News and reports

Government plans to end the existence of an independent voice for patients and service users in health and social care have come under challenging scrutiny today with the publication of a major new report by the respected think tank, the King’s Fund.

Health leaders across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin are encouraging residents to plan ahead for the Easter Bank Holiday to help ensure they can access the right care and avoid unnecessary disruption over the long weekend.

Every year, local Healthwatch services across England take part in Share for Better Care Week, a national campaign led by Healthwatch England. The campaign encourages people to spend just three minutes sharing their experiences of health and social care so services can learn what is working well and where improvements are needed.

During last year's Share For Better Care Campaign, Healthwatch Shropshire received over 260 general comments online and via the telephone.
However, we identified a significant gap in our knowledge: we rarely hear feedback about the community hospitals and Minor Injury Units (MUIs) scattered throughout our county. We decided to target these vital facilities with face-to-face engagements, to find out more about the patient experience of their services.

Families across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin are being encouraged by local health leaders to check that their children’s measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox (MMRV) vaccinations are up to date.

More people across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin are receiving hospital level care in the comfort of their own homes thanks to the NHS Virtual Ward service. Healthwatch Shropshire now wants to hear from anyone who has used the Virtual Ward or supported a family member who has received this type of care.

We wanted to understand where students would first seek out advice about their mental health if they needed it.

While some headlines talk about “Blue Monday,” there’s no scientific basis for a single ‘most depressing day.’ What matters is recognising winter can be hard and knowing support is available all season.

Public are invited to learn more about plans to transform local hospital services at a series of information drop-in sessions taking place across libraries this winter.

Healthwatch Shropshire has launched a new campaign to understand more about people’s experiences of spinal injury services across the county. The initiative follows a recent visit by Healthwatch Shropshire volunteers to The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital’s Spinal Injuries Inpatient Ward in Oswestry, where staff and patients shared valuable insights into local health and social care services.

Health leaders in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin are urging people aged 18 to 64 who live with long-term health conditions to come forward for their free NHS flu vaccination, as the NHS prepares for a challenging winter flu season.

This Self-Care Week (17 to 23 November 2025), health and care leaders across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin are encouraging residents to ‘Think Self-Care’, as part of the wider ‘Think Which Service’ Campaign, and take control of their own health and wellbeing this winter.