Your Voice Matters – What We Heard in Q2 2024
Healthwatch Halton | July – September 2024
Every month, we go out into the community to hear what local people think about health and care services in Halton. Here's a look at what we did – and the difference your feedback made.
👥 Speaking with Local People
Between July and September, we attended 90 community events and spoke with over 1,600 people.
We visited:
- GP surgeries and pharmacies
- Community events like Pride@ThePriory and the Town Hall Family Fun Day
- Widnes Market, libraries, hospitals and care homes
- Mental health and wellbeing services
💬 What You Told Us
We heard from 405 people about their experiences with local services.
Here’s what stood out:
- 176 people gave feedback on the new Pharmacy First service
- 154 shared their hospital experiences at Listening Events
- Common themes included:
- Difficulties booking GP and dental appointments
- Issues with hospital discharges and community nursing
- Concerns around advocacy, transport, and mental health access
We also helped 71 people who contacted us directly with questions or problems – whether face to face, by phone or online.
🧭 Helping People Find the Right Support
Our advice and information pages were viewed over 4,000 times this quarter.
We also added new content on topics like:
- Cervical screening – making it work for you
- Blood pressure awareness
- What to expect from your pharmacy
📣 Sharing Your Voice
We’re always working to make sure your voice reaches decision-makers.
Some examples this quarter:
- Helped a local resident with learning difficulties get a much-needed sick note and support from DWP
- Got diabetes care back on track for a patient left without help after hospital discharge
- Raised concerns about an unsafe taxi discharge from hospital – which led to a formal apology and review
🌐 Reaching More People Online
- Our website welcomed 8,568 visitors
- We sent out 3 email bulletins to 556 subscribers
- Facebook posts reached over 17,000 people – more than double last quarter’s reach!
📝 Latest Reports
Take a look at what we’ve been working on:
- Community Diagnostic Centres – National Report
- Whiston & St Helens Listening Events (Jun–Aug 2024)
- Warrington & Halton Listening Events (Jun–Aug 2024)
💡 Want to share your experience or need support?
We’re here to help.
📞 Call: 0300 777 6543
📣 Share your story
or ask a question: enquiries@healthwatchhalton.co.uk