News and reports

Help for people feeling lonely, including befriending services

Following your feedback, we have been working with Royal Mail and a coalition of NHS and patient organisations to ensure vital NHS communications are delivered on time.

New research reveals costs of additional eye care services are likely to deter some people from visiting opticians altogether.

Healthwatch visits social care settings to hear how services work for residents and where they could be improved.

On 13 March 2025, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that NHS England will be abolished and the management of the NHS brought back to ministers. If you are concerned about what this means for NHS services, we have put together some information to help you understand the change.

Healthwatch North Yorkshire has been recognised at the national Healthwatch Impact Awards.

Getting the right healthcare when you need it is essential, but for many people in North Yorkshire, accessing NHS services has become increasingly difficult.

You told us your experiences with mental health care. As a result, the local NHS has listened and made some important improvements.

Lisa shares her experience of how mental health practitioners have supported her to manage mental health, reducing the need for referrals to specialist services.

Rethinking Pain is a new community-based service for adults living with long-term pain in the Craven area.

People are often in need of out-of-hours medical assistance. Using NHS guidelines, we have provided some advice and information on where you can go for help when your GP is closed.

People consistently tell us how they struggle to get NHS dental care.

Martyn is one such story. He faced hard decisions about his dental care, and his experience highlights why fundamental reform of NHS dentistry is needed to make it more accessible and affordable.