News and reports

In our Frailty and Ageing in Hertfordshire Report, many of the people we spoke to said they found the term ‘frail’ stigmatising and did not want to be associated with it. This was despite many of them having reduced mobility, long-term health conditions and difficulties completing daily tasks – factors which appear in clinical descriptions of frailty.

Many were also reluctant to talk or think about plans for care toward the end of their life. Instead, they wanted more help to live healthier lives now.

This policy sets out our values and provides an understanding of their application within the organisation.

This policy says how our staff and volunteers collect, store and maintain the information that people share with us in a way that values their privacy. The policy also outlines how we adhere to best practice around confidentiality.

This policy explains how Healthwatch Hertfordshire makes its decisions in a fair and transparent way.

In our Support for Autistic Adults Report, people told us that after diagnosis they often felt like they were left on their own to process a life-changing diagnosis and struggled to navigate services or find support.

It can be difficult to know who to contact and what to do if you are unwell or struggling at this time of year. Here you’ll find a list of services that can help and how to best contact them.

The majority of smokers we heard from in our Voices for Change: Shaping Stop Smoking Services Together report had been smoking for more than 20 years and 90 percent had previously tried to quit.

Many said that if stop smoking services were more local, accessible and in-person, they would be more likely to engage with them.

Children and young people are often discussed but rarely consulted. It's time to change that.

Read more about our November 2025 Board meeting in public. This time the Board discussed key internal and external changes, findings from our 'Golden Threads' branch of work, as well as looked at our recent contract monitoring submission.

We have responded to the Quality Accounts from 10 NHS providers in our area to ensure people’s experiences are captured and play an active role in influencing local healthcare.

Drug and/or alcohol use and poor mental health often go “hand in hand” and the two need to be treated in a joined-up way to achieve the best results.

This document outlines the expected behaviours of staff, volunteers, and 3rd parties in adherence to UK data protection law. It also gives an overview of how we ensure information is shared with partner organisations in a legally compliant manner.