1. Industrial Action: NHS senior doctors and the government reach a pay deal

    News -

    Senior NHS doctors in England have accepted an improved pay deal from the government after months of striking. Read our response.

  2. Translation support in urgent and emergency care services

    Advice and Information -

    If English is not your first language, have you used emergency or urgent care services? Did you know that the London Ambulance Service provides language support over the phone and on-scene?

  3. NHS 111 is now offering mental health support

    Advice and Information -

    If you, your child, your parent or someone you care for are experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency you can now contact your local crisis service by calling NHS 111 and selecting the mental health option

  4. Cost-of-living crisis impacts people’s access to health and care

    News -

    Our new data suggests that people are increasingly avoiding booking NHS appointments or taking up prescriptions because of the cost-of-living crisis. Find out more about the support available to help you cover NHS treatment costs

  5. Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week 2024

    News -

    This year, Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week is taking place between Monday 29 April to Sunday 5 May 2024, with World Maternal Mental Health Day 2024 on Wednesday 1 May

  6. Deaf Awareness Week 2024

    News -

    This year, Deaf Awareness Week will take place from the 6th to the 12th of May, with the theme of Celebrating Love and Trust. The aim of the week is to shed light on the challenges that the deaf community face and educate others on how they can support them.

  7. GP Access in North West London: Health Inequalities Lecture

    News -

    We recently hosted a discussion, in partnership with the Advocacy Project, to understand how patients would like to access their GP and allow them to share their experiences.

  8. Mental Health Awareness Week 2024

    News -

    Today marks the launch of Mental Health Awareness Week which is taking place from 13 to 19 May, with the theme of “Movement: Moving more for our mental health”

  9. 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.

  10. June Healthier Futures lecture – Survivor Stories: In conversation with Michael Rosen

    News -

    Every month, we come together with our host organisation The Advocacy Project and Brent Councillor Ketan Sheth to host a topical discussion about building better health equalities. Previous topics have included children and young people's mental health, food inequality and hidden addictions.

  11. Consultation on the future of acute mental health services for adult residents of the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

    News -

    A public consultation evaluation report on the proposed changes to acute mental health services for residents in Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea has recently been published. We have summarised the main findings below.

  12. Grenfell Tower fire review

    Report -

    This report outlines what has been done to date to ensure that the concerns and questions we heard from local people affected by the Grenfell Tower fire were addressed and responded to by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council (RBKC) and West London Clinical Commissioning Group (WL CCG).

  13. Your Experience Matters Survey – experiences of people identifying as Black Asian and minority ethnic residents - latest findings

    News -

    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.

  14. Statement on the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd.

    News -

    We are committed to equality, inclusion, and fairness. We are opposed to all forms of racism, discrimination, and prejudice.

  15. Exploring the exclusivity of digital healthcare

    News -

    The NHS is currently following a digital first strategy. From GP appointments to physiotherapy, many services are being moved online. Accessing services online is often called ‘digital health’.

  16. We take on a leading role in a new pilot project to reduce health inequalities nationwide with Healthwatch England

    News -

    Imagine a project that not only facilitates conversation and idea-sharing between Healthwatch branches across the country, it also plays an important part in removing barriers that may prevent engagement work with minority ethnic groups and other minority groups…

  17. We are piloting an exciting new student engagement project with the North West London Schools Research Network

    News -

    Healthwatch Central West London will collaborate with the North West London Schools Research Network to pilot a new student engagement project in schools across North West London.

  18. Consulting with the Filipino Community in collaboration with Sport4Health

    News -

    Over the past two years, collaborating with local groups has become an essential part of our work through our Small Grants Programme. It enables us to connect with people from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds and minority groups.

  19. How we’re collaborating with Imperial College London to raise awareness of local health inequalities

    News -

    Last month we were delighted to continue our relationship with Imperial College London by hosting four third-year medical students for a workshop on health inequalities and the work of local Healthwatch.

  20. We are what we eat: Transforming food aid in Kensington & Chelsea

    Report -

    Healthwatch Westminster and RBKC leads have completed a report on the importance of our local food aid resources and the residents they serve.

  21. The NHS at 75

    News -

    On the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the NHS, we want to renew our commitment to support and improve health and social care

  22. Lost for Words: translation services in Kensington & Chelsea

    Report -

    Evaluating language support and interpretation services within Primary Care Settings in Kensington & Chelsea

  23. Co-producing change: the mental health needs and experiences of young people in the bi-borough

    Blog -

    Our recent co-production event brought together representatives from local authorities, mental health professionals, and young service users to discuss the findings from our recent report, 'Don't presume we are fine just because we look OK.'

  24. Equality and Diversity Policy

    Report -

    Find out more about our commitment to equality and diversity.

  25. Our Priorities for the Year Ahead

    Blog -

    Our upcoming projects and priorities for 2024

  26. Quality and Equality in North West London Maternity Services

    Report -

    Sharing the views of 207 women across North West London

  27. The Accessible Information Standard - What you can expect from services

    Advice and Information -

    A year ago the Accessible Information Standard came into force. It requires any organisation providing NHS or social care to communicate in a way that everybody can understand. Here's a reminder of what you should expect.

  28. 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.

  29. What to expect when waiting for care

    Advice and Information -

    Waiting for planned medical care or surgery can be a frustrating time. That’s why it’s so important that while you wait, you get regular, clear and accessible updates so that you can plan your next steps.

  30. PPGs are responding to Coronavirus outbreak

    News -

    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.

  31. What have we learnt from our recent COVID-19 engagement work with LEGS?

    News -

    We have published a COVID-19 insight report in collaboration with LEGS. The report highlights the impact of COVID-19 on those who have had a stroke or who are living with a neurological condition.

  32. How we adapted to the pandemic: reflections from two members of our team

    News -

    It has now been over a year since the first nationwide lockdown in the UK. While the UK was facing its biggest public health emergency in a generation, established working practices and patient engagement approaches had to be altered and new ideas had to be put in place. With our office closed, and some of our colleagues working virtually from as far away as Greece and Bulgaria, we had to adapt quickly. In this piece, two members of our team reflect on the last year and what they have learnt.

  33. What does the lifting of most restrictions mean for local health services?

    News -

    On Monday 19th July, the UK Government lifted most COVID-19 restrictions in England. This has been called ‘Freedom Day’ by some people. So, what has changed, and how will this affect hospitals, GP practices, and other health services in Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea?

  34. Vaccination: now offered to 12-15 year olds in schools

    News -

    The vaccine is now being offered to all 12 to 15-year-olds and the NHS will be delivering the vaccination through schools. Schools are contacted with students of this age to arrange a date to vaccinate their students.

  35. An update on COVID-19 vaccinations for children

    News -

    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.

  36. Covid-19 booster jab to be offered to most vulnerable this spring

    News -

    A booster jab is to be offered this spring to those most at risk becoming serious ill from Covid-19.