1. What should you expect when it comes to care for your teeth?

    Advice and Information -

    Four questions staff should ask you or a loved one about your oral health if you’re a care home resident, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence quick guide.

  2. Covid-19 Patient Experiences – What can Hertfordshire learn?

    News -

    During the first lockdown, we celebrated the NHS and others who put their own health at risk to deliver what services they could. However, there have been challenges and concerns raised about how patients have been affected.

  3. A Message from the Hertfordshire Local Dental Committee

    Advice and Information -

    As dental practices reopen you will encounter changes such as dentists and nurses dressed head to toe in full PPE. There is an even greater emphasis now on ensuring safe and effective measures to stop the spread of infections including Covid-19.

  4. Visits to dental practices in the Welwyn and Hatfield District

    Report -

    The reports from 7 dental practices we visited using our legal power to Enter and View.

  5. Visits to dental practices in the St Albans and Harpenden District

    Report -

    The reports from 7 dental practices we visited using our legal power to Enter and View.

  6. Temporary changes to dental care

    Advice and Information -

    Due to the coronavirus outbreak NHS England have made changes to the way they deliver dental care. To help prevent the spread of coronavirus routine dental care is not currently available and routine appointments will not take place.

  7. Visits to dental practices in the East Hertfordshire District

    Report -

    The reports from 6 dental practices we visited using our legal power to Enter and View.

  8. Visits to dental practices in the Stevenage District

    Report -

    The reports from 4 dental practices we visited using our legal power to Enter and View.

  9. Visits to dental practices in the Watford District

    Report -

    The reports from 4 dental practices we visited using our legal power to Enter and View.

  10. Dental Project: What Our Volunteers Did

    News -

    Healthwatch Volunteers involved in reviewing access to NHS Dental Health Services in Hertfordshire.

  11. Dental Report valued by NHS England

    News -

    Our report, “Access to NHS Dental Services in Hertfordshire 2016”, has been welcomed by the NHS England dental team after recently being passed on by the Hertfordshire County Council Health Scrutiny Board.

  12. Getting Local Dentistry Back on Track

    News -

    Healthwatch Hertfordshire has been rallying to help people struggling to access urgent dental care services during the pandemic, ensuring they get the treatment they desperately need.

  13. Staying Well This Winter

    Advice and Information -

    Our local NHS services are here to help you stay well, safely. Do not delay getting help for your health this winter.

  14. Involving the Public in the Long Term Plan

    Report -

    When the NHS launched its ambitious long-term plan in 2019, we asked you what you thought local priorities should be. Thanks to your feedback, the NHS should now have a stronger focus on involving the public in changes to community & health services.

  15. Covid-19 Patient Experiences – What can Hertfordshire learn?

    Report -

    Our report on people's experiences of health, social care and community support during the pandemic is published today. It contains the views of more than 660 Hertfordshire residents. Find out what people told us.

  16. Public Attitudes Towards the Sharing of Health and Care Information

    Report -

    Through our involvement with the Information Sharing work stream of the Better Care Fund Programme, we worked with colleagues from health & social care to better understand people’s views on the way health information is collected, recorded & shared.

  17. Access to NHS Dental Services in Hertfordshire. Summary of Enter and View Programme 2017-2019: Findings and Self Audit Checklist

    Report -

    What do dental practices need to do to make them accessible for their patients?

  18. Have your say about dental services in Hertfordshire

    News -

    We want to hear about your experiences of accessing dental services over the past few months, to learn what worked well and what could be better.

  19. Dentistry During Covid-19

    News -

    Healthwatch England warns the dental care crisis shows no signs of slowing, with four in five people (80%) struggling to access timely care between January and March 2021.

  20. Covid-19 safety measures stay in place at healthcare settings

    Advice and Information -

    Official message from NHS England - Anyone using or visiting healthcare settings must continue to wear a face covering and stick to social distancing rules.

  21. Improving Dental Information Online

    Report -

    During the past 18 months, patients have found it very difficult to find up-to-date information about NHS dental practices. Read our report to find out why and how patients could be better supported to find the information they need.

  22. Improving Dental Information Online

    News -

    During the past 18 months, patients have found it very difficult to find up to date information about NHS dental practices. Read our report to find out why and how patients could be better supported to find the information they need.

  23. What's the point? Nothing ever changes

    News -

    You might think your feedback doesn’t make a difference to how health and social care services are run. We want to show you that it does.

  24. NHS dentistry: Healthwatch England has co-signed an open letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer

    News -

    Healthwatch England has co-signed an open letter addressed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak calling for a recovery plan for NHS dentistry.

  25. Do you think you get the healthcare you deserve, regardless of race or ethnicity? Share your views and experiences

    News -

    Everybody is entitled to access equal and fair treatment from the NHS. But current ethnic inequalities in healthcare mean this is not always the case.

  26. Concerns about dental care at a record high

    News -

    Healthwatch England research has provided a stark reminder that decision-makers must act quickly to improve dentistry.

  27. What you've been telling us about local services

    News -

    Problems with accessing GP surgeries, waits for hospital appointments and care home visiting rules are some of the top concerns you've been sharing with us over the past six months through our Signposting service.

  28. Struggling to find a dentist and not sure what to do? We have the answers

    Advice and Information -

    We have heard from a huge number of patients who can’t access NHS dentistry. Here is some advice to help.

  29. Do you need support with the Cost of Living or help keeping warm this winter?

    News -

    Across Hertfordshire, there are a range of services that can help with financial pressures, paying bills, providing food, family concerns, care of older people and more.

  30. The rising Cost of Living is hitting Hertfordshire residents hard - here’s what you’ve told us.

    News -

    Hertfordshire residents say they are using less heating, eating fewer meals and becoming increasingly worried, according to early findings from our Cost of Living survey.

  31. What you've been telling us about local services

    News -

    Access to GPs and dentists, along with issues relating to hospitals and mental health care, are the top concerns you've been sharing with us over the past six months through our Signposting service.

  32. Listening to you helped us improve local health and care - our Annual Report 2022/23

    News -

    In our Annual Report 2022/23, read how we made care fairer, tackled the big issues facing local patients and involved communities in our work to ensure the best outcomes for everyone.

  33. 9 in 10 Herts residents have been affected by Cost of Living

    News -

    Our latest report - Cost of Living Crisis: The Impact on Hertfordshire Residents - reveals 6500 residents who responded to our survey have felt the impact of rising costs.

  34. Specific groups in Hertfordshire have been disproportionately affected by the Cost of Living Crisis

    News -

    Our report - Cost of Living Crisis: The Impact on Hertfordshire Residents - found that certain sectors of society have been disproportionately impacted by rising costs.

  35. Cost of Living Crisis: Impact on Hertfordshire Residents

    Report -

    In our latest report - Cost of Living Crisis: Impact on Hertfordshire Residents - more than 7000 local people shared many difficult stories of how they were being impacted by rising costs.

  36. Annual Report 2022/23 - Listening to you helped us improve local health and care

    Report -

    In our Annual Report 2022/23, read how we made care fairer, tackled the big issues facing local patients and involved communities in our work to ensure the best outcomes for everyone.

  37. Does your child receive NHS orthodontic care? We want to hear from you.

    News -

    We are working with the NHS to ensure children and young people receive the orthodontic care and treatment they need. If you have a child using NHS orthodontic services, we want to hear from you.

  38. 10 top tips to get the most out of your dental appointment

    Advice and Information -

    Everyone should be able to access good quality NHS dental services. Take a look at our top tips to help you get the most out of your next dental appointment.

  39. Someone I love has died - where can I find support

    Advice and Information -

    Take a look at our advice article on the organisations and groups that can support you if you’re grieving.

  40. What's the difference between social distancing, self-isolation and shielding?

    Advice and Information -

    Self-isolation, social distancing and shielding have been introduced by the Government to help you and your loved ones stay safe from COVID-19. Find out what they mean in practice and what applies to you.

  41. A Message from Our Chief Executive

    News -

    Healthwatch Hertfordshire CEO Geoff Brown reflects on learning from the pandemic from a Healthwatch and patient perspective during an eventful year.

  42. Helping to shape and improve Health and Social Care Services in Hertfordshire

    News -

    Our Annual Report 2019/20 is now published online. The report details the work that we have been doing over the past year to help the patient voice in Hertfordshire and to recommend improvements to health and social care services.

  43. I’m feeling lonely – where can I get support?

    Advice and Information -

    As older people are at an increased risk of severe illness, NHS and Government guidance advises that older people need to be particularly stringent in following social distancing and staying at home.

  44. Further updates for those shielding

    Advice and Information -

    On the 22nd of June, the Government updated the advice for those shielding. The new advice is being carried out in two phases on 6th of July and 1st of August. The advice takes into account the reduction in COVID-19 infection rates in recent weeks.

  45. Preventing infection in hospitals

    Advice and Information -

    From Monday 15th June in line with Government recommendations, outpatients and visitors attending hospital must wear a face covering at all times to help prevent the spread of injection and keep everyone safe.

  46. An Update for those shielding

    Advice and Information -

    From Monday, 1 June, people who are shielding are able to go out once a day for exercise but they must maintain social distancing.

  47. I’m shielding – where can I find support for my mental health?

    Advice and Information -

    The NHS has contacted people who are at risk of severe illness if they catch coronavirus – this is because they have an underlying health condition which makes them clinically extremely vulnerable.

  48. Those with serious conditions should still seek help

    Advice and Information -

    Data has shown that the number of people going to A&E has dropped, prompting concerns that the seriously ill may be staying away because of concerns about catching coronavirus, or not wanting to place additional burden on the NHS.

  49. Updated advice on the use of Ibuprofen and COVID-19

    Advice and Information -

    The Commission on Human Medicines has now confirmed that there is no clear evidence that using ibuprofen to treat symptoms such as a high temperature can make coronavirus (COVID-19) worse.

  50. Coronavirus: What does Shielding mean?

    Advice and Information -

    You may have heard the word ‘shielding’ in reference to coronavirus. Shielding is the word used to describe how to protect those at highest risk of severe illness if they catch coronavirus.