Making your voice count
Healthwatch Reading is your local health and care watchdog. We can give you information and advice, explain your rights, collect your feedback and campaign for improvements.
We also have powers to visit GPs, hospitals, care homes and more, to watch services in action and ask people about their exepriences.
Our other main role is providing free, independent and confidential advocacy services. These include:
- NHS Complaints Advocacy, for anyone living in the Reading borough who needs advice or one-to-one support on resolving a concern about NHS services
- Social Care Complaints Advocacy, for any adult living in the Reading borough who needs advice or one-to-one support on resolving a concern about social services that has been arranged, funded or provided by the council
- Independent Mental Health Advocacy, for Reading people held under section at Prospect Park Hospital or under a community treatment order or guardanship
- Care Act Advocacy, for Reading people who are vulnerable and isolated, who need help to have their say about their care or safety needs.
We are part of a network of local Healthwatch across England, set up to give the public more say over services and to help prevent a repeat of failings such as the mistreatment of patients at Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. We are supported by the national body, Healthwatch England.
