Healthwatch Leeds

01/12/2025

Our amazing placement volunteer, Caitlin, and Ian from Holbeck Together Community Hub had a lovely time chatting with people and finding out their thoughts on the NHS app.

“my experiences with the app are not good- I find it over-complicated."
“with my memory going it is hard to use things like apps as even when I am shown how to use them I often forget.”
“logging in was so difficult.”
“I’m just not an app person.”
“some days I don't have feeling in my hands so it would be impossible to use an app on my phone.”

Services must remember that apps aren't for everyone but it was great to visit this supportive community group.
Does the NHS app work for you? www.surveymonkey.com/r/NHSAppSM

28/11/2025

Fantastic to meet with Richard Burgon MP (Leeds East) today to discuss the work we do at Healthwatch Leeds.

We look forward to strengthening our relationship with Richard and his team to ensure that people’s voices remain at the centre of health and care decision-making in Leeds.

Richard has confirmed his support for an independent voice organisation for people and will be raising our concerns with Government Ministers.

28/11/2025

The NHS is becoming more digital, with the NHS app playing an important role in how people access health and care information. Do you use the NHS app? Tell us what you think: www.surveymonkey.com/r/NHSAppSM?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Healthwatch+Leeds&utm_campaign=publer

27/11/2025

Through our Information, Advice and Signposting service between July and September 2025 people spoke to us about services including GP, Council, NHS 111, Dentistry, Hospitals, Pharmacy and more. We share anonymised feedback with health and care leaders to make sure they know what people have struggled with and what is working well.

26/11/2025

Thank you to Leeds Dads for having us at your group last week. We gathered some really interesting comments about their use of the app and whether they would use it to give feedback about health and care services.

“I like using the NHS app and have no issues navigating it. I use it to view my hospital referrals and my health record.”

“There has to be accountability if feeding back through the app- what’s the point of giving the feedback if no one acts on it?"

“I would like to hear the outcome of my feedback, there must be a feedback loop otherwise people won’t bother.”

Tell us how you use the app: www.surveymonkey.com/r/NHSAppSM

25/11/2025

Our placement volunteer has been all across Leeds to find out people's thoughts on the NHS app. Caitlin visited the Fair Exchange Coffee Morning and got some useful feedback.

“I find it difficult as a carer to manage my own account and someone else’s.”
“It should be digital first but not only.”
“For my dad with dementia this wouldn’t work, even if he were shown how to use it.”
"It does have some useful features but I'm just not sure how to use them."

We have had a mixture of good and bad comments about the app so far.

If you would like us to go to your local group, get in touch or if you would like to share your thoughts, visit our survey:

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

25/11/2025

We are looking forward to dropping in to the Leeds Autism AIM hub this afternoon. We will be talking to people about their thoughts on the NHS app and giving information about how to find help to use it.

Tell us your thoughts here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/NHSAppSM

Our next drop-in Hub in is next Tuesday from 4pm-7pm. On the day, we will have someone coming in from Healthwatch Leeds to get feedback on using the NHS app, as well as some hot food.

Read more about the Hub by clicking on the link in the comments.

24/11/2025

Congratulations to Asha Neighbourhood Project for 40 years of running the neighbourhood project. We look forward to working with you and making sure community voices are heard in health and social care.

24/11/2025

Who speaks for you if you can’t speak for yourself? If you do not have the power to make certain decisions, a lasting power of attorney keeps those decisions with the people you trust. Start a conversation today. Find out more: https://powerofattorney.campaign.gov.uk?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Healthwatch+Leeds&utm_campaign=publer Office of the Public Guardian

21/11/2025

Happy . Today we filmed Gemma on her own to find out more about what it is like for her as a carer for her parents and the impact it has on her. Gemma's parents are deaf with multiple health conditions, and she finds that services are not accessible for deaf people, so she has to step in to help.

She said, "Being a carer means that my parents' appointments need to work around me. I don't want to be the cause of my parents' appointments being delayed or their health getting worse because I'm busy. It's a hard balance. If services were already accessible, then they wouldn't rely on me so much to bridge that gap. I am very grateful to work somewhere that is flexible and can allow me to take carers leave, but it can be very difficult to manage my workload and personal life while being a carer."

Did you know that from April 2024, employees have the right to up to five days of unpaid leave per year to deal with caring responsibilities, have the right to take unpaid time off to deal with a dependent's emergency and are protected from discrimination due to caring responsibilities.

21/11/2025

Next Friday, we will be popping along to the Self Care Exchange event in Kirkgate Market. The full event is 11am to 3pm. It is a free event looking at mental health, physical health, sexual health and more. Pop down to see the information stalls there. We will be there to listen to people's thoughts on the NHS app. You can tell us your thoughts by completing our short survey: www.surveymonkey.com/r/NHSAppSM?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Healthwatch+Leeds&utm_campaign=publer

20/11/2025

Did you know that between July and September 2025, 161 people contacted us through our Information, Advice and Signposting service. This was an increase of 27 from the previous three months.