News and reports

Find out what support is available to help you when travelling to your GP, hospital or other NHS services.

The cost of living crisis has put many people under financial strain, and prescription costs are more than some can afford. Find out what help is out there to help you cover the cost of your medication.

The wait for planned medical care or surgery can be frustrating. That’s why you must get regular and accessible updates while you wait.

Are you having trouble finding an NHS funded dentist? Read our tips on what to do if you’re facing problems.

This report describes the wide range of engagement, representation and impact undertaken by Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay over the past year.

By Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay

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.

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

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

NHS and social care services only make the best decisions if they listen to the people they care for. Read our national partner Healthwatch England’s Annual Report to Parliament to see how your feedback has helped decision-makers prioritise what matters most.

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.

Nearly 85,000 people in Devon provide unpaid care, with one third (33.4%) providing more than 20 hours of unpaid care per week. To learn more about the experiences of unpaid carers and the impact of providing care at home, Healthwatch developed a survey in conjunction with Devon Carers, Improving Lives Plymouth, and the Torbay Carers Service. These organisations provide a range of support services to unpaid carers.

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.