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. Visits to Care Homes in Hertfordshire - Phase 1

    Report -

    The reports from 12 care homes we visited using our legal power to Enter and View.

  4. Visits to Care Homes in Hertfordshire - Phase 2

    Report -

    The reports from 8 care homes we visited using our legal power to Enter and View.

  5. Visits to Care Homes in Hertfordshire - Phase 3

    Report -

    The reports from 9 care homes we visited using our legal power to Enter and View.

  6. Westgate House Care Centre Visits

    Report -

    The reports from our visits to Westgate Care Centre, Ware as requested by Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) and East and North Hertfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (ENHCCG).

  7. Gold Care Homes Ltd Care Home Visits Summary Report

    Report -

    The summary report from our visits to Halcyon Days Care Home, Autumn Vale Care Centre and Heath Lodge Care Home run by Gold Care Homes Ltd following our rolling programme of care home visits.

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. 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.

  11. Improving the Patient Experience of Making an NHS Complaint

    Report -

    In response to local feedback about complaints processes, as well as Healthwatch England's report 'Suffering in Silence', we launched our own research into how complaints handling works locally, and what could be improved.

  12. Nascot Lawn Health Scrutiny

    News -

    Anxious families now faced with the cold reality of losing the Children’s Disability Unit they rely on.

  13. Coronavirus Vaccine: Share your thoughts

    News -

    The national COVID-19 vaccination programme is well underway in Hertfordshire, with both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines being given to local residents. Whether you have had the vaccine or not, we want to hear from you.

  14. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has investigated ‘do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation’ decisions made during Covid-19.

    News -

    The CQC said it was unacceptable for any do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions to be made without proper conversations with the individual, or an appropriate representative, taking into account their wishes and needs.

  15. What is Adult Social Care?

    Advice and Information -

    Do you or a loved one need help with social care? Read the article below and find out answers to key questions about who can access adult social care and how to pay for it.

  16. Care Home Visiting Beyond the Pandemic: share your experiences

    News -

    Do you find your care home visiting arrangements flexible and supportive? Share your experiences of visiting so that we can help care homes to ensure that visits are safe, as well as meaningful, for you.

  17. 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.

  18. Visiting Beyond the Pandemic - A Review of Hertfordshire Care Homes

    Report -

    Concerns about flexibility of visiting times in care homes and lack of clarity about restrictions led us to explore what information was available on 135 of our Hertfordshire care home websites.

  19. How does the NHS in England work and how is it changing?

    Advice and Information -

    Big changes have been happening across England's health and care system.

  20. Fair access for care home visitors

    News -

    Thanks to our audit of care home websites and a visitor survey across the County, two new guides have been published to provide clarity about visiting since the pandemic.

  21. 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.

  22. 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.

  23. Shared Care Record - Connecting health and care information

    Advice and Information -

    The Hertfordshire and West Essex Shared Care Record connects GP practices, hospitals, hospices, out-of-hours/community/mental health services and adult social care information for health professionals.

  24. Registering with your GP: understanding your rights

    Advice and Information -

    People have told us they can have problems registering with a GP. This article explains more about your rights and what do to if you are refused the right to register.

  25. Accessibility checklist for GP surgeries

    Advice and Information -

    Help make sure that your practice meets people’s accessibility requirements using this checklist from Healthwatch Slough.

  26. Do you need help travelling to NHS services?

    Advice and Information -

    Find out what support is available to help you when travelling to your GP, hospital or other NHS services.

  27. Getting the most out of the virtual health and care experience

    Advice and Information -

    National Voices, Traverse, PPL and Healthwatch England put together some tips on how to get the most out of the virtual health and care appointments both for patients and health and care professionals.

  28. Don’t Rely on GP Websites for Cancer Information…Speak to your GP

    News -

    With the help of our volunteers we checked 103 local GP websites, and found that while most offered advice for patients about cancer, the quantity and quality of that advice was not always very good.

  29. By talking to us you have helped to make Annual Health Checks better

    News -

    We have been working with Herts County Council to find out what people with learning disabilities, their carers and support workers think about Annual Health Checks. The response was fantastic and our report is now available.

  30. Changes to outpatient activity made in response to Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak

    Advice and Information -

    Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, there have been local changes to the NHS provision of non-essential outpatient appointments.

  31. 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.

  32. GP Website Audit – Finding information during COVID-19

    Report -

    Are GP websites providing up to date information on COVID-19 and is there accessible and available advice for cancer patients, particularly at a time when it is likely that there would be an increase in patients accessing websites for information?

  33. Experiences of Annual Health Checks: Voices from the Learning Disability Community

    Report -

    Annual Health Checks for people with learning disabilities were being missed, or not done properly by local GP’s. This is how we helped.

  34. Accessing GP Services: Stort Valley & Villages Locality 2014

    Report -

    Working with Councillors, Commissioners, GP Practices and patients, we looked into issues surrounding access problems, and made recommendations designed to have an instant, positive impact on the way services are delivered. Read more here.

  35. Stockwell Lodge Medical Centre - Helping to Improve Access and The Patient Experience

    Report -

    Following a recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) which rated Stockwell Lodge Medical Centre as ‘inadequate’, we were asked by NHS commissioners to work with them and the Practice to help improve its rating and service.

  36. Survey launched to gain views on end of life care in East and North Hertfordshire

    News -

    Across East and North Hertfordshire, a new survey has been launched to gain vital feedback on end of life care to help improve services and share learnings.

  37. Healthwatch England investigates GP access during COVID-19

    News -

    The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way people access their GP practice and a report by Healthwatch England has found not everyone is pleased with these changes.

  38. 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.

  39. Sharing your experiences has made healthcare better for people with a learning disability

    News -

    Local healthcare leaders have made further improvements to Annual Health Checks, in response to our research investigating the experiences of the learning disability community.

  40. NHS sets plan to improve GP access

    News -

    The NHS has published a plan for improving access to GP appointments for patients alongside supporting GPs and their teams.

  41. Feeling the effects of Long COVID? There is help available.

    Advice and Information -

    For some people who have had Coronavirus (COVID-19), their symptoms can last for a long time after the initial infection has gone.

  42. 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.

  43. Ask your GP to become Veteran Friendly

    News -

    This Remembrance Day, show your support for veterans by encouraging your Hertfordshire GP practice to become Veteran Friendly accredited, so they can provide better care for veteran patients and, in some cases, prioritise their treatment.

  44. Working Together to Improve GP Access

    News -

    By working together with patients, GPs and the NHS, we are helping tackle the widespread concerns voiced by patients about accessing GP services since the pandemic.

  45. What do I do if I’m unwell over the festive period?

    News -

    It can be difficult to know who to contact and what to do if you are unwell during the festive period. Here you’ll find a list of services and when best to contact them.

  46. Barbara Birch: Volunteer Interview

    Blog -

    Barbara is an Enter & View Authorised Representative and has been volunteering with us since 2016.

  47. Breaking down barriers to cervical screening

    News -

    Cervical cancer screening is currently at record lows in England, yet some women with physical disabilities who want this life-saving test are finding it hard to access screening.

  48. Take action this World Cancer Day

    News -

    World Cancer Day, February 4, was an important chance to remind people to take action and help close the gap on health inequalities and save lives through early detection.

  49. Need support for an eating disorder?

    Advice and Information -

    Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses that anyone can develop, regardless of age, income and ethnicity. Take a look at some of the common signs of eating disorders and where to go for support if you need help.

  50. Having problems with your GP Practice, but not sure what you can do? We can help.

    Advice and Information -

    Knowing who to speak to about problems with your GP Surgery can be complicated, especially since GP Surgeries have changed how they talk to patients due to the pandemic. Read on to find out what you can do.