News and reports

Sussex residents who are feeling anxious, stressed or struggling with loneliness or depression can now access support from a qualified mental health professional by text.

Following an unannounced inspection, and subsequent urgent action by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the provider who runs Sidley Medical Practice is not able to carry out regulated activities at the practice for the next three months*.

In March 2025, Healthwatch in Sussex sought people’s experiences of vaccinations and received 566 responses to our poll.

We are collaborating with NHS Sussex to hear from girls (aged 14 years or older) and women about their experiences of local health services in the last 12 months.

If you’re living with cancer, finding the right support can make a big difference. That’s why the Surrey and Sussex Cancer Alliance, in partnership with Cancer Care Map, has launched a new online directory.

With the Easter Bank Holiday approaching, make sure you’re prepared! It’s important to order any repeat medications in advance this bank holiday weekend, as your GP surgery may be closed and pharmacy opening hours may differ.

From the 1st April the NHS started its 2025 spring COVID-19 booster vaccination programme. The COVID-19 vaccines are offered seasonally because viruses change, and protection fades over time

If you live in Sussex we would like to find out about how satisfied you feel about your local NHS health services. Healthwatch in Sussex (Brighton & Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex) are the local independent watchdog for health and care.

In January and February 2025 Healthwatch East Sussex undertook ‘Enter and View’ visits to 10 residential homes in East Sussex, talking to residents and staff about their experience of the ‘discharge to assess’ pathway.

We regularly review the experiences you told us through public events, surveys, Feedback Centre and Information & Signposting enquiries.

Healthwatch uses your feedback with health and care decision-makers to seek a positive difference, and this document sets out the issues you raised and any changes you have helped us to deliver during March 2025.

Throughout March and April we will be visiting locations around Hastings and hear from local people about their experience of health and care.

In December 2024 Seven Healthwatch staff and 11 Volunteers undertook a Mystery Shopping exercise to identify the access channels currently available to patients at East Sussex GPs.