Healthwatch Dorset Annual Report 2024-25: Unlocking the power of people-driven care
In our latest annual report, Unlocking the power of people-driven care, we highlight some of the ways we used your feedback to help NHS and social care decision-makers prioritise the issues that matter most to local people to help make care better.
- Accessing health and care while homeless or vulnerably housed: Based on feedback from service users, health professionals and support workers in Bournemouth, their report highlights the concerning disparities in health outcomes for people experiencing homelessness and is rich with firsthand and poignant accounts. The recommendations are being reflected in the NHS Dorset Homeless Health Plan that is under review for publication later this year. Read the report
- Shaping better health and social care in Dorset's local communities: They spoke with over 180 people in the Boscombe area about their experiences, whose stories highlight the need for Improved access to GPs and NHS dental services, stronger community mental health services and more continuity in social care. The findings have helped Our Dorset, the Integrated Care System, shape the Integrated Neighbourhood Team for Boscombe to ensure it meets the community’s needs effectively. Read the report
- People's experiences of using pharmacy services across Dorset: The views of over 900 local residents who responded to a survey gave greater understanding of the impact of pharmacy closures, medicine shortages and awareness of Pharmacy First. Their findings are being used by Public Health Dorset to inform the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment due to be published later this year and by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pharmacy. Read the report
- Supporting carers at Dorset County Hospital: Change takes time and Healthwatch Dorset maintained work behind the scenes with services to raise issues and bring about change. They followed up their previous recommendations made for hospitals to better support unpaid carers to reveal the local NHS has implemented training, named Carers Leads alongside promotion of Carers Passports. Read the blog
- Raising awareness to improve support for vulnerable people and communities: They established further new partnerships and worked together with local health, care and community groups to raise awareness of the challenges impacting people’s health and wellbeing and the support that makes a positive difference. Read our blogs
Healthwatch Dorset projects for 2025-26
In 2025-25, we will continue to engage with communities across the county, and make sure those in power hear the views and experiences of our diverse communities. Our three priority projects for the year are:
- Working with young people to learn how they search for and access care.
- Reaching out to diverse groups across Dorset to learn about the digital divide.
- Gathering in-depth interviews to inform urgent care improvements.
Announcing the annual report, Viv Aird, Chair of the Healthwatch Dorset Board, said: “Our focus this year has been on responding to everything you have told us about your experience of local health and care services. Thank you to everyone who has supported and contributed to our work, including those who have acted on our recommendations, and to all of you who have so generously shared your experiences with us in order to help to make services across Dorset better for others.”
