1. Registering with your GP: understanding your rights

    Advice and Information -

    People have told us they can have problems registering with a GP. This article explains more about your rights and what do to if you are refused the right to register.

  2. 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.

  3. Can I access my GP records online?

    Advice and Information -

    From 31 October 2023, GP surgeries must give patients online access to their new health record entries. Find out what information is in your record and how to access it.

  4. Referrals and your right to choose

    Advice and Information -

    Did you know you can choose which hospital you go to when referred for a test, diagnosis, or treatment? Find out how.

  5. Tell us about your referral

    News -

    Our national partner Healthwatch England are asking about your experience of referral for specialist treatment. Has your GP referred you for an assessment or treatment at a hospital or community clinic? Share your story.

  6. Accessing services in Devon: Feedback from the Deaf community

    Report -

    In 2022, Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay held a series of meetings with the South West representative of the Royal Association for Deaf People to discuss various concerns that were being raised around access to British Sign Language (BSL) qualified interpreters. These concerns include:

    • Interpreters to support appointments in hospital and GP surgeries
    • Interpreters to support complaints process
    • Access to information

  7. Accessing services at Mayflower Medical Group

    Report -

    In May 2022, Healthwatch Plymouth were approached by the new provider of Mayflower Medical Group (MMG) to undertake a patient survey.

    The survey’s focus was to address long established patient concerns and frustrations in accessing GP services at the 5 surgeries that form MMG and to ask for suggestions on generally improving the service and in particular improving access.

  8. New Changes to the 2025/26 GP Contract

    News -

    Following the announcement last month that the government had agreed a new one-year contract with GPs, Healthwatch can bring you more details of what the changes mean to patient care from 1 April.

  9. How to get the most out of your GP appointment

    Advice and Information -

    Do you struggle to speak to your doctor about your medical concerns? You’re not alone. Take a look at our top tips to make the most out of your GP appointment.

  10. Report on the Complaints process at University Hospitals Plymouth

    Report -

    Following the recovery of NHS Services after the Covid-19 pandemic, Healthwatch Plymouth held conversations with the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) manager at University Hospital Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) in late 2022 to see how we could collaboratively work with them around the findings from the Healthwatch England report. It was agreed for HWP to independently interview individuals via telephone contact who had recently been through the complaints process at UHP and who had consented to be contacted by HWP.

    This report is the findings from those conversations, a brief summary of the findings and recommendations is below.

    By Healthwatch in Devon Plymouth and Torbay

  11. Impact and Outcomes Report, Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, Quarter 2 2022

    Report -

    What people have told us about health and social care
    Find out in our quarterly Impact and Outcomes report how your feedback is helping NHS and social care services improve care in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay.