1. How well do local health and care services support the needs of people with autism?

    Report -

    Throughout the Autumn of 2016 we spoke with Islington residents with Autism Spectrum Condition, and with their families.

  2. What should you expect when it comes to care for your teeth?

    Advice and Information -

    Four questions staff should ask you or a loved one about your oral health if you’re a care home resident, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence quick guide.

  3. Six ways health services can improve waiting rooms

    Advice and Information -

    Here are six steps that people have told us health and social care services can take to provide a better environment while they wait.

  4. What makes for a good text reminder?

    News -

    Increasingly, health providers will text us a reminder ahead of our appointments to help us remember them. We like these reminders, but do we always get all the information we need?

  5. How can you find an NHS dentist?

    Advice and Information -

    Are you having trouble finding an NHS funded dentist? Read our tips on what to do if you’re facing problems.

  6. Local care home residents are well supported with their oral health

    News -

    Our volunteers visited six local care homes, speaking to residents, relatives and staff. We also met with the Oral Health Promotion Team from Whittington Health.

  7. Oral health in Islington care homes

    Report -

    We visited six homes, speaking to 46 residents, 24 relatives and 31 staff. We wanted to see how residents were supported with their oral health and whether there was any room for improvement.

  8. How to get an NHS dentist appointment during COVID-19

    Advice and Information -

    Routine dental care has had to change because of COVID-19, with social distancing rules making it difficult to access services. Here’s some information on how to access an NHS dentist during the pandemic.

  9. Orthodontic treatment following the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in England

    Report -

    NHS Patient Information Leaflet

  10. Dental services in Camden and Islington are prioritising patients with the highest need

    News -

    Most dental practices have to have up to one hour gaps between patients if they are providing treatments, to maintain a safe environment for patients and staff. This means that available appointments are in short supply.

  11. Our annual report 2020-21

    Report -

    We engaged with and supported 2,189 residents with issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic this year. 781 people shared their experiences of health and social care.

  12. Islington residents continue to experience difficulties accessing dental services

    Blog -

    Lack of access to NHS dental services is a big issue at the moment. Philippa Russell, our Community Link Worker, shares her thoughts.

  13. Share your experiences of accessing NHS dentistry

    News -

    How easy have you found it to find an NHS dentist, or to access NHS dental care?

  14. Local dentists and dental providers answer your questions about NHS dental services

    Advice and Information -

    Our September event gave residents a chance to put questions to dental professionals and share their experiences of services

  15. Islington care homes: experiences of accessing health services for residents

    Report -

    We asked care home managers about access to health services for their residents.

  16. Healthwatch hears from care home managers about services supporting the health of their residents

    News -

    As we come out of the pandemic, we asked care home managers how easy it was to get support for their residents from GPs, dentists, opticians, community health, and hospital transport services.

  17. Experiences of accessing NHS dental services since the pandemic

    Report -

    Many people have reported difficulties accessing NHS dental services in Islington since the pandemic.

  18. Patients with high levels of need have struggled to access dental treatment on the NHS

    News -

    Our latest report shares local people's experiences of trying to access NHS dentistry in Islington since the pandemic

  19. Patients who don't already have an NHS dentist are finding it harder to access treatment

    News -

    Our latest report shares local people's experiences of trying to access NHS dentistry in Islington since the pandemic

  20. Let's Talk Inequality

    Response -

    Islington is a borough of stark inequalities. We want to see services and support designed around the needs of those residents experiencing this inequality.

  21. Let's Talk Inequality - Healthwatch response

    Report -

    Healthwatch responds to the Islington Council's call for evidence, sharing examples of inequality that we have come across in our recent work.

  22. What medical support are you entitled to if you’re new to the UK?

    Advice and Information -

    For new arrivals to the UK it can be confusing where to go if you need medical assistance. Here we outline your rights as a refugee, where you can access emergency help and how to register for a GP.

  23. Our annual report 2021-2022

    Report -

    We engaged with over 2,200 residents, providing information, digital support, and gathering views on accessing health and care services, experiences of Long Covid, and the wider impact of the pandemic.

  24. Choose the right NHS service for you and your family

    News -

    The Royal College of Nursing has announced that members will take strike action from Sunday 30 April to Monday 1 May 2023.

  25. 10 top tips to get the most out of your dental appointment

    Advice and Information -

    Everyone should be able to access good quality NHS dental services. Take a look at our top tips to help you get the most out of your next dental appointment.

  26. Pharmacy services in Islington

    Report -

    We surveyed 117 local residents to see if they were aware of additional services available from local pharmacies

  27. Black and minority ethnic groups accessing services in Islington 2016/17

    Report -

    207 local residents gave us their views on pharmacy, lifestyle and well-being, A&E, interpreting services, and GP referrals.

  28. Emergency department, general practice, or pharmacy services?

    Report -

    A number of people use hospital emergency departments when they could be seen by a GP or in their local pharmacy. What factors influence how we decide where we need to be seen?

  29. Black and minority ethnic groups accessing services in Islington 2015/16

    Report -

    Local residents gave us their views on hospital appointments and patient choice, GP services, and keeping fit and healthy.

  30. Islington Patient Group November 2019 supporting materials

    Report -

    Find materials for this meeting of the Islington Patient Group.

  31. Should I see a pharmacist instead of a doctor?

    Advice and Information -

    Avoid the wait at the GP and know when to visit your pharmacist instead. Look at how your pharmacist can help you.

  32. What are people telling us about e-consult?

    News -

    For patients who are comfortable using computers e-consult can be a convenient and user-friendly method of getting in contact with the GP surgery. For patients who struggle with or cannot use computers, e-consult can be a serious barrier to access.

  33. Winter Wellness fact sheet

    Report -

    Correct as of 26 January 2022

  34. Find out about high blood pressure

    Advice and Information -

    One in five people in Islington have high blood pressure but only half know that they do. Left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart attack and stroke. The only way to find out whether you have high blood pressure is to get it measured.

  35. Spotlight on volunteering

    Blog -

    Jenni volunteers as a Health Champion. As Covid restrictions ease we are looking forward to getting back out into the community and speaking to local residents again.

  36. Healthwatch hypertension information campaign kicks off in style

    News -

    Our staff and volunteers have been offering free blood pressure tests and raising awareness of the dangers of high blood pressure at Callyfest and on Chapel Market.

  37. Mystery shopping the accessibility of Islington pharmacies

    Report -

    Healthwatch Islington volunteers and staff visited 40 Islington pharmacies. The aim of these visits was to observe the physical space of the pharmacy and comment on its accessibility.

  38. Healthwatch volunteers visit pharmacies in Islington

    News -

    Our volunteers visited local pharmacies to see how accessible they were for people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility.

  39. Support for stopping smoking

    Advice and Information -

    Stop smoking services are free, friendly, and can massively boost your chances of quitting for good.

  40. Pharmacy services: discovering what's on offer in Islington

    Advice and Information -

    You might be surprised by the range of support that's available from your local pharmacy. Residents on low incomes who are classed as socially vulnerable can access free medicines for minor ailments.

  41. Residents from communities experiencing health inequalities share feedback on health services

    Report -

    We asked people about their experiences of seeing a GP, using pharmacy services and getting treatment for Long Covid.

  42. Residents rate pharmacy services highly and see them as the easiest health services to access

    News -

    Many of the people we spoke to wanted to see pharmacies offering more preventative and diagnostic services. Health checks, blood tests, and cholesterol tests were services people said they could access more easily at a pharmacy.

  43. Feedback on smoking cessation and pulmonary rehabilitation services in Islington

    Report -

    We spoke to 98 smokers and ex-smokers from communities experiencing health inequalities.

  44. How can you save money on your Hormone Replacement Therapy?

    Advice and Information -

    A new scheme could see women across England save hundreds of pounds yearly on their Hormone Replacement Therapy with a prepayment certificate.

  45. Residents give feedback on support services for stopping smoking

    News -

    We spoke to 65 residents from communities experiencing health inequalities. All were smokers or ex-smokers. Few had taken up the offer of support to give up.

  46. Celebrating the work of Healthwatch with diverse communities.

    Blog -

    Yussuf Ahmed is the Coordinator at Islington Somali Community, an organisation belonging to our Diverse Communities Health Voice partnership. In this guest blog, Yussuf talks about the benefits of the collaboration.

  47. Our annual report 2022-2023

    Report -

    It's been a great year of growth for Healthwatch Islington. We are the independent champion for people who use health and social care services in the borough.

  48. Healthwatch tackles high blood pressure

    News -

    We helped over 1,300 people improve their understanding of hypertension and identified over 130 people with undiagnosed hypertension, whom we were able to point in the direction of their GP or community pharmacy for further tests.