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.Advice and Information -
Health issues unfortunately don't leave us alone at the weekend and people are often in need of medical assistance out of hours. Using NHS guidelines, we have provided some advice and information on where you can go for help when your GP is closed.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.Advice and Information -
We've pulled together a number of services for parents in need of support for their mental health. Read more to find out where you can go to get the help you need.Advice and Information -
Find out what support is available to help you when travelling to your GP, hospital or other NHS services.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.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.Advice and Information -
Your mental wellness is as important as your physical health but seeking help can be daunting. Here's what to expect when you seek support for your mental health.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.Advice and Information -
The current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may cause you to feel worried, anxious, or scared. Read our tips to looking after your wellbeing when self-isolating.Report -
In our first annual report, we talk about the privilege and challenge it has been to kickstart Healthwatch Lewisham and what we've achieved thus far.Report -
In the 2014 - 2015 report, we share our work to understand people's experiences and improve key areas of focus based on feedback from community members.Report -
In our 2015 - 2016 annual report, we celebrate our growth on social media, the work of our volunteers, and our outreach at events across Lewisham.Report -
In this report, we talk about the impact of our new Lewisham NHS Independent Advocacy Service and introduce our new digital Feedback Centre, coming 1 April 2017.Report -
This year we started our #30DaysofHealthwatch campaign and heard from 74 percent more people than last year.Report -
This year saw us tackle issues such as men and young people's mental health, complaints information and access to services.Report -
Our 2019 - 2020 Annual Report highlights our achievements as the patient voice over the last twelve months.Report -
The impact of COVID-19 and subsequent changes to health and care services means that representing the voice of local people is more important than ever.Advice and Information -
With all the changes to health and care services, it's not always clear where you should go to report an urgent issue, to make a complaint or for further information.Advice and Information -
Find out what you should do if you have symptoms of COVID-19, what local and national support is available to you and how you can help keep yourself and your loved ones safe.Advice and Information -
Find out how health services are changing in response to coronavirus (COVID-19) and what that means for your care.Advice and Information -
Find out why vaccinating yourself against COVID-19 is important, how you can get vaccinated in Lewisham, and more.Report -
We visited Penerley Lodge to talk to staff and residents about the care on offer. This report contains our findings and recommendations to the service after our visit.Report -
Get the findings from our Digital Exclusion report December 2021 in an easy-to read infographic.Report -
For this research project, we engaged with people who are more likely to be digitally excluded to gain a better understanding of how this might impact their experience with health and care services.Report -
Between January and March 2021, our Youth Board engaged with young people to understand their emotional wellbeing needs and how they would prefer to access support.Report -
This report focuses on Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority experiences of hospitals in the London Boroughs of Bromley, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hounslow, Lewisham and Waltham Forest between April 2020 and March 2021.Report -
During the third COVID-19 lockdown, we heard from 1,141 people about their experiences with health and social care. Find out what they told us about local GPs, hospital, dentists and vaccination hubs by downloading our full report.Report -
We carried out a virtual Enter & View visit to the Swallows Care Home in January 2021. During our visit, we spoke with staff and family members about what life has been like in the care home for residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out what they said by downloading our full report.Report -
The NHS is delivered the largest vaccination programme in its history with COVID-19 vaccines, which are being offered across the country to those most at risk of the virus. We carried out a research project to collect the experiences of Lewisham residents so local services can understand what is working and what can be improved with this programme.Report -
This report focuses on residents' experiences of pharmacies in the London Boroughs of Bromley, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hounslow, Lewisham and Waltham Forest between October and December 2020.Report -
This report explores residents' experiences of dental services in the London Boroughs of Bromley, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hounslow, Lewisham and Waltham Forest between July and December 2020.Report -
During October to December 2020, we heard from 910 patients, carers, and relatives regarding their experiences with local health and social care services. This report outlines the key themes, findings and recommendations that emerged from our conversations.Report -
We heard the experiences of over 900 residents during July- September. Find out what they told us about local health and care services.Report -
We developed a survey which saw over 1,000 people in June and July share their experiences about access to health and care services, their mental health and how easy it was to get information to stay safe and informed during the pandemic.Report -
We held Feedback Forums aiming to understand the experiences of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities in Lewisham during COVID-19. Carried out in June and July 2020, the four engagement sessions focused on a number of themes including access, communication and impact on mental health and emotional wellbeingReport -
At the beginning of April, following the Government's guidance regarding COVID-19, We adapted the way we engaged with residents to include collecting online reviews, virtual Feedback Forums, phone calls with Lewisham residents and directly through our Digital Feedback Centre.Advice and Information -
The Care Act 2014 is a law that came into action in April 2015 that sets out how people’s care and support is approached by councils.Report -
In December 2019, we carried out three Enter and View visits at the Oakview Family Practice as we regularly receive feedback that patients in Lewisham face difficulties accessing GP appointments.Report -
we teamed up with our Healthwatch colleagues in Bexley and Greenwich to be part of the first ever joint Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham Learning Disability Big Health Day. Read our report to find out what people think of mental health services.Report -
Last year, residents told us that under the NHS Long Term Plan they would like better access to trustworthy information about health and wellbeing issues. Find out what we learnt when we mystery shopped local libraries.Report -
Residents regularly tell us that GP appointments are difficult to access. In 2019, we carried out three visits to the GP Extended Access (GPEA) Service, which has been created to make more appointments available in Lewisham. The Enter and View visits gave us the chance to understand patients’ experiences of the service provided by One Health Lewisham and whether it was helping to improve access for residents.Report -
The aim of the research was to obtain the views and (LTP) experiences of Lewisham residents to support the local implementation of the NHS Long Term Plan. We carried out local engagement and enabled people including seldom heard communities to have their say in how the NHS can better take care of them and how the care they received can be improved.Report -
We visited Fieldside care home to talk to staff and residents about the care on offer at the home. This report details our findings and recommendations for improvements.Report -
We visited The harbour mental health crisis cafe to talk to staff and visitors about the care and service on offer. This report details our findings.Report -
The six Healthwatch in south east London engaged with residents to ensure their voices will help shape the local implementation of the NHS Long Term Plan. The public were asked to give their views on improving local services; share their ideas on how people can live healthier lives and what improvements they think could be made to help people access services quickly.