News and reports

As the local independent watchdog for health and care would like to hear about your most recent experiences of using Memory Assessment Services.

In October 2023, Young Healthwatch East Sussex (HWES) undertook an ‘Enter and View’ review of the Paediatric Department at The Conquest Hospital in Hastings, operated by East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (ESHT).

In February 2024, Healthwatch East Sussex (HWES) undertook an ‘Enter and View’ review of the Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) in Bexhill, operated by East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (ESHT) to investigate the on-the-ground experiences of patients and staff.

In March 2024, the three local Healthwatch in Sussex sought experiences of Hospital ‘Patient Advice and Liaison Services’.

PALS provides a point of contact for patients, their families and their carers. They offer confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters.

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 February 2024.

Are you passionate about communication and marketing and delivering strong and accessible messages that inform and support change on a range of issues such as health, care, young people and housing? Our host organisation East Sussex Community Voice is recruiting a Trainee Communication and Marketing Officer.

In your preparations for the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, don’t forget to order any repeat medications in good time, as GP practices will be closed and pharmacy opening times are likely to change.

At the end 2023 we shared a consultation being held by NHS England (London and South East regions) about the future location of very specialist cancer treatment services for children living in Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, Kent, Medway, south London, and most of Surrey. The consultation ran for 12-weeks from Tuesday 26th September to Monday 18th December 2023.

Our host organisation East Sussex Community Voice (ESCV) are seeking a dynamic Business Support Officer to join our energetic team and support the smooth day-to-day operation of our organisation.

On the 13th March 2024, Healthwatch England published their 2022-23 annual report ‘The Value of Listening’. Which highlighted the value of the voices shared with Healthwatch over the last 12 months in shaping health and care services.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), is a general term for conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels and causes 1 in 4 deaths in England. High blood pressure is the largest single risk factor for CVD and can increase your risk of serious and potentially life-threatening health conditions, such as heart attacks stroke, kidney disease and vascular dementia.

On the 5th March, our Executive Director, Veronica Kirwan and Communications Officer, Alexandra Hawkins presented our 2023 Rye Listening Tour Report at the East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board. This was an opportunity to share what residents of Rye and the surrounding villages told us during the tour with local health and care decision makers.