Find out how Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire can help you by watching this video
Our aim is to improve health and social care services in Central Bedfordshire.
To do this we need your feedback about local GP surgeries, hospitals, dentists, pharmacies, opticians, social care, emergency care and community based health teams. With this, we are able to inform, liaise, influence and, if necessary, challenge decisions and plans.
For all of this, we need your help!
Please help us by sharing your experiences of all or any of these services by clicking on the button below.
Tell us when things are going well and when they’re not, so we can do something about it.
The King’s Fund has published a report on the future of patient voice, following the government’s announcement to abolish Healthwatch and transfer its functions into other parts of the system.
This report provides a timely and important reflection on what has been learned from the Healthwatch model and what needs to be considered as new arrangements are developed.
In summary, the key messages are:
- Healthwatch’s independence has been fundamental to its credibility and its ability to raise concerns on behalf of patients and communities.
- Its strong local relationships, particularly with seldom-heard groups, and its ability to gather rich qualitative insight have been significant strengths.
- The “hub and spoke” model has enabled local intelligence to inform national policy and vice versa.
- However, its impact has been constrained by limited statutory powers, meaning it has not always been able to ensure that issues identified lead to meaningful change.
- Ongoing reductions and variation in funding, alongside commissioning arrangements, have contributed to inconsistency in capacity and impact across the network.
Giving children and Young People a voice
Young Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire gains Investing in Children Membership Award
Young Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire (YHWCB) are delighted to gain this recognition from Investing in Children.
Like to learn more about Young Healthwatch?
If you are under 25, why not consider becoming a member of Young Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire? Get in touch for more information.
YHW Digital Art by Daisy
Recent Feedback
After a nasty fall Jan 2022 my R shoulder got progressively difficult to move and excruciatingly painful. It was very crunchy and popping, with multiple ‘knots’ across my shoulder, traps and back to t
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Promised they’d refer me to find out months later they never did
This is a great initiative! The video was really helpful in understanding how Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire can help people navigate the system and ensure their voices are heard. It’s reassuring to know there’s an organization dedicated to improving health and social care based on community feedback.
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For a young person who is adopted, diagnosed autistic and has developmental trauma these sessions were very non neuro-affirming. This was primarily down to one practitioner in particular, whose approa
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Was referred for long standing back pain and curvature on the spine, the initial appointment has left me feeling extremely unheard and disheartened. The doctor I spoke to had clearly not read my notes
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I am increasingly impressed with the service we receive from Lower Stondon. Regular messages from the nurses, contact from the pharmacist and the ability to see a doctor to discuss concerns should the
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This service is a complete joke. Letters and details about meds regularly written wrong, no empathy, no understanding , rude staff, rarely call when you phone them and never respond to email. Shamboli
It’s good to see Healthwatch providing information on local services like the Ampthill Community Mental Health Team. Having the direct phone number and a link to the ELFT website readily available is really helpful for those trying to connect with them. Hopefully, this can help people access the support they need more easily.
It’s good to see Healthwatch providing information on local mental health services like the Ampthill Community Mental Health Team. Having the address and contact number readily available is incredibly helpful. I appreciate knowing they link to the ELFT website too, so people can find out even more about the team’s specific services.
I suffered chronic pain all my life to know I was miss diagnosed for over forty years and still suffering.
The NHS has left me worse to how I was due to a procedure in 2022,they now are not interested.
It relates to an operation I had as a child that went wrong.