News & reports

Healthwatch Southend is inviting Deaf people who use British Sign Language (BSL) to take part in a focus group about their experiences of using general practice (GP services). We want to hear directly from Deaf people about what works well, what does not, and what needs to improve when accessing GP services. Why are we doing this? In 2023, Healthwatch Southend held focus groups with Deaf people and found significant inequalities in access to GP services. These included: Lack

The NHS is planning to launch a new service, offering adult patients the chance to have an online outpatient appointment with a consultant in another part of the country. This should mean shorter waiting times and less travel. It is hoped the new NHS Online NHS Trust will be up and running from 2027. It forms part of the NHS 10 Year Plan and it is hoped that some 8 million appointments will be offered in the first three years. Starting with gynaecology, urology, gastroenter

Help Shape Mental Health Services in Southend NHS Mid and South Essex integrated care system want to hear from local people about their experiences of community mental health services. Whether you’ve used these services yourself or supported a friend, family member, or loved one, your feedback is incredibly important. By sharing your experiences, whether good, bad, or somewhere in between, you can help make sure mental health services reflect what really matters to the people