News and reports

The government’s 10-Year Health Plan provides an opportunity to address systemic inequities in healthcare and support Southwark’s most vulnerable populations.

Healthwatch Southwark’s response is grounded in feedback from our listening tour, signposting and feedback data, past projects, our Community Health Ambassadors Programme and collaborations with Community Southwark.

This document highlights critical priorities for improving health and care services, focusing on equity, integration, and prevention.

Are you passionate about health research?
Join the CRF Research Advisory Group
Help make a difference for the community and innovate research

Learn what Healthwatch Southwark learned and achieved between July-September 2024.

Read more here about our plans for the future, how we will better fulfil our mission, and how we will explore our priority areas for future work until March 2026.

Find out how weight management and exercise programmes could be improved for the residents of Southwark.

Currently recruiting 70+ year old volunteers to take part in a vaccine trial

Information about mental wellbeing services in Spanish/Portuguese.

Find out what we have achieved in one year, since we launched our research report, "Access to Health and Social Care for Latin American Communities in Southwark."

Integrated care systems (ICSs) are partnerships that bring together NHS organisations, local authorities and others to share responsibility for how services are run, what policies and guidance is needed for them to be of high quality and effective and how they are funded across the UK.

Healthwatch Southwark requirements for promoting external content on our website, in our newsletters and on our social media channels

Access to affordable healthcare is a fundamental need, yet many low-income individuals struggle to cover medical expenses.

Providing support for healthcare costs to low-income individuals is crucial for ensuring access to medical services, especially for those who may not have the same access to support than others.

If you or someone you know is struggling with healthcare costs, exploring these options can make a significant difference.

Remember, help is available, and no one should have to avoid necessary medical care due to financial constraints.

The NHS Low Income Scheme (LIS) can be a useful resource to help alleviate the financial burden and improve health outcomes for those in need.

You may be able to get help with NHS costs such as:

- prescription costs
- dental costs
- eyecare costs
- healthcare travel costs
- wigs and fabric supports

Important numbers

NHS Low Income Scheme helpline – 0300 330 1343.

Prescription services helpline – 0300 330 1349.

Queries about medical exemption certificates – 0300 330 1341.

Queries about prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) – 0300 330 1341.

Queries about tax credit certificates – 0300 330 1347.

Call 0300 330 1343 for all other queries.

The Healthwatch Southwark Soundboard Listening Tour may be over, but we are still listening!