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Advice and Information -
Take a look at our advice article on the organisations and groups that can support you if you’re grieving. -
Advice and Information -
If you are experiencing or feel at risk of domestic abuse, or are worried about someone who might be, find out where you can go for advice and help. -
Advice and Information -
With more and more appointments happening online, we've 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. -
Advice and Information -
Many people who provide unpaid care are unaware of their rights. Find out more about the help and support you are entitled to. -
News -
In January, Healthwatch Central West London (HWCWL) launched its first ever small grants project.
The project asked local organisations who work with groups who are often under-represented in public discussions about health and social care to apply for the £500 grant, by telling us how they would gather their communities’ experiences of health and social care to support our ongoing local engagement and research. -
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We are pleased to share our latest report, Insights from BAME Communities in Central West London 2020, which presents the views of 73 individuals from BAME communities, who we held focus groups with, in partnership with BME Health Forum, last year. -
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Your Experience Matters
In April this year, we launched Your Experience Matters, our most comprehensive survey to date, in which we asked residents to share their experiences of the COVID-19 outbreak. -
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Our Annual Report is here!
This year has been more remarkable than most when it comes to public health, as we continue to develop our approach in order to meet the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Annual Report, as always, is an opportunity for us to share our highlights from the past year, and showcase the work of our wonderful staff and volunteers. -
Report -
This report, details our staff and volunteers’ response, it is clear from our findings that COVID-19 has affected people in different ways and exacerbated existing health inequalities. -
Report -
The COVID-19: Your Experience Matters survey was developed to capture the broadest range of experiences: in this report, we look at physical health and access to services; mental health and wellbeing; personal and family relationships; housing, environment and finances; and information. -
Report -
This report tells you what Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people think about the services.
We got these views from the COVID-19 survey. -
News -
The pre-booking process, using the NHS’s triage line, will allow A&E departments to be managed more efficiently and reduce waiting times. The NHS is to pilot a “call first” model of Accident & Emergency which could be rolled out across the country, health chiefs have said, as reported in The Telegraph. -
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Join a series of online workshops facilitated by The Fandangoe Kid, a Hackney-based print artist, to explore challenges and issues facing young people. The workshops will experiment with typography, layouts and graphic elements, alongside mixed media and collage, to make bold and engaging statements, to gather a collective voice in response to essential questions concerning young people. Full details, schedule and registration via Thrive LDN’s website. -
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The latest results from Young Healthwatch’s ongoing survey with young people in London is here: YHW Mental Health Survey Final.
When we first began reaching out to young people in 2019 (between the ages of 14 and 25) who were living, working or studying in Westminster, we wanted them to tell us about the health and social care issues that mattered the most to them.
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We want to speak to local users of NHS mental health services in Central North West London about how local care can address their protected characteristics. -
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The Patients Association is currently carrying out a survey to find out how patients feel about visiting GP surgeries as lockdown eases.
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During the Coronavirus outbreak, many PPGs suspended their activities allowing practice staff to focus on health emergency. However, most proactive PPGs continued working and were creative in their approach. -
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The most important part of our work is listening to local experiences of health and social care. It influences the information we publish, the resources we produce, and the recommendations that we share with local NHS providers. We want to reach more people who do not have digital access: this means email, social media, and even this website you’re looking at right now.
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We have been asking you to tell us how COVID-19 has affected you and your loved ones.
We all know by now that there is much more to the impact of this pandemic than catching COVID-19 (Coronavirus). -
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We have surveyed people about how they have been affected by COVID-19. We wanted to highlight the experiences of those who responded to our survey who identified as being from a minority ethnic group. -
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We are pleased to announce that we are an accredited Disability Confident Employer.
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As we adapt to living with COVID-19 long-term, technology has become increasingly central to how many of us communicate. With opportunities for face-to-face interaction limited, technology like video calling software has provided somewhat of an alternative. From doctors’ appointments to family catch-ups, how we communicate, receive information, and interact with others has changed considerably. -
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The way we carry out our work has changed substantially over the past eight months. We are not in the office anymore and have not been since March. We are not even all in the same country at the moment – with some of us working remotely as far away as Greece! This has meant we have had to change and adapt normal working practices. Lots of our in-person engagement work has had to be moved online, and we meet as a team, virtually, more regularly to help us all keep in touch. -
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At the moment, awareness of public health messaging is particularly important. A key part of our role at Healthwatch Central West London is raising awareness of Government and NHS public health messaging and working to ensure these messages are available to everybody. -
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This week we have launched an updated version of our survey Coronavirus: Your Experience Matters.
When the pandemic took hold earlier this year, we wanted to hear local people’s views and experiences. We ran focus groups and interview sessions with local groups and launched our first survey to give people the opportunity to talk to us about their experiences. -
News -
We have published a COVID-19 insight report in collaboration with Breathe Easy Westminster. The report highlights the impact of COVID-19 on those living with a long-term respiratory condition. -
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Last week we were excited to host our first virtual Annual Meeting.
We brought together over 80 Healthwatch Central West London members, stakeholders, volunteers, staff, trustees, external colleagues and local people to present our annual report and showcase our work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though we could not meet in person, we had a fantastic turnout, and it was great to see so many familiar faces. -
News -
If you are a patient or carer in any of the wards across Westminster or Kensington & Chelsea and are registered to a local GP, then the good news is you can join your GP practice Patient Participation Group (PPG).
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Findings from our young people’s survey highlight a distinct lack of connection between young people and their GP practices (Primary Care) in a time when they need it more than ever. -
News -
NHS England use a technical document called The Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment to make decisions about applications to open new pharmacies or to change their locations within Kensington and Chelsea. A public survey has recently been launched to find out what local residents in Kensington & Chelsea think of local pharmacy services.
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We have been carrying out engagement with care home residents, their family and friends, and staff across Kensington & Chelsea, to find out how well dental care services are working for residents. Our engagement found mixed results. -
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Following an email exchange with the group lead, our Youth Engagement Manager, Alex, attended Westminster Council’s ‘Tuesday Group’ in March to run an engagement workshop that would start discussions with young care leavers. -
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Over the last nine years, Healthwatch Central West London (CWL) has delivered the Healthwatch function across Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea. As with most publicly funded contracts, these are put out to tender by the Local Authority on a regular basis, and potential providers are invited to apply. -
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The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective. It gives you the best protection against COVID-19. Although COVID-19 is often mild in children, it can make some children unwell. -
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The Voice Exchange was a project we ran throughout 2021. Commissioned by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, the project focused on speaking with people in Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea, to explore how mental health services in the bi-borough could look in the future. -
News -
Today marks the five year anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire. This is an important day for our community and many local groups have organised events of commemoration and remembrance.
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Our complaints process outlines how to make a complaint about us and our approach to making sure complaints are resolved.
We aim to provide the best possible service, but we do not always get it right. -
Advice and Information -
If you have an hour to spare or you’re looking for a longer-term role as a volunteer, we offer a wide range of ways to get involved, from representing us at events, circulating surveys, or assessing the delivery of local health and care services. -
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We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds, faiths, and communities, as well as with any disabilities, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. -
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As an Enter and View volunteer you will join a team of committed and supportive volunteers and will attend training on the role and the skills required for enter & view visits, and how our role fits into the wider context of Healthwatch RBKC. -
News -
Help to improve local health and social care services and record what people say about the services they use. -
Report -
This report presents the findings of the Dignity Champions’ visit to Ellesmere House. The House is situated in the royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea and is run by Care UK Community Partnerships Ltd. -
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We've been working with our volunteers to put together a set of priorities, focusing on the issues that matter most to you.