1. Healthwatch policy - Safeguarding children

    Report -

    This policy says what we will do to help protect children and young people from abuse and harm. It was approved at the Board's meeting in March 2022.

  2. Healthwatch policy - Volunteering

    Report -

    This policy says how we will involve volunteers in the work we do. It was approved at our Board's meeting in June 2022.

  3. Healthwatch policy - Whistleblowing policy and procedure

    Report -

    This policy says how we will support our staff and volunteers to speak out about any concerns they have. It was approved at our Board's meeting in March 2020.

  4. Community Values Panel helps NHS

    News -

    A unique approach to tackling funding issues in our local NHS has been highlighted in our newly-published Community Values Panel reports.

  5. Over the counter medicines on prescription - can our NHS afford this?

    Report -

    Big savings can be made for the NHS if people buy over the counter medicines rather than ask for them on prescription.

  6. Is it OK to redirect people from A&E if they don't need emergency care?

    Report -

    The number of people using urgent and emergency care services is increasing. And people are often arriving at A&E when they don't need to be there.

  7. Healthwatch Policy - Absence

    Report -

    This policy says how we manage staff absence from work due to sickness. It was approved at our Board's meeting in Nov 2020.

  8. Healthwatch Policy - Alcohol and Drugs

    Report -

    This policy says what our approach to drugs and alcohol in our offices and at our events is. It was approved at our Board's meeting in September 2021.

  9. Healthwatch policy - Annual leave

    Report -

    This policy says what annual leave allowance we give to staff. It was approved at our Board's meeting in July 2021.

  10. Healthwatch policy - Bad weather

    Report -

    This policy says what we will do if bad weather prevents staff from getting to their normal place of work or planned meetings. It was approved at our Board's meeting in September 2021.

  11. Healthwatch policy - Expenses

    Report -

    This policy says what out of pocket expenses can be claimed by Healthwatch staff. It was approved at our Board's meeting in September 2021.

  12. Healthwatch policy - Bullying and Harassment policy

    Report -

    This policy says what staff can do if they think they are being bullied or harassed in the workplace. It was approved at our Board's meeting in September 2021.

  13. Healthwatch policy - Homeworking

    Report -

    This policy says how we will support staff to work from home. It was agreed at our Board's meeting on 12 May 2021

  14. Healthwatch policy - Lone working

    Report -

    This policy says how we will manage lone working to keep staff and volunteers safe. It was approved at our Board's meeting in May 2021.

  15. Healthwatch policy - Managing organisational change

    Report -

    This policy says how we will manage change within our Healthwatch. It was approved at our Board's meeting in November 2021.

  16. Healthwatch policy - Personal Development and Appraisal Policy

    Report -

    This policy says how we will support and manage our staff team to enable them to achieve the best they can for our Healthwatch. It was approved at our Board's meeting on 26 January 2022

  17. Healthwatch policy - Recruitment

    Report -

    This says what we will do to recruit the best possible people to our staff team. It was approved at our Board's meeting in July 2021.

  18. Healthwatch policy - Time off in lieu (TOIL)

    Report -

    This policy says how we will manage extra time staff work outside their normal hours. And how staff can claim this back as time off in lieu. It was approved at the Board's meeting in July 2021.

  19. Healthwatch Cambridgeshire launches Using People's Stories Guidance

    Report -

    We have launched our own good practice guidance to collecting and using people's stories to help improve health and care services.

  20. Register of Interests

    Report -

    This document says what other health, care or political organisations that our Directors may be involved in that could potentially provide a conflict of interests in their role with our Healthwatch. It was last updated in July 2023.

  21. Finding out more about Continuing Health Care

    Advice and Information -

    Continuing Health Care is social care arranged and funded by the NHS for people who have been assessed as needing care to manage a health problem.

  22. Know your NHS rights and responsibilities

    Advice and Information -

    The NHS Constitution is a useful document to know – setting out what patients, the public and the staff working for it can expect from the NHS.

  23. Tracking patient experience in new A & E target trial at Addenbrooke's

    News -

    Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge have taken part in a review of new Accident & Emergency targets.

  24. Report from our End of Life event

    News -

    Today Healthwatch has published a new report Empowering people at the end of life.

  25. Finding an NHS Dentist in Cambridgeshire

    Advice and Information -

    Everyone should be able to get the care and advice they need to keep their teeth, gums and mouth healthy. But lots of people tell us how hard it is to find an NHS dentist in Cambridgeshire.

  26. Healthwatch challenges decision to suspend fertility services

    Report -

    The decision to suspend IVFservices in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is against national guidance and will have a huge impact on those affected, particularly poorer people.

  27. Healthwatch Board meeting in public - Weds 11 March 2020

    Report -

    At this meeting the Directors will be asked to approve our five-year strategy. This sets out our five priorities and the difference we want to make by 2025, together with local people and organisations.

  28. Local health and care commissioners face extreme financial pressures

    News -

    Val Moore, Chair of our local Healthwatch, heard about the significant challenges our local health commissioners are facing, when she attended their Governing Body meeting last night.

  29. More than 900 waiting for NHS continuing health care

    News -

    At their Governing Body meeting last night, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group said how they were going to tackle the huge backlog of people waiting for Continuing Health Care Assessments.

  30. What we are doing to help tackle coronavirus

    News -

    We are closing down all face to face activities for the next 12 weeks, whilst we work to support the local NHS and care organisations manage the coronavirus crisis in our area.

  31. Non-essential appointments and procedures to be postponed

    News -

    The local NHS is postponing all non-essential appointments from 20 March to help it deal with the pressures caused by COVID-19 coronavirus.

  32. Virus forces changes to way hospital patients discharged

    News -

    The coronavirus crisis has put huge pressure on our local hospitals.

    To make sure they can look after people with acute needs, hospitals are changing the way patients no longer needing a bed are discharged.

  33. Will’s story

    News -

    South Cambridgeshire resident Will lost too much weight and became unwell with untreated Crohn’s disease after struggling to communicate with health professionals. Will is Deaf and uses British Sign Language.

  34. Healthwatch sets strategy for the next five years

    Report -

    Our strategy - approved earlier this month - sets out what we think is most important for Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Healthwatch Peterborough to do over the next five years.

  35. Wisbech and Doddington MIUs to close temporarily

    News -

    Doddington and Wisbech minor injury units are to close - temporarily - on Monday, 6 April.

  36. Supporting people with learning disabilities during lockdown

    Blog -

    Debbie - our Partnership Support Officer - shares her experience of caring for two people with learning disabilities during lockdown. And explains what she's put in place to support them.

  37. Covid-19: county council ups adult social care payments

    News -

    People receiving direct payments for adult social care are to get a 10% rise from Cambridgeshire County Council.