News and reports

We have been listening to unpaid carers about their experiences, the support they receive and further support they would like, and the impact that their role has on their life and wellbeing.

We wanted to understand the potential benefits of social prescribing for residents, and to explore how social prescribing could work as effectively as possible for them.

This report reflects a solid year of work for the Healthwatch staff team and the support of the volunteers and members.

In November 2018, Healthwatch Southwark used our power of Enter and View to visit Southwark's only public nursing home, Tower Bridge Care Centre.

During 2017/18, we have worked on three out of five of our priorities; Timely access to GPs, Going Home and Help in a Mental Health Crisis.

From October 2016 to February 2017 we spoke with 397 local people about what they thought HWS should focus on in 2017/18.

We found through our work on GP access that some people use A&E instead of out-of-hour services which are available if their GP practice is closed.

Following an early report about the experiences of seldom-heard communities in accessing GPs, we carried out a review of GP out-of-hours answerphone messages.

The six Healthwatch in South East London were commissioned to provide independent support to the NHS London region with the evaluation of the Transforming Primary Care Programme's winter communications programme.

In 2016, Healthwatch Southwark were involved in speaking to patients in short stay 'step-down' flats in an extra care scheme after leaving hospital.

Mental health was identified as a priority area for Healthwatch Southwark (HWS) through public and stakeholder consultation.

Over the summer of 2016, we engaged with 114 young people aged 12-23, via workshops and surveys, to find out about their experiences of mental health education and information, access to services, and where they prefer to go for support.