News

Moorfields consultation reminder

A public consultation is running on a proposal to move Moorfields Eye Hospital’s services to a new centre bringing together excellent eye care, ground-breaking research and world-leading education in ophthalmology. The consultation runs until Monday 16 September and they are keen to hear from...

Healthwatch Barking and Dagenhams Annual Report 2018-2019

Blog: Did you know three out of five of us will become a carer at some point in our lives?

Carers week happens once a year, and this year it is happening from the 10 th – 16 th June. The theme this year is getting carers connected, whether to their communities, to services, to advice and information, to friends and families, or to other carers. Did you know three out of five of us...

Blog:Volunteering at Healthwatch

Healthwatch is an organisation that champions people using health and social care services and takes up what they are saying and share that with people with the power to bring about change. Healthwatch allows for volunteers from all walks of life as long as they are willing. As a volunteer for...

Blog:Volunteering: is it worth it? A volunteers perspective!

A blog written by one of our volunteers about the benefits of volunteering! If volunteering is payment free, why take part? Is reward the only reason for engagement? And if so, must it be defined by monetary value? Volunteers week takes place next week between 1-7 June 2019, I thought it would be a...

Blog:What mattered to ME!

I magine being rushed to hospital, unconscious and on the brink of death. That’s what happened to Philippa* last year: “When I eventually came back to life, I had no idea what had happened, but I was welcomed by friendly nurses!” Philippa was admitted to a local hospital under the...

The Royal College of Surgeons is looking to fill four lay member positions on its Patient and Lay Group (PLG).

The Royal College of Surgeons is looking to fill four lay member positions on its Patient and Lay Group (PLG). The PLG promotes the care of surgical patients through influencing the Royal College of Surgeons and its members, policies, and standards. It provides an independent patient and lay view...

Chemotherapy services at Local Trust: concerns raised

Healthwatch organisations from Redbridge, Havering and Barking and Dagenham will tonight (Tuesday 9 April) provide a report to the Outer North East London Joint Health Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC) in response to a request to gather the views of patients using chemotherapy services at Barking and...

GP appointments available in Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge on Good Friday and Easter Sunday

Please see news from Barking and Dagenham Clinical Commissoning group informing local people about the availability of GP appointments during the Easter holidays!(08 April 2019, 09:00) GPs are reminding people in Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge they can book appointments over the whole...

April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Mouth

Bo wel cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the lower bowel and can sometimes be referred to as colon or rectal cancer . The aim during this mouth is to bring awareness amongst everyone that bowel cancer can effect anyone, it doesn’t matter what background you’re from or who you...

What would you do? Its your NHS! Have your say!

With growing pressure on the NHS – an ageing population, more people living with long-term conditions, and lifestyle choices affecting people’s health – changes are needed to make sure everybody gets the support they need. The Government is investing an extra £20bn a year in...

BLOG:Will young men talk about their mental health?

F or Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham, World Mental Health Day back in October was a good one. Working together with LifeLine Projects, Faith Action, Barking and Dagenham College, the Community Recovery Team from NELFT and the Local Authority – we were able to reach out and engage with young...

Healthwatch are engaging and working with groups of young people to get an insight into what issues might affect their mental well-being

Healthwatch has been engaging and working with groups of young people to get an insight into what issues might affect their mental wellbeing, how they deal with the down days and difficult issues, what is good for them and what makes them happy and what they know about where to go if they need to...

Coventry University students partner with Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham to put people at the heart of care

Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham welcomed six students from Coventry University’s Health and Social care course to spend three days with them last week. The placement offered students the chance to get involved with local healthcare by finding out what matters to people who live in Barking...

BLOG:Why Volunteer? The benefits

You may be thinking what will I gain from volunteering? Why should I volunteer for Healthwatch? Well, you may not realise what the benefits of volunteering are! They’re HUGE by the way – much bigger than you think – for you, your family and your local community. Research has shown...

Access to GPs: Call for information: Tell us your views!

GP services are vital and usually the first point of contact for many when something isn’t quite right with one’s health, but when undertaking a survey 27% of local people have told Healthwatch that they struggled to access these services. GPs are a universal service, which most of us...

BLOG:Who Knows 2018; You said we did!

Healthwatch Annual Survey! You said we did Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham believe it is only by listening to people who use the services that we can determine where improvements can be made and use this information to hold services to account. But how do we know if we are having a real impact and...

Blog:The importance of young people’s involvement in health and care services

Through our work we find out whether local health and social care services are meeting the needs and demands of children and young people! Our remit covers all health and social care services, which are paid for through the tax system. Some of the areas as highlighted by Healthwatch England include...

BLOG: Current issues in accessing GP services!

Current issues in accessing GP services! The thoughts of local people GPs are a universal service, which most of us have accessed. They play a pivotal role in the community, through the provision of advice, referrals and free healthcare. It is a vital service and usually the first point of contact...

Blog:‘Breaking the Barrier!’ Dementia and Stigma in BAME Communities

What Do the Stats Say? Since 2015 estimates have varied between 15,000 and 25,000 people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities being diagnosed and living with dementia in the UK. Compared with the total estimate of 850,000 in the UK, this represents between 1.76% and 3% of the estimated...

Blog:GP services! The thoughts of local people!

GPs are a universal service, which most of us have accessed. They play a pivotal role in the community, through the provision of advice, referrals and free healthcare. It is a vital service and usually the first point of contact for many when something isn’t quite right with one’s...

Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham Annual Report 2017/2018

Our Annual Report contains details of the impact our work has had over the last year. Take a look at what we have been up to over the last year and how your voices have resulted in change!

Blog:Share your story

We have all accessed health or social care services at some point in our lives, some of us have received good care and others not so good. What do you do when you receive an excellent service? What do you do when you receive care which needs improving? Check out our blog on how you can share your...

Who Knows: Healthwatch Annual Review 2017-18

Did you take part on our annual review? If you did, then a big thanks. Our key findings were: 79% of the respondents said they had not been aware of Healthwatch prior to taking the survey. Majority (76%) of the respondents indicated they use Facebook whilst 39% said they use Instagram. These...

Lay member: sexual health committee

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) are looking for: lay members to join the sexual health committe. They are looking for people who have an understanding of sexual health services and the issues important to patients. This understanding could have been gained: through...