1. Someone I love has died - where can I find support

    Advice and Information -

    Take a look at our advice article on the organisations and groups that can support you if you’re grieving.

  2. What is domestic abuse and how can I get support?

    Advice and Information -

    If you are experiencing or feel at risk of domestic abuse, or are worried about someone who might be, find out where you can go for advice and help.

  3. What should I expect after being referred for mental health support?

    Advice and Information -

    Your mental wellness is as important as your physical health but seeking help can be daunting. Here's what to expect when you seek support for your mental health.

  4. New research calls for pocket-sized cards to support NHS patients with trauma

    News -

    Nearly a fifth of people who have experienced trauma say they often avoid health services. Healthwatch England have called on the NHS to adopt pocket-sized trauma cards for patients to show during appointments, following a successful pilot.

  5. Men’s Health in Torbay and South Devon

    Report -

    This report presents findings from our December 2022 to January 2023 survey on men’s health and the feedback shared by 132 local men.

    By Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay

  6. The impact of working from home

    Report -

    There are almost 370,000 people in employment in Devon, with the proportion of self-employed workers (14.7%) being higher than the national average (9.3%). The Covid-19 pandemic changed the way that many of us work; in spring 2022, 38% of working adults in the UK reported having worked from home at least once in the past seven days.

    Healthwatch wanted to find out about the physical and mental impact of working from home, and how working from home has affected people’s work/life balance.

  7. Views on mental health services in North Dartmoor

    Report -

    In 2021, Healthwatch Devon and North Dartmoor Primary Care Network (NDPCN) worked together to find out about the health and wellbeing needs of local people; mental health support was found to be particularly important to the community.

    Following the 2021 engagement, NDPCN GP practices, health and social care partners, and other partners in the community, voluntary, and statutory sector wanted to find out more about people’s views on mental health services locally and Devon-wide.

    You can download the report below for full details.

  8. 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.

  9. New report released on people held under the Mental Health Act

    News -

    People detained for inpatient assessment and treatment under the Mental Health Act seem to be more unwell on admission than in the past, according to a report out today from the Care Quality Commission.

  10. How to access mental health support if you have gender, sexuality or relationship diversity

    Advice and Information -

    Mental health problems are more common among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA+) 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.

  11. Does the NHS have to provide an interpreter?

    Advice and Information -

    Do you know about your rights to language support in NHS settings?

  12. Cost of Living Feedback Report

    Report -

    Healthwatch England recently published their findings and a set of immediate actions for the Government and the NHS, in relation to the cost of living and the detrimental impact it is having on people’s decisions about their own health and wellbeing.

    In light of these findings, we wanted to find out if the cost of living was having an impact on people in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay and if so, in what way.

    60 people responded to the survey and the survey ran throughout March to May 2023.

    By Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay

  13. 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

  14. The Accessible Information Standard - What you can expect from services

    Advice and Information -

    The Accessible Information Standard is mandatory for all organisations that provide National Health Service (NHS) or adult social care.