1. Advice and Information -

    Health issues unfortunately don't leave us alone at the weekend and people are often in need of medical assistance out of hours. Using NHS guidelines, we have provided some advice and information on where you can go for help when your GP is closed.
  2. Advice and Information -

    It's so important that you feel supported as a new parent. Read the article below to find out where you can go to get the help you need.
  3. Board minutes -

    Find out what happened at our Board meeting.
  4. Advice and Information -

    Are you having trouble finding an NHS funded dentist? Read our tips on what to do if you're facing problems.
  5. Advice and Information -

    Do you know about your rights to language support in NHS settings?
  6. Advice and Information -

    It's easy to feel isolated and alone when struggling with Long Covid, but we are here to help you find the support and treatment you need.
  7. Advice and Information -

    Confused about Long Covid? Find out the common symptoms and when to get support.
  8. News -

    The current hospital backlog has had a huge impact on many patients waiting for treatment. But if you are a woman, on a low income or from an ethnic minority background, you are more likely to have a worse experience of waiting for care.
  9. Healthwatch Sutton report -

    Healthwatch Sutton has published a report highlighting problems local people have finding a dentist, and making both routine and emergency appointments.
  10. News -

    From Friday 1 July, major changes have taken place in NHS organisation. The aim is to bring together staff from local councils and the NHS, including GP teams and hospitals, to work more effectively together to plan and deliver local services.
  11. Annual Report -

    Many people are concerned about accessing local services such as GPs and dentists. The pandemic has highlighted longstanding health inequalities and increased hospital waiting lists. Our annual report highlights the difference we've made in Sutton.
  12. Advice and Information -

    Mental health problems are more common among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ+) people. If you are struggling, feel alone or need a little help, then check out our guide on how you can get the support you need.
  13. News -

    Before the pandemic, Healthwatch England asked people about their experiences of getting mental health support. Three years on, they looked at what has changed and the questions the NHS needs to answer.
  14. News -

    The latest GP patient survey shows that overall satisfaction with services has fallen and more people are avoiding making an appointment. Read Healthwatch England's response.
  15. Health and care news -

    Record NHS waiting times appear to be increasing the number of people paying for private care, according to a new BBC analysis. Read Healthwatch England's response.
  16. Board minutes -

    Find out what happened at our Board meeting.
  17. Healthwatch Sutton report -

    Healthwatch Sutton surveyed local people about the effect of the cost of living on their physical and mental health.
  18. News -

    Our accounts for last year are now available.
  19. News -

    Independent health and social care champion Healthwatch Sutton is calling on local services to make more space for new parents in Sutton to talk about their mental health.
  20. Healthwatch Sutton report -

    The numbers of people ill with Covid are much lower than they were. But Long Covid remains an issue for many people.
  21. Healthwatch Sutton report -

    Both recent government figures and data from Citizens Advice Sutton have made clear the links between the cost of living crisis and poor mental health.
  22. Advice and Information -

    More than 1 in 40 people have had Long Covid. Some people don't get a diagnosis, have symptoms for a long time, find it hard to get support or lose hope for the future. These resources can help.
  23. Advice and Information -

    The cost of living crisis can make prescriptions hard to afford. But there are ways to reduce costs. Some people can get free prescriptions. And no one needs to pay more than £11 a month.
  24. Advice and Information -

    The continuing cost of living crisis is adversely affecting people's physical and mental wellbeing, with vulnerable people and those on lower incomes hit the hardest. This article by Healthwatch England provides some tips.
  25. Health and care news -

    New government figures show alarmingly high numbers of people are experiencing moderate to severe depression. The high cost of living is a particular issue.
  26. Board minutes -

    Our trustees meet every two months to discuss our work.
  27. Board minutes -

    Our trustees meet every two months to discuss our work.
  28. Healthwatch Sutton news -

    The NHS has changed its structures. Healthcare was planned by borough-level CCGs. Now these have merged into larger ICSs - SW London Healthwatches are coordinating our work to match.
  29. Health and care news -

    New research from Healthwatch England suggests it can be hard for some people to get a referral from their GP to another NHS service. One in five people they spoke to with a GP referral for specialist care had bounced back to general practice. Healthwatch England are calling for more to be done to understand people’s experience of getting a referral.
  30. Hide -

    Our trustees meet every two months to discuss our work.
  31. Board minutes -

    Our trustees meet every two months to discuss our work.
  32. Health and care news -

    Junior doctors - hospital doctors who are not consultants - are on strike this week until 7am on Saturday. Local NHS leaders have shared advice about what you should do if you need hospital care.
  33. Healthwatch Sutton news -

    Recent research has revealed serious problems in care for children’s mental health.
  34. Healthwatch Sutton news -

    We know from feedback through our website and at community events that many people in Sutton still aren’t able to see an NHS dentist. We have recently been told by a local NHS manager that there are no dentists in Sutton accepting new NHS patients.

    Access to NHS dentists is one of the issues – second only to access to GP services – that most concerns people about local health services. People are also concerned about the cost of dental treatment. Healthwatch Sutton is working with other Healthwatches in South West London and with local NHS bodies to highlight these problems and improve services.
  35. Healthwatch Sutton news -

    Recent media reports have highlighted serious problems with the ageing buildings at St Helier Hospital. We've raised our concerns with hospital management and will be taking further action.
  36. Healthwatch Sutton news -

    After recent media coverage we wrote to James Blythe, Managing Director at St Helier Hospital. He told us that patients deserve a better hospital environment, and that while they do everything they can to ensure patients get safe and effective care, this relies on workarounds which aren't sustainable.
  37. Annual Report -

    Our annual report is published as the NHS faces unprecedented challenges. Staff are working incredibly hard, but many Sutton people tell us they find it hard to access GPs and dentists. St Helier Hospital is in serious disrepair. We've taken action to highlight patients' experiences with dentistry, Long Covid and the cost of living. And we're working with other SW London organisations to make patient's voices heard.
  38. Health and care news -

    A recent report from the National Audit Office highlights various potential problems with the planned work to refurbish St Helier and build a new emergency hospital in Sutton.
  39. Healthwatch Sutton news -

    We celebrated our anniversary on 14 July.
  40. Healthwatch Sutton report -

    We surveyed over 1,000 Sutton children aged 9 to 11 about their mental health and wellbeing, and compared the results with the same survey conducted just before the pandemic. Their mental health now is worse – over half have had trouble sleeping.
  41. Healthwatch Sutton news -

    Local NHS managers have responded to our recent report highlighting a decline in the mental health of children aged 9-11 since the pandemic.
  42. Health advice -

    Still not fully recovered 4 weeks or more after having Covid? Help is available.
  43. Health and care news -

    NHS England is promoting a public consultation about changes to the treatment centre for children with cancer that serves South West London. They want the service to move from its current location at the Royal Marsden Hospital, citing safety concerns. Some patients of current service users disagree with this decision and say that the service should remain where it is.
  44. Healthwatch Sutton news -

    We have received a response to our report from South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust, which provides mental health care in Sutton.
  45. Health advice -

    One of the comments we most often hear about the NHS is that people are unhappy with their local GP. Here we comment on the topics patients most often raise with us.
  46. Healthwatch Sutton news -

    We're pushing for change after our worrying report from the autumn.