Healthwatch Bristol
Healthwatch Bristol is your health and social care champion. If you use GPs and hospitals, dentists, pharmacies, care homes or other support services, we want to hear about your experiences and get involved with research projects!
About Healthwatch Bristol
We have the power to make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers listen to your feedback and improve standards of care. We also help people find reliable and trustworthy information and advice. Find out more on what we do.
Leave your feedback
We are here to listen to what you like about services and what you think could be improved. No matter how big or small the issue, we want to hear about it.
Changes at your GP surgery: download our latest booklet
Following patient feedback, the NHS has committed to making it easier and quicker for you to get the help you need from your GP and the healthcare community around your surgery. Our newly updated booklet explains what changes you may see, and how you can help us monitor them.
The booklet contains:
- information about the GP Access Recovery Plan and what it means for you;
- the roles of the various qualified health professionals who will be able to support you and offer care at your GP surgery;
- information about changes at your pharmacy;
- information about the NHS App, and digital and non-digital ways of accessing healthcare, e.g. booking GP appointments;
- how you can help us monitor these changes;
- positive initiatives already happening in the local area.
Healthwatch Bristol Projects
This section highlights the current research projects Healthwatch are conducting, asking the public to share their experience to improve care. We will update each project with more information on how you can get involved as they progress.
Have your say: Draft Oral Health and Dental Strategy
Access to NHS dental care continues to be one of the main issues we hear about from the public. The Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care System (ICS) has published a draft oral health and dental strategy for the next three years.
The strategy has been developed using patient complaints, feedback collated by Healthwatch, a staff survey and with the support of staff across all areas of dental provision, NHS England and local authority public health. It's part of a wider plan to tackle inequalities in outcomes, experience, and access to treatment and care.
You are invited to provide feedback on the strategy and share it with others. The survey closes on 30th June 2024.
Project Reports and Outcomes
Report: Investigating local health inequalities using the Core20PLUS5 approach
Findings
Access to appointments in GP practices is key:
- Many people give up trying to make an appointment as they say it is so difficult and too long a wait, reducing the opportunity for early diagnosis and timely intervention.
- People can feel judged or stigmatised during contact with their GP practice, e.g. when being triaged by a receptionist or care navigator.
- Communication challenges including not being listened to or being 'fobbed off'