1. 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.

  2. Long Covid Case studies: Rebecca's Story

    News -

    We've been working with Healthwatch organisations across North Central London to gather local people's experiences of Long Covid. Our aims are to identify any gaps in current provision and support the better development of services.

  3. Experiences of Long Covid in North Central London

    Report -

    New Healthwatch report into Long Covid in North Central London

  4. Long Covid Case studies: Claire's Story

    News -

    We've been working with Healthwatch organisations across North Central London to gather local people's experiences of Long Covid. Our aims are to identify any gaps in current provision and support the better development of services.

  5. Hearing conditions and hearing loss

    Advice and Information -

    12 million people in the UK have hearing loss, around 4.4million are of working age.

  6. Experiences of accessing a GP since the pandemic

    Report -

    Our online survey explored how local people's experiences of accessing a GP have changed since the pandemic

  7. 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.

  8. Making a difference in the community

    News -

    Healthwatch is working in partnership with Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust to make local health services more accessible.

  9. 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.

  10. 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.

  11. Improving access to GP services

    News -

    Thanks to people sharing their experiences of GP appointments with us, we’ve been able to help local commissioners draw up an action plan to make GP services easier to access for all our residents.

  12. 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.

  13. Nafsiyat: Intercultural Therapeutic Support: An Evaluation

    Report -

    Nafsiyat is a charity offering intercultural therapy in over 20 languages to people from diverse cultural communities. They asked us to evaluate their Intercultural Therapy Service for Bengali and Sylheti speakers.

  14. 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.

  15. 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.

  16. What is monkeypox and who can get a vaccine?

    Advice and Information -

    Find out the signs and symptoms of monkeypox, what to do if you think you have it and who is eligible for a vaccine.

  17. Healthwatch Islington needs your feedback on screening services

    News -

    If you've been invited for a cervical smear test or breast screening appointment or been sent a home testing kit for bowel cancer screening, then we're interested in hearing about your experience.

  18. Find out about cancer screening services

    Advice and Information -

    Information about cervical and breast screening appointments, and home testing kits for bowel cancer.

  19. Support for stopping smoking

    Advice and Information -

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

  20. Challenging Inequalities Self-Assessment Toolkit

    Report -

    Progressing Equality Through Mental Health Commissioning and Mental Health Service Delivery

  21. Your questions about cervical screening answered

    News -

    At our information event in August, Islington GP Dr Jennifer Rea talked to us about the importance of cervical screening and answered your questions.

  22. Starting up conversations about physical and mental health

    News -

    We've been going out into the community to support residents' mental and physical wellbeing.

  23. What is a GP referral and how can you get one?

    Advice and Information -

    When you need specialist NHS support, like hospital tests or treatment, you often need a referral from your GP first. Find out what this includes and what to expect.

  24. The contract to deliver medical services at Hanley Primary Care Centre will not be renewed with the current provider

    News -

    Healthwatch Islington's Chief Executive, Emma Whitby, observed the meeting at which the decision was taken and was impressed by the robustness of the process.

  25. 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.

  26. Islington residents give mostly positive feedback on cancer screening services

    News -

    We've spoken to people about screening services at our engagement events and collected views via an online survey.

  27. I'm pregnant. What happens next?

    Advice and Information -

    Becoming a parent can be a wonderful and exciting experience, but it can also be overwhelming. To help, we’ve broken down the pregnancy care you should expect from the NHS.

  28. How to stay well this winter

    Advice and Information -

    Tips to help you stay well this winter and get the help you need.

  29. Recorded messages and the experience of phoning the GP surgery

    Report -

    During November and early December 2022, Healthwatch volunteers and staff phoned 33 Islington practices. They noted the length of the recorded messages and the information that was shared.

  30. Recorded information on GP phone lines

    News -

    Our volunteers rang local GP practices as though they were booking an appointment. We wanted to find out how much recorded information they had to listen to and whether the content was up to date.

  31. Our advice and information service will go the extra mile for more vulnerable residents

    Blog -

    Our advice and information worker wrote nearly 30 emails and made over 40 phone calls to get Paul the support to which he was entitled.

  32. Residents appreciate support offered at Cost of Living event in Holloway

    News -

    Attendees were able to access help on a range support services as well as lunch being available for all.

  33. 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.

  34. 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.

  35. Over 200 local people share feedback on GP appointments with Healthwatch Islington

    News -

    We spoke to 212 residents from communities that experience health inequalities. Over half found the booking process difficult. Many struggled to get through by phone and it was hard to get a face-to-face appointment.

  36. 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.

  37. Learn about the new commissioning structures in health and care

    Advice and Information -

    Following several years of locally-led development, Integrated Care Systems were established across England on a statutory basis on 1 July 2022

  38. The experiences of LGBTQI+ residents when accessing Islington services including health, care and housing

    Report -

    LGBTQI+ residents shared their experiences of accessing health, mental health, social care, and housing services.

  39. Visibility is important in making LGBTQI+ residents feel welcome across services

    News -

    We listened to feedback from LGBTQI+ residents on a wide range of services including healthcare, social care, mental health support, and housing.

  40. Residents from communities experiencing health inequalities share feedback on cancer screening services

    Report -

    We asked people about their experiences of cervical screening, bowel cancer screening, and breast screening services.

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

    Report -

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

  42. 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.

  43. 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.

  44. Improving the messaging on GP phone lines and websites

    News -

    GP websites can be hard to navigate and present many barriers to patients who are not confident online. We've been working with residents and commissioners to make things better.

  45. Summary of analysis of Islington General Practice websites

    Report -

    Our analysis of GP websites in January 2023

  46. How Healthwatch is helping increase uptake of cancer screening services

    News -

    In Islington, participation in bowel, breast, and cervical cancer screening programmes is below the national and the London average.

  47. 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.