Insight bank

Unpaid carers’ experiences of general practice

This Healthwatch Southend report explores the experiences of unpaid carers accessing general practice, highlighting challenges around appointment booking, recognition of carer status and mental health support. The findings underline the need for more accessible, flexible and carer-aware approaches within primary care.

Evaluation of Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board BP@Home scheme

Independent evaluation of the BP@Home scheme in mid and south Essex, exploring patient experiences of home blood pressure monitoring, key benefits and challenges, and recommendations to improve communication, feedback and support.

Healthwatch Southend Survey on Digital GP Appointments

A Healthwatch Southend survey of 326 residents highlights strong support for online GP appointment systems, alongside ongoing frustration with telephone access. The findings emphasise the importance of choice, accessibility and clear communication to ensure digital routes improve access without excluding patients who cannot or do not wish to use them.

Hidden Figures: The Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on LGBT Communities in the UK

Published in May 2020, Hidden Figures is the largest UK study into the impact of COVID-19 on LGBT communities, revealing significant effects on mental health, safety, access to healthcare and support, and highlighting the need for LGBT-specific services during times of crisis.

CQC’s 2022 Urgent and Emergency Care Survey Results

Hidden Homeless: prisoners, prison leavers and ex-offenders

Healthwatch Essex’s Hidden homeless report explores the health, care and wellbeing needs of prisoners, prison leavers and ex-offenders in Essex, highlighting housing insecurity, poor access to healthcare and mental health support, and the need for more joined-up, trauma-informed services.

Deaf people’s experiences of GP services

This Healthwatch Southend report explores deaf people’s experiences of accessing GP services, highlighting persistent communication barriers at every stage of the patient journey and setting out recommendations to improve accessibility, dignity and compliance with the Accessible Information Standard.

NHS Dentists

This Healthwatch Southend report highlights significant challenges in accessing NHS dentistry, including limited appointment availability, outdated information on NHS.uk and additional cost and travel barriers, with particular impacts on children and families during the cost of living crisis.

Unpaid Carers

Accessing Dentistry Services Report

Healthwatch Thurrock surveyed 88 local residents and carried out a mystery shopper exercise with 17 dental practices to understand experiences of accessing NHS dental care following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Essex Youth Vaping

This report explores the prevalence, drivers and impacts of vaping among children and young people in Essex, highlighting higher-than-national rates of regular vaping, concerns around health risks and access, and the need for coordinated education, regulation and prevention activity.

Developing and growing the practice of co-production in children and young people’s services in mid and south Essex.

Community bed-based care in mid and south Essex

This report is from pre-consultation engagement with community staff and patient stakeholders. It was carried out by Kaledidoscope Health and Care on behalf of the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System.

Men’s experiences of living with obesity

Addiction support in Essex: gambling, drugs and alcohol

This Healthwatch Essex report explores lived experiences of gambling, drug and alcohol addiction. It highlights the links between addiction and mental health, the impact of stigma, and barriers to accessing support. The findings emphasise the importance of early intervention, clear signposting and peer-led, lived-experience support.

Mental health on the frontline

Young mental health ambassador discussions: body image

Healthwatch Essex's Young Mental Health Ambassadors co-designed research exploring how body image affects young people's mental health and wellbeing. 54 participants took part, including 26 young people and 28 parents or guardians.

Reaching out to deaf and disabled people in Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

Mental Health Outreach for Ethnic Minority Communities

Employment for people with learning disabilities