
The impact of the cost of living on your interaction with health and social care services. -
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Health and Social Care Committee inquiry into
NHS Dentistry Submission -
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Minutes of the committee meeting held on 18/04/2023. -
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Engagement Officer Jay Conlon Uses Personal Experience to Champion LGBTQ+ Health and social care Issues. -
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Read our latest annual report and all that we have done through the year as your local Healthwatch. -
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We are delighted to announce that the time has come for our much-anticipated Annual Joint Meeting, and we cordially invite you to join us for this significant event. This gathering serves as a valuable platform to strengthen our collaboration, share insights, and align our efforts for continued success. -
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This policy applies to all relevant decisions made by Tell Us North, Healthwatch Newcastle and Healthwatch Gateshead. -
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Read our Newsletters for 2023, stay up to date with information and activities from Healthwatch Gateshead. -
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- By Healthwatch England
New research conducted in 2023, reveals a concerning lack of public confidence when it comes to accessing critical NHS services in England. Approximately one-third of adults in England express doubts about their ability to receive timely healthcare, including services such as GP appointments, mental health support, and hospital care. -
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Celebrating Success: A Heartfelt Thank You for Making Our Annual Joint Meeting a Triumph! -
Advice and Information -
With more than thirty recognised symptoms of menopause and growing awareness of the impact on day-to-day life, it can help to know what to look out for and what support is available. -
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Read our minutes from the Healthwatch Gateshead Committee Meeting on 20 July 2023. -
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Do you struggle to speak to your doctor about your medical concerns? You’re not alone. Take a look at our top tips to make the most of your GP appointment. -
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Healthwatch Gateshead proudly announces the appointment of Afsana Begum as their dynamic new Research and Engagement Manager. Armed with an impressive degree in Public Health, Afsana brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will further invigorate the organisations' commitment to enhancing the health and well-being of individuals accessing health and social care services in Newcastle and Gateshead. -
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In a groundbreaking revelation, the latest report from Diabetes UK has sent shockwaves through the nation's healthcare landscape. The number of people living with diabetes in the UK has surpassed the 5 million mark for the first time, marking a significant milestone that demands our attention. This unprecedented figure not only highlights the scale of the issue but also underscores the urgent need for awareness, education, and proactive measures to tackle this growing public health challenge. -
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Healthwatch Gateshead and Healthwatch Newcastle are here to help make local health and care services better for you. We do this by finding out how you are experiencing these services and ultimately feeding this back to the people delivering and commissioning the services, to influence positive change based on what we have been told. -
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Healthwatch Gateshead and Healthwatch Newcastle undertook a joint research project to engaged with retirement-age residents of Gateshead and Newcastle to understand their experiences of loneliness and isolation. The project focused on three key areas including:
• Any factors people felt contributed to feelings of loneliness & isolation and its prevalence in people’s lives.
• Awareness and use of local services that focused on reducing loneliness and isolation.
• What worked well and areas for development.
We collected data from the survey from January 2023 to April 2023, and circulated both a digital survey and a paper-based survey format.
The key findings are:
• Loneliness can occur to anyone, and in particularly felt by those aged between 65 and 74, are women, and are carers.
• Loneliness is not simply a symptom of getting older but is instead prevalent when the needs of older people are not effectively taken care of. This is especially important in terms of access and mobility, including travel routes and venues for activities.
• Loneliness is something often felt for a long period of time and felt more actively in those aged between 65 and 74, possibly due to recent retirement and bereavement.
• Social activities are often the most successful in engaging older people, and community-based groups are well-received.
• Users who engage with some services are more likely to engage with multiple, services though there is a high rate of respondents here who do not participate at all.
• Key issues preventing potential users from engaging with services are poor transport options and a lack of development of local facilities.
• There is interest in specific activities, like physical fitness and arts activities for some people within some communities.
Our key recommendations are:
• Support those leaving the workforce in adjusting to the changes that retirement brings.
• Work with communities to create community action plans to make sure local facilities are being utilised effectively and for the benefit of local communities.
• Improve service infrastructure to ensure maximum reach and accessibility
• Establish a focus group or engagement group to help services better understand how to reach older people.
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Following on from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) reports on Newcastle Upon Tyne NHS Hospital Trust. Healthwatch Gateshead and Healthwatch Newcastle, alongside Healthwatch Northumberland and Healthwatch North Tyneside have released a joint statement.
Please download the full statement below. -
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The sudden rise in energy prices and accompanying increase in inflation in 2022 led to a big leap in the cost of living for people in the UK and wage growth since summer 2021 had not kept pace with inflation. Added to this, inflation has been higher in essential goods and services such as food prices. The cost-of-living crisis has dropped out of the news over the summer, but Citizens Advice Bureau Newcastle reports that there has been no drop-off in requests for support, especially around financial matters, and material support. -
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Healthwatch Gateshead received intelligence from the Gateshead Health and Wellbeing Board that users of the Crawcrook, Rowland’s Gill, Grange Road & Blaydon GP practices had expressed concern and disappointment with the services they received at these sites, and these comments led Healthwatch Gateshead to focus on three issues in particular: -
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People have been telling us about challenges they face getting NHS dentistry. As a result we are working with the NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) in the North East and North Cumbria to better understand people’s experiences of dentistry in 2023. -
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Minutes of committee meeting held on 31 October 2023 -
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Healthwatch Gateshead engaged with local residents to understand their experiences using pharmacies and specifically asked about:
• The reasons respondents visited their local pharmacy and the services they used.
• Any recent changes to the opening hours of local pharmacies that respondents were aware of and the impact, if any, these changes had.
• Local people’s awareness and usage of other pharmacies in the Gateshead area.
During a one month engagement period between 24th April and the 24th May 2023, residents of Gateshead shared their experiences using pharmacies in Gateshead. -
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Read our minutes from the Healthwatch Gateshead Committee Meeting on 17 Jan 2024. -
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Read our minutes from the Healthwatch Gateshead Committee Meeting on 02 April 2024. -
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As the voice of local people using health and social care, we ensure service providers listen and influence them to make changes so their services better meet the needs of the community. Your involvement will be instrumental in shaping the very fabric of health and social care services in Gateshead. -
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This year, Healthwatch Gateshead has focused on reaching out further to people in their communities to support them and hear their views. Download our latest Annual Report to find about more about all the work we've done to support local communities and help your voice to be heard. -
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Read our minutes from the Healthwatch Gateshead Committee Meeting on 10 June 2024. -
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The NHS Integrated Care Board for the North East and North Cumbria is launching the BIG Conversation to find out what matters most to women and girls when it comes to their health. -
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Join us at Gateshead International Stadium for the Annual Joint Meeting of Healthwatch Gateshead and Healthwatch Newcastle on Thursday the 19th of September (1pm-3.30pm). -
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Read our Newsletters for 2024, stay up to date with information and activities from Healthwatch Gateshead. -
Advice and Information -
We’ve compiled a number of useful links and downloadable resources to help you stay informed. -
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While people think about the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) as ambulances responding to 999 calls, nearly two-thirds of their work is answering calls to NHS111. From life-threatening emergencies to general health advice, NEAS plays a key role in the North East healthcare system. -
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This summer Healthwatch Gateshead and Healthwatch Newcastle attended Newcastle Mela, Pride in the City and the Out Northeast Family Picnic in Gateshead's Saltwell Park. -
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Read our minutes from the Healthwatch Gateshead Committee Meeting on 23 July 2024. -
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Have you experienced menopause? If the answer is ‘yes’ and you live in Gateshead, we want to hear your views! Especially if you have accessed HRT treatment for menopause (or tried to). -
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We are looking to gather experiences of those who have been discharged from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the last 12 months on Pathway 0. -
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On the 19th of September we held our Annual Joint Meeting, shared between Healthwatch Gateshead and Healthwatch Newcastle. It was an opportunity sharing our recent achievements, our current activities and our plans for the future, as well as receive feedback and input from partner organisations and the general public. -
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The Government and NHS England are asking the public to share their ideas for the next big plan for the NHS by launching 'Change NHS', a consultation to help shape a 10-year recovery plan. -
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Read our minutes from the Healthwatch Gateshead Committee Meeting on 24 September 2024. -
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Today is White Ribbon Day, when men and boys are called upon to change cultures and end violence against women and girls. -
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With the festive season fast approaching, we are encouraging patients across the region to order and collect their repeat prescriptions early to avoid potential holiday disruptions. -
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In partnership with Gateshead Council's Integrated Adults and Social Care Services we have published a new report focusing on the transition from children's social care to adult social care for young people with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities). -
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Take part in the biggest public conversation about the future of the NHS, and have your say! -
Advice and Information -
The Accessible Information Standard is mandatory for all organisations that provide National Health Service (NHS) or adult social care.