News and reports

With the NHS under extra pressure this winter, we need to hear your experiences of care to help services understand what is working and spot issues affecting support for you and your loved ones. 

Access to an NHS Dentist in Halton is one of the main issues people contact us about. Read our report about the issues facing people looking to access NHS dental care and find out what changes Healthwatch would like to see.

Each year all NHS trusts and foundation trusts publish a Quality Account detailing information relating to quality, performance and improvements that have been undertaken during the preceding year.
Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals (WHH) would now like to have your views on their Quality Priorities for 2023/2024.

Ambulance service staff from GMB and Unison trade unions will go on strike again on Wednesday, 11th January 2023, with Unison and Unite members taking further action on Monday, 23rd January 2023. This is a continuing dispute between trade unions and the government over pay.

Many of us drink too much without realising it. This could be having a big effect on us both now and in the future; heavy and regular drinking is linked to mental health problems, liver disease, seven forms of cancer and more. Is your drinking healthy?

The number of people avoiding an NHS appointment because they can’t afford travel almost doubled between October and December as the cost of living crisis is forcing many to change how they use health and care services.

This report highlights the public feedback received during our outreach session at Whiston Hospital on 5 December 2022.

Stopping smoking is one of the best things you will ever do for your health. You health starts to improve right away and you will also save a lot of money.

When you stop, you give your lungs the chance to repair and you will be able to breathe easier. There are lots of other benefits too – and they start almost immediately.

So make this January your fresh start and join the thousands who are quitting. It's never too late to quit. You can do it.

Figures from NHS England show 7.2 million people were waiting to start routine treatment at the end of October, up from 7.1 million in September. Read our response.

Around 1,907 people in England were waiting for planned treatment, such as hip or knee replacements more than two years at the end of October, which is down slightly from 2,239 at the end of September.

As daylight gets shorter, nights get longer, the weather this week is certainly on the change to becoming chillier sitting at -0 and more.

Halton Health Hub opened to patients at the end of November 2022. The new Halton Health Hub is located within Runcorn Shopping City and provides three community based, outpatient services from Warrington and Halton Hospitals Foundation Trust. You can contact the Halton Health Hub in Runcorn at: 01928 753547.

Recent reports of serious Group A Strep infections (GAS) can be worrying. Whilst the more serious Invasive GAS infections are still uncommon, there has been an increase in cases this year, particularly in children under 10 and sadly, a small number of deaths.