Who are we?
Healthwatch Surrey gathers the views of local people on health and social care services in the county. We are an independent organisation listening to experiences from people in Surrey and providing evidence-based feedback to commissioners and providers to influence, inform and, if necessary, challenge decisions and plans.
You can help to shape, improve, and change local services by sharing your feedback. So, whether you have had a good or bad experience, your views can help to make changes to services in Surrey. Our work covers all areas of health and social care. This includes GPs, hospitals, dentists, care homes, pharmacies, opticians and more. Join the conversation by sharing your experience.
We can also provide, or signpost to, information about local services and how to access them and offer a free, independent advocacy service for people wishing to make a complaint about NHS care.
Latest Reports and Papers
Our Local Healthwatch Report Highlights major impacts and influences throughout Q4 2022.
One of the statutory duties of Healthwatch is to obtain the views of local people regarding their needs for, and experiences of, local care services and importantly to make these views known.
This briefing summarises key themes we’ve heard throughout March 2022.
All local acute trusts and Surrey County Council have provided full written responses to our recommendations from our report Carers’ Experiences of Hospital Discharge.
What's new from Healthwatch Surrey
Giving Carers a Voice
We are pleased to announce that we have been awarded the new independent Giving Carers a Voice contract by Surrey … Read more
We’re recruiting – Citizen Ambassadors
Healthwatch Surrey CIC is an independent community interest company that gives the people of Surrey a voice to improve, shape … Read more
Your care, your way
Your care, your way – Join Healthwatch’s new campaign Clear, understandable information is important to help you make the right … Read more
Information on the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme
Jin’s* son requires hospital treatment and has been told he now needs to go from Woking to a London hospital, for an appointment. He is in receipt of Universal Credit and will struggle to pay the cost of getting to London. He has been unable to get any information from anyone at the hospital or DWP regarding help with the travel costs, so our adviser signposted him to information on the NHS website regarding the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS). He was relieved to know that he could get help with the cost of travel to his appointments.
*Names have been changed to protect identities
Help with funding for long term care at home
Gabriel’s* mother, who is severely disabled and living with the family at home, is receiving care in the home funded by Surrey County Council. However, Gabriel has been told by Surrey County Council that his mother should go into a care home and part-funding would be provided. Neither Gabriel nor his mother wants this to happen, particularly with the current situation and the fact that no visitors are allowed at the care home, so Gabriel wanted to find out about funding for long term care. We provided him with website links to information that would help him ascertain what funding should be available and he now feels empowered to use information to help secure future care for his mother which meets her needs.
*Names have been changed to protect identities
Providing details of emergency dental hubs
Saanvi* was having problems with a wisdom tooth and was in some pain, however she was having difficulty finding an NHS dentist. She had tried searching online and calling, but the dentists she had spoken to told her that they had filled their quota for new patients. We advised Saanvi on how to access dental information on the NHS website, including the customer contact centre. She was also advised of the emergency hubs put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic and how to access them. Saanvi felt she had enough information to be able to access treatment.
*Names have been changed to protect identities
