Warrington & Halton Hospitals Listening Events report August to December 2025
Listening Events are informal visits where Healthwatch Halton staff and volunteers speak directly with patients, visitors and carers about their experiences of health and care services. They provide an opportunity for people to share what is working well and what could be improved, based on their experience on the day.
During this period, we carried out five Listening Event visits in total — three at Halton Hospital and two at Warrington Hospital. Each visit lasted approximately two hours.
In total, 72 people shared feedback. This included 47 people at Halton Hospital and 25 people at Warrington Hospital. Most participants were patients attending outpatient or diagnostic appointments, with a smaller number of visitors also taking part.
The feedback reflects the views of those who chose to speak with us during our visits. While it is not intended to be statistically representative of all patients, it highlights recurring themes and provides insight into how people experience care across both hospitals.
What people told us
Across both hospitals, feedback was largely positive. Many people described staff as kind, caring and professional, and said they felt listened to, treated with dignity and reassured during their visit. Clear explanations and supportive interactions were particularly valued, helping people feel more at ease.
Alongside this, a smaller number of people raised some practical issues that affected their experience. These included waiting times, pharmacy delays, communication about appointments, and, for some people, parking. These comments were not about the care provided by staff, but about systems and processes that can shape how people experience their visit.
Taken together, the feedback provides a balanced picture of what is working well across both hospitals, alongside shared areas where small, practical improvements could help further improve people’s experiences.
What happens next
Healthwatch Halton uses feedback from Listening Events to highlight good practice and to raise issues where improvements may be needed. The findings from this report inform our discussions with hospital leaders and help shape ongoing patient experience work.
Trust response
The findings from this Listening Events report were shared with Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
We received a written response from Chief Nurse, Ali Kennah, acknowledging the feedback from patients, carers and visitors who took part in Listening Events between August and December 2025. The response recognises the consistently positive comments about staff kindness, professionalism and respectful care across both Halton Hospital and Warrington Hospital, alongside the practical issues raised around waiting times, communication and access.
The Trust confirmed that feedback from this report will be used alongside other patient experience information, including Friends and Family Test data and national surveys, to recognise good practice and support ongoing service improvement.
Healthwatch Halton will continue to follow up through our regular meetings with the Trust and use future Listening Events to monitor progress and changes over time.
