1. Your wish lists for health and care services in Swindon revealed

    News -

    Hundreds of people in Bath & North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire have shared their views on how to improve NHS health services where they live.

  2. 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.

  3. Swindon Polish Catholic Mission Survey

    Report -

    This impact report outlines our findings after we spoke to members of the Swindon Polish community to ask their views of health and social care and accessing services.

  4. Annual Report 2014/15

    Report -

    Read our annual report for 2014/15 to find out about the work we've done and our plans for the year ahead.

  5. 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.

  6. Royal Voluntary Service - Craft & Gardening Sessions

    News -

    Royal Voluntary Service (Wiltshire) is excited to announce their new weekly craft and gardening sessions in partnership with Therapeutic Work In Gardening Swindon (TWIGS).

  7. 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.

  8. Seahorses Enter and View Report

    Report -

    We carried out an announced Enter and View visit to Seahorses Care Home in November 2019 with our team of volunteers. Read more.

  9. CQC Report - Seahorses Care Home

    News -

    The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has reported on its 10 December 2019 inspection of Seahorses, a care home in Chiseldon. It has been rated overall “Good”. Read more here.

  10. Review of Special Care Dentistry in the South West

    Report -

    In 2019 the Commissioning Support Unit carried out a review of special care dentistry in the South West and asked local Healthwatch to help carry out a survey of patients using this service in each local area. Find out more about the work we did.

  11. COVID-19 Insight Report

    Report -

    In April we launched out COVID-19 insight survey inviting Swindon residents to tell us their experiences of accessing health and social care during the pandemic. Find out what people told us.

  12. Dementia Action Awareness Week - 17 - 21 May

    News -

    In the UK alone, more than 920,000 people are living with dementia. The Alzheimer's Society expects this to rise to over a million by 2024. Monday 17 May sees the launch of Dementia Action Week. We look at what's on offer and how you can help?


  13. What should you expect after a dementia diagnosis

    Advice and Information -

    Receiving a dementia diagnosis can be a life-changing event, but knowing what support is available to you and what steps to take next can help you or a loved one process the diagnosis and plan for the future.

  14. What do the people of Swindon think about the future of community care?

    Report -

    Swindon Healthwatch and First City have worked together to understand what the people of Swindon think about the future of community care, now, next year and next decade.

  15. Dementia Case Study

    Report -

    My Voice Matters is ensuring the voice of people with diverse lived experiences & backgrounds are heard.

    We are proud to be able to give the opportunity for seldom heard voices to be heard by providers & wider organisations in their own words.

  16. Your April News

    News -

    This month we bring you a personal account of a loved one with dementia and the barriers they faced accessing care, our report for Macmillan sharing where the people and communities of Swindon would like to find cancer information and support along with our review of the chemotherapy services at Great Western Hospital. All this and more in Your April News.

  17. Great Western Hospital pioneers new approach to caring for older patients

    News -

    A more specialist approach to caring for the hospital's oldest patients has improved the quality of care and waiting times. Read more about the approach and its results.

  18. Annual Report 2013/14

    Report -

    Read our annual report for 2013/14 to find out about the work we've done and our plans for the year ahead.

  19. 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.

  20. 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.

  21. More Clinical Pharmacists set to boost GP services for patients and practices

    News -

    Nearly 34 million patients will benefit from improved GP services as NHS England boosts the number of surgery-based clinical pharmacists that can offer expert medication and treatment.

  22. Wrap up warm, stay well and enjoy winter

    News -

    We want to make sure that people in Swindon know the best ways to get the most appropriate healthcare quickly and without an appointment over the winter months. Find out more.

  23. Swindon Christmas and New Year Opening Times: Dentists, Opticians & Pharmacy

    News -

    Make sure you know the 2019 Christmas and New Year opening times for your pharmacy, optician or dentist in Swindon. Read more.

  24. Where can I go for help when I’m ill in winter?

    Advice and Information -

    Feeling unwell? Read on for advice about where you can go for help with your health during the winter months.

  25. Changes to services at Swindon NHS Health Centre

    News -

    From Wednesday 1 April 2020, the Walk-in Centre, based within Swindon NHS Health Centre, will no longer be available. Find out more about the changes.

  26. SpeakUp2020: Share your views and help make the NHS better

    News -

    New campaign calls on Swindon residents to share to their experiences of NHS services to help make care better for all.

  27. You, your pharmacy and Coronavirus

    News -

    Responding to people's concerns about medication, Swindon and Wiltshire's Chief Officer of Community Pharmacy has created a list of frequently asked questions and the answers to these. Find out more.

  28. Covid-19 and Pharmacies

    News -

    Pharmacies are experiencing a lot of demand during the Coronavirus outbreak. There are things that we can do to help ease the pressure. Find out more.

  29. Local ‘backline’ healthcare staff volunteer to deliver urgent and end-of-life prescriptions during lockdown

    News -

    Non-clinical staff at Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Group are offering a helping hand to community nursing teams in Swindon and Wiltshire by delivering urgent and end-of-life medicines direct to people’s homes.

  30. The NHS is still open this bank holiday, even if your nearest GP practice isn’t

    News -

    With many GP practices across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire reducing their opening hours this bank holiday weekend, doctors are offering reassurances that help will still be available for those who need it. Read more.

  31. GPs spell out the best way to get NHS help over the Spring bank holiday weekend

    News -

    GP practices across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire will be reducing their opening hours this bank holiday weekend, but local people are being reassured that the NHS is still on hand to provide help where it’s needed. Read more.

  32. GP video appointments help thousands of patients in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire

    News -

    Thousands of patients in B&NES Swindon and Wiltshire are now benefiting from video-based appointments, as well as patient care delivered remotely by GPs and other primary care staff, thanks to the combined efforts of NHS organisations in the region.

  33. Healthwatch Swindon Quarter 4 Report - 2019/20

    Report -

    Find out about the work we have carried out from January 2020 to March 2020.

  34. Healthwatch Swindon Quarter 1 Report - 2020/21

    Report -

    Find out about the work we have carried out from April 2020 to July 2020 in our Quarter 1 report . Read more.

  35. Free Flu vaccines to be offered to people aged 50 - 64 years of age 

    News -

    People over the age of 50 will be able to get their free flu vaccine from 1 December in the next phase of this year’s expanded flu vaccination programme, the government has confirmed.

  36. Local health and care organisations to partner up to improve patient experience

    News -

    NHS England and Improvement (NHSEI) has announced that Health and care organisations in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) are to join up as they meet the criteria to become an integrated care system.

  37. Swindon and Wiltshire winter opening hours - Dentists and Pharmacies

    News -

    Service times will change for primary care services over the bank holiday and Winter period. Below are the arrangements for Swindon and Wiltshire.

  38. Public told to know their options as Pharmacies and GP practices close for long Christmas weekend

    News -

    Many pharmacies and GP practices across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire will be closed for four consecutive days over the Christmas period.

  39. PPG Chairs meeting October 2020

    Report -

    This report contains notes of a virtual meeting of the Healthwatch Swindon PPG chairs/acting chairs and others and with CQC held by Zoom on 2 October 2020.

  40. Your questions answered on COVID vaccines

    Advice and Information -

    To date, over 30 million people in the UK have received their first dose of the vaccine. But as this is a phased rollout - what does that mean for you and your loved ones in light of new variants of COVID?

  41. "Don't call us, we will call you," plea health leaders as COVID vaccination rollout ramps up

    News -

    Health leaders call for patience as all GP-led, community-based coronavirus vaccination sites in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire open meaning everyone in the area aged 80 or over will be invited to for their Covid-19 vaccine.

  42. COVID-19 vaccination - rollout of letters to Clinically Extremely Vulnerable people

    News -

    From Wednesday 3 February, people aged 18 and over in the clinically extremely vulnerable group will start receiving letters inviting them to book their COVID-19 vaccine.

  43. Swindon Easter period opening hours - Pharmacies, Dentists and Opticians

    News -

    Some pharmacies and GP practices across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire will be closed over the Easter period.

  44. Healthwatch Swindon - Quarter 4 Performance Report 2020/21

    Report -

    The Healthwatch Advisory Board set our priorities in April 2020. Part of our focus has been on providing up-to-date information on health and social care services. In this report, we explore what we have heard from people and how we responded.

  45. Good News

    News -

    Help us spread a little Joy and share your Good News Story.

  46. How to save money when buying prescriptions

    Advice and Information -

    You can save money with your prescriptions with a prepayment certificate.