“It shouldn’t be this hard to get care”: what people across North Yorkshire are telling us
Across North Yorkshire, people are telling us the same things again and again.
Things like:
- getting an appointment can take too long
- waiting for care can feel uncertain
- and when things do not go to plan, it is not always clear what happens next
This is not one-off feedback. It is a pattern we are hearing across the county.
Our latest report brings together what people shared with us between January and March 2026. It reflects what it is really like to access care day to day, where it works well, and where people are still struggling.
What people are telling us
Every three months, we listen to what people tell us about their experiences of health and care and share what we hear with those responsible for running and planning services.
Between January and March 2026, we spoke to more than 400 people across North Yorkshire, through direct feedback and conversations at local events.
What comes through clearly is what it feels like to access care day to day.
Some people described positive experiences, with staff taking time to listen, explain things clearly and provide reassuring care. But alongside this, the same issues keep coming up, affecting people’s ability to get the help they need.
People told us about:
- difficulty getting appointments
- long and uncertain waiting times
- problems booking online or getting through on the phone
- ongoing challenges accessing dental care
- communication breaking down or follow up not happening
These issues are not new. But they are still having a real impact on people’s lives.
See the full picture
This article is a summary of what people told us.
Our full report goes into more detail, including real experiences in people’s own words and what this means for care across the county.
It's not all negative
It is just as important to say that many people shared positive experiences too.
We heard about staff who took the time to listen, explained things clearly and treated people with kindness and respect. When care works well, it makes a real difference, and people remember it.
That balance matters. This is not about criticism for the sake of it. It is about showing what is really happening, both when care works well and when it does not.
A North Yorkshire picture
North Yorkshire is England’s largest county, and that shapes how people experience care.
Around one in four people living here are aged 65 or over. Many communities are spread out, with longer travel times to hospitals and fewer public transport options.
So access is not just about whether care exists. It is about whether people can realistically get to it, understand how to use it, and get support when they need it.
At the same time, health and care services are under real pressure. Demand is rising, staffing is stretched, and more people need support with complex needs.
This helps explain why some of the issues people raise keep coming up, and why they are not always quick to fix.
Why this matters
Behind every piece of feedback is a real experience. It might be someone:
- trying to get an appointment and not knowing if they will be seen.
- waiting months for treatment while their condition gets worse.
- repeating their story and not feeling heard.
When care works well, people notice. They remember staff who are kind, clear and take the time to explain things properly.
But when it does not work, the impact can last just as long.
Listening to these experiences shows what care looks like in practice, not just how it is meant to work. It highlights where things are working, where they are not, and where change is needed.
What needs to happen next
People are not asking for the impossible. They want:
- clear information
- easier ways to get appointments
- care that follows through
- to be treated with understanding and respect
These might sound like simple things, but when they do not happen, people feel the impact straight away.
People told us about living with pain while waiting for treatment, not knowing what is happening next, and feeling they have to chase care or repeat their story.
Over time, this can mean people delay getting help, lose confidence in services, or turn to private care if they can afford it.
It can also widen the gap between those who can navigate care more easily and those who cannot.
Making care easier to access, improving communication and making sure support is consistent are not small improvements. They are essential to making sure people get the help they need at the right time.
What Healthwatch will do with this report
We do not just publish reports and move on.
When people tell us about problems, we take that back to the organisations responsible and ask what is being done about it.
We share what we hear with the local NHS, GP practices, hospitals, ambulance services, dental commissioners and North Yorkshire Council. We also raise these issues with councillors and Members of Parliament so they understand what people are experiencing day to day.
Where there are concerns, we follow them up.
Sometimes that means asking for answers. Sometimes it means pushing for change where we can see a pattern.
We also take what people tell us into meetings where decisions are made, so those experiences are heard directly.
What you tell us shapes what we look at next.
So when you tell us something is not working, it does not stop with us.
We will keep raising these issues and following them up, so that people’s experiences lead to real improvements in care.
Read the full report
This article gives a snapshot of what people told us.
Our full report sets out what we heard, including real experiences in people’s own words and what this means to them.
