1. Old Town Surgery January 2019 Enter and View report

    Report -

    This enter and view visit was carried out with volunteers from Swindon Advocacy Movement and is part of our quality checkers project, which looks at health and social care services from the perspective of someone with a learning disability.

  2. Patient Participation Forum - January 2019 Meeting Notes

    Report -

    Take a look at our meeting notes and presentation slides from our Patient Participation Group Forum held at Sanford House on 14 January 2019.

  3. Moredon Medical Centre and IMH Hub Enter and View report January 2019

    Report -

    This was an unannounced Enter and View visit to Moredon Medical Centre/GP surgery and to the IMH telephone contact centre/hub.

  4. Healthwatch Swindon Quarter 3 Report - 2018/19

    Report -

    Find out about the campaigns and projects we have been working on from October to December 2018.

  5. Ridge Green Medical Practice Enter and View report - February 2019

    Report -

    This enter and view visit was carried out with volunteers from Swindon Advocacy Movement and is part of our quality checkers project, which looks at health and social care services from the perspective of someone with a learning disability.

  6. Patient Participation Forum - March 2019 Meeting Notes

    Report -

    Take a look at our meeting notes and presentation slides from our Patient Participation Group Forum held at Sanford House on 13 March 2019.

  7. Health Based Place of Safety in Devizes gets positive reviews from people detained there under the Mental Health Act

    News -

    After receiving negative publicity because of the temporary closure of the Place of Safety facilities in Swindon and Wiltshire, Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group appointed Healthwatch Swindon, with the support of Healthwatch Wiltshire, to speak to people who have stayed there to find what they really thought of the Devizes facility.

  8. Healthwatch Swindon Quarter 4 Report - 2018/19

    Report -

    Find out about the work we've carried out in January 2019 to April 2019.

  9. Advisory Group Meeting Minutes April 2019

    Report -

    Each quarter we meet with our Advisory to decide which areas in health and social care we should focus on in Swindon. Read our meeting minutes from April 2019.

  10. Patient Participation Forum - May 2019 Meeting Notes

    Report -

    Take a look at our meeting notes from our Patient Participation Group Forum held at Sanford House on 2 May 2019.

  11. Quality Checkers Enter and View Reports: August 2018 - April 2019

    Report -

    This is a brief final report about nine quality checking Enter and View visits to GP practices and dental surgeries in Swindon undertaken by supported volunteers with learning disabilities.

  12. Do you need help getting to hospital?

    Advice and Information -

    Find out what support is available to help you travel to your hospital appointments.

  13. E-zec Medical Transport Services provide non-emergency patient transport across BaNES, Swindon, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire

    News -

    From 1 June 2019 the non-emergency patient transport service in Bath and North East Somerset, Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire will be provided by E-zec Medical Transport Services - a family run company focused on delivering high quality, safe, effective transportation for patients to and from a healthcare setting.

  14. Thinking about end of life care for you and your family

    Advice and Information -

    End of life care is support for people who are in the last months or years of their life. The guidance on the NHS website helps you know what to expect, how to plan ahead and how to manage your day to day decisions.

  15. CQC place urgent conditions on Swindon’s Moreden Medical Centre

    News -

    After a recent inspection the Care Quality Commission has placed Moredon Medical Centre in special measures. Read more.

  16. Our Health, Our Future

    News -

    Our Health, Our Future is a collaborative campaign coordinated by Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire CCGs on behalf of the wider STP which encourages people living in the three regions to reflect on their own experiences of healthcare and look at how services can be improved for the future.

  17. Our annual report highlights barriers that people with learning disabilities face accessing health services

    News -

    As health and social care champion, we have been supporting people with learning disabilities by visiting GP and dental practices in Swindon to assess how the services meet their needs. Read more.

  18. Eldene Surgery & The Phoenix Surgery - CQC reports

    News -

    Eldene Surgery and The Phoenix Surgery rated as 'Inadequate' by the Care Quality Commission after a recent inspection. Read more.

  19. Criticism of moving Swindon's walk-in health centre

    News -

    Moving an NHS walk-in health centre to Great Western Hospital will disadvantage the very people it was meant to serve, says a senior councillor. Read more.

  20. Healthwatch Swindon Quarter 1 Report - 2019/20

    Report -

    Find out about the work we've carried out from April 2019 to July 2019.

  21. The Orchards Care Home Enter and View Report - July 2019

    Report -

    We carried out an announced Enter and View visit to The Orchards Residential Home in July 2019.

  22. NHS Long Term Plan

    Report -

    What changes do people want to make to local NHS services? Read our report to find out what people were telling us in Swindon.

  23. Primary Care Networks

    News -

    Primary Care Networks are a key part of the NHS Long Term Plan. They bring together general practices so that they can work together at scale so that they can share costs, provide more services to patients and integrate health and care.

  24. What can you expect when you’re discharged from hospital?

    Advice and Information -

    It’s vital that when it’s time for you to leave hospital, you have all the medication, information and support in place to help you keep getting better.

  25. Abbey Meads Medical Group - CQC Report

    News -

    Abbey Meads Medical Group rated as 'Inadequate' by the Care Quality Commission after a recent inspection. Read more.

  26. Advisory Group Meeting Minutes August 2019

    Report -

    Each quarter we meet with our Advisory to decide which areas in health and social care we should focus on in Swindon. Read our meeting minutes from August 2019.

  27. New online appointment tool to improve patient experience at the Great Western Hospital

    News -

    Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is introducing local patients to a new online appointment service, aiming to improve patient experience and reduce the number of missed appointments.

  28. First of new providers for five GP practices in Swindon announced

    News -

    Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group is able to announce the first of the new providers that will offer long-term support to the GP practices previously involved with the Integral Medical Holdings (IMH) Group.

  29. Update on new providers for five IMH practices

    News -

    Following the announcement of Integrated Medical Holding's (IMH) withdrawal, the CCG provided the five practices with practical support to keep services running as close to normal as possible. Since then new providers have been allocated to several of the practices. Find out more.

  30. Patient Participation Forum - September 2019 Meeting Notes

    Report -

    Take a look at our meeting notes and presentation slides from our Patient Participation Group Forum held at Sanford House on 4 September 2019.

  31. Ashbury Lodge Care Home Enter and View Report - September 2019

    Report -

    We carried out an announced Enter and View visit to Ashbury Lodge Care Home in September 2019.

  32. Boobs, Balls or Bums? Let’s Talk About Cancer

    News -

    Old Town Surgery, together with Nationwide Building Society, are holding an event on Tuesday 5 November giving advice on coping with cancer. Read more.

  33. Eldene Surgery patients invited to meet GP practice’s new provider

    News -

    Patients of Eldene Surgery will have the chance to say hello to their GP practice’s new provider organisation at a drop-in event next month. Find out more here.

  34. Healthwatch Swindon Advisory Group

    Report -

    Each quarter we meet with our Advisory Group to decide which areas in health and social care we should focus on. This is a vital part of Healthwatch because it ensures we are independent and that the work we do is informed by members of the public.

  35. What is Healthwatch Enter and View?

    News -

    We have the power to 'Enter and View' providers of health and social care, such as hospitals, care homes and dentists, and to observe and report on how those services are being run.

  36. Update on PET-CT services in the Swindon area

    News -

    The NHS is committed to detecting more cancers earlier to save more lives. That means a major increase in scanning and diagnostics, so patients can easily access services like PET-CT scanning. Find out more.

  37. Do you need help travelling to NHS services?

    Advice and Information -

    Find out what support is available to help you when travelling to your GP, hospital or other NHS services.

  38. Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to take on two Swindon GP practices

    News -

    Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will take on the provision of services at two Swindon GP practices previously managed by the Integral Medical Holdings Group (IMH).

  39. New provider for Phoenix Surgery marks full withdrawal of IMH from primary care in Swindon

    News -

    Phoenix Surgery in Toothill will soon join forces with a neighbouring GP practice in a move that draws a line under the involvement of the Integrated Medical Holdings Group (IMH) with primary care in Swindon.

  40. Healthwatch Swindon Quarter 2 Report - 2019/20

    Report -

    Find out about the work we've carried out from July 2019 to October 2019.

  41. Growing pressures on access and staffing risk creating ‘perfect storm’ for people using mental health and learning disability services

    News -

    The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) annual assessment of the state of health and social care in England shows that quality ratings have been maintained overall – but people’s experience of care is determined by whether they can access good care when they need it.

  42. Three local NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups to merge next April

    News -

    Three groups responsible for the planning, buying and monitoring of health services in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire are to become a single organisation in April 2020. Read more.

  43. Community Pot Fund - Working with the Nepalese Association in Swindon

    News -

    In May this year were were invited by the Nepalese Association of Swindon to attend one of their meetings and talk about our work. Since then we have commissioned the group, through our 'Community Pot Fund', to speak to their members about health and social care in Swindon.

  44. Our Ambassador Volunteer Role

    News -

    We are always looking for volunteers to join our team. Read more to find out about our Ambassador volunteer roles.

  45. Our Healthwatch Volunteer Roles

    News -

    We are always looking for volunteers to join our team. Read more to find out about our volunteer roles.

  46. Our Advisory Group Volunteer Role

    News -

    We are always looking for volunteers to join our team. Read more to find out about our Advisory Group volunteer roles.

  47. Advisory Group Meeting Minutes October 2019

    Report -

    Each quarter we meet with our Advisory Group to decide which areas in health and social care we should focus on in Swindon. Read our meeting minutes from October 2019.

  48. Survey for service families in Oxfordshire

    News -

    Our colleagues from Healthwatch Oxfordshire are conducting a major survey into the experiences of service families using health and social care services in the county. Find out more.

  49. Occupational Therapists: Supporting patients to be at home

    News -

    This week is Occupational Therapy Week, 4-8 November, and the Occupational Therapy team at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust want to champion the impact of Occupational Therapy on the lives of patients and the communities they live in. Read more.