News and reports

The NHS in Cheshire and Merseyside is calling for the public to check their regular medications and order any repeat prescriptions they might need early to avoid running out of essential medication over Christmas.

Healthwatch Halton carried out an Enter & View visit to Beechcroft Care Home in Runcorn in October 2025. We spent time speaking with residents, relatives and staff to understand how people are supported, see daily life in the home, and identify what is working well along with any areas for improvement.

NHS services across Cheshire and Merseyside are under pressure, with demand for primary care, hospital services, mental health, and emergency services continuing to rise.

Mersey Care is aiming to help Cheshire and Merseyside residents cope with the stresses of the festive period with a suite of resources designed to protect their mental health during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Extra appointments are now available for people in Cheshire and Merseyside who need urgent dental care – including for those who don’t have a usual dentist.

Patients and visitors at St Helens and Whiston Hospitals have shared their experiences of care as part of Healthwatch Halton’s latest Listening Events, carried out between August and October 2025. Over several sessions, we spent time in different departments speaking with people about the care they received, how services felt, and what would make their visits easier.

A total of 59 people took part. Their conversations give an honest, balanced picture of life inside both hospitals — what is working well, and where small but important improvements could help.

This report summarises what people told us during our Listening Events at St Helens Hospital and Whiston Hospital between August and October 2025. A total of 59 people took part — most of them patients — sharing their views about care, communication, waiting times and hospital facilities.

Following a recent public consultation, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB) has approved a proposal to introduce a single subfertility policy for Cheshire and Merseyside.

NHS teams in Cheshire and Merseyside are transforming the way healthcare is delivered in the region by bringing services closer to communities.

World AIDS Day is a global movement to unite people in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Since 1988, communities have stood together on World AIDS Day to show strength and solidarity against HIV stigma and to remember lives lost.

Men in England continue to face worse health outcomes than women. They face higher rates of heart disease, cancer and suicide, which is one of the leading causes of death for men under 50. Healthwatch England’s recent research found that these inequalities are reinforced by gaps in awareness, understanding, and engagement with health services.

The nine Healthwatch organisations across Cheshire and Merseyside are working together to understand people’s views and experiences of using the NHS App. Your feedback will help make sure digital services work for everyone.