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. Support offered at GP practices for patients with autism

    Report -

    Mystery shoppers called GP practices posing as newly arrived Islington residents looking for a practice which could accommodate their child’s needs. They stated that their child had a diagnosis of autism.

  27. How do our GP practices make their services accessible?

    News -

    Our volunteers visited all the GP practices in the borough to get a sense of how easy it is for them to meet the Accessible Information Standard.

  28. Women at the Islington Bangladesh Association are using their smartphones to stay healthy

    News -

    Women who participated in the Log On project told us what they have learned.

  29. Urgent and same day GP services

    Report -

    Feedback from patients at the Angel Medical Centre walk in service, and from the wider community

  30. The walk in service at Ritchie Street gets good reviews from patients

    News -

    We interviewed 48 patients using the walk in service at the Ritchie Street Health Centre.

  31. Community research 2018

    Report -

    Self-care, social issues affecting health, and care delivered closer to home

  32. Local organisations publish joint report showing how their communities experience health services

    News -

    Diverse Communities Health Voice gathers the views of black and minority ethnic communities that don't speak English as a first language.

  33. 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.

  34. 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?

  35. Revisiting the IHUB GP extended hours service

    Report -

    The IHUB is a new service. It runs out of three centres across Islington. It offers weekend and evening appointments and is open to anyone registered with an Islington GP.

  36. GP services for Islington residents in residential care

    Report -

    We spoke to care home residents, next of kin, and staff about their experiences of GP services that are delivered in the care home setting.

  37. 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.

  38. Access to primary care and social care services for Latin American Over 50s

    Report -

    We worked with the Latin American Women's Rights Service (LAWRS) and the Coalition of Latin Americans in the UK (CLAUK) to gather views from Islington residents

  39. I-HUB GP extended hours service

    Report -

    The IHUB offers weekend and evening appointments and is open to anyone registered with an Islington GP.

  40. Mystery shopping: Healthcare Travel Costs

    Report -

    Healthwatch mystery shoppers phoned GP surgeries and visited local hospitals to see how easy it was to make a claim for reimbursement under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme.

  41. GP online services in Islington

    Report -

    To gather local people's views on the online GP appointment booking service, we created a survey.

  42. Experiences of Integrated Care

    Report -

    Gathering views on Multi-Disciplinary Team pilots

  43. Customer Service in GP reception areas

    Report -

    A mystery shopping project

  44. Interpreting services in GP practices

    Report -

    A mystery shopping project

  45. More feedback about urgent and same day GP services

    Report -

    We went back to Ritchie Street to talk to more patients, particularly young adults, using the walk in centre. We also held a focus group for Deaf patients, and visited GP surgeries to see how easy it was to register as a patient.

  46. Seven things Deaf patients told us about GP services

    News -

    We held a focus group with Deaf patients in December 2108. We discussed GP services broadly. We also gathered views on urgent and same day services in particular.

  47. Talking to even more patients at the walk in centre on Ritchie Street

    News -

    The Health and Care Scrutiny Committee asked for more information on how changes to the way urgent appointments are accessed would affect patients currently using the walk in centre.

  48. People with learning disabilities give their views on emergency care

    News -

    Whittington Health is planning how best to deliver services in the future. To help with this, they asked us to speak to local residents about a range of issues.

  49. NHS Long Term Plan

    Report -

    Local Healthwatch from Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington organised surveys, focus groups and interviews to find out what people thought of existing NHS services and to get ideas on how to make services better.

  50. 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.