Annual Report 2025 - 2026

Some of our highlights from the past year: 

• 2,424 experiences of health and care services listened to
• 5,557 people supported with clear signposting to the right services
• Nine reports published to influence local decision-making
• 13 dedicated volunteers and 33 Health & Care Ambassadors delivering 382 hours support to help us reach more people
• Working in partnership with North East and North Cumbria ICB and other Healthwatch organisations across the region to:
  • Support the roll out of the Modern General Practice Access through engagement, gathering feedback and raising awareness
  • Help the public understand winter care information and pharmacy services
  • Gather targeted feedback from people with lived experience to inform the development of Workwell to help people with long-term health conditions stay in or return to work
  • Listen and engage sensitively to hard-to-reach groups to inform future palliative and end-of-life care planning across the region
  • Influence national policy with the submission of a joint response to a national consultation on developing NHS online
  • Play a direct role in improving how national projects involve people with real experience of health and care through the Workforce Voices programme
  • Work with Tees, Esk & Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust to gather in-depth lived experience insight to inform mental health rehabilitation and reablement services
  • Support University Hospitals Tees and system partners as they developed and implemented their Group Model

Our Annual Report also contains a message from our Chair, Peter Smith, and we also detail our plans for the next year.