1. Making life a little bit easier for Personal Assistants

    News -

    In November, we shared an insight into how Personal Assistants were coping during the Covid pandemic.

  2. How are our hospitals coping?

    News -

    It's no secret that Kent & Medway's hospitals are under extreme pressure right now due to increasing numbers of Covid patients.

  3. When will I be vaccinated?

    News -

    The last few days have brought great hope to us all as we've watched the first Medway residents get vaccinated against Coronavirus.

  4. How did people cope during November?

    Report -

    Every month during the pandemic, we have been sharing with decision makers what life is really like for you right now.

    In November, you talked to us about a whole range of issues. Key themes are:

  5. 2020 : the good bits

    News -

    It wasn't the year that we planned, but thanks to you, we've still managed to make life better for hundreds of people. Check out our highlights.

  6. Merry Christmas from Healthwatch Medway

    News -

    Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to share your experience of health and social care this year. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

  7. National lockdown : what does it mean for me?

    News -

    To help stop the spread of coronavirus, the government is advising everyone to stay at home from 5 January 2021.

  8. When will I be vaccinated?

    News -

    One million adults in Kent & Medway will be offered the Coronavirus vaccine in the coming weeks and months. When will you get yours?

  9. How to get an NHS dentist appointment during COVID-19

    Advice and Information -

    We’ve heard from hundreds of people since the pandemic started with questions about how to get a dentist appointment or emergency dental care. Here are some of the answers.

  10. Someone I love has died - where can I find support?

    Advice and Information -

    It can be tough at any time to lose someone, but particularly hard during a pandemic when you can feel more alone than usual.

    Take a look at our article on the organisations and groups that can support you if you’re grieving.

  11. Testing sites for people with no Covid symptoms

    News -

    Five testing sites across Medway are offering free Covid tests to people working in key professions who don't have any Covid symptoms.

  12. COVID-19 vaccine: what you need to know

    Advice and Information -

    Take a look about what you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccination programme including how you will know when it's your turn, where to go, and why it's important.

  13. Medway vaccination centres

    News -

    All of us are waiting for the call for our Covid vaccination. Have you had yours yet?

  14. We're raising your vaccine questions directly with decision makers

    News -

    Unsurprisingly we've had lots of calls and emails about the Coronavirus vaccine in recent weeks. We've been able to help some frontline workers get access to their vaccine.

  15. Everyone can now get a Covid test in Medway

    News -

    Testing is now available for all us living and working in Medway if you don't have any Covid symptoms. One in three of us will have Covid with no symptoms so it's really important to get tested regularly to reduce the spread of the virus

  16. I couldn’t get there fast enough!

    Advice and Information -

    How does it feel when you get your vaccine call up? This week we chatted with Lesley whose had her first Covid vaccine.

  17. Your vaccine questions answered

    News -

    So many of you have been in touch to share your experience of being vaccinated, or to ask questions about the vaccine programme.

    We asked the Head of the Vaccine Programme all your questions, and more.

  18. All over 70s told to contact the NHS for their vaccine

    News -

    If you are over 70 years old and have not yet had your Coronavirus vaccine, you are being asked to contact the NHS to get booked in.

  19. All adults with learning disabilities are now being offered the vaccine

    News -

    All adults with learning disabilities in Medway are now being offered the vaccine.

  20. A snapshot of Medway - What's going on in our area?

    Report -

    We want to make sure you hear about everything important that is happening around Medway – as its happening - that could affect your health and wellbeing.

  21. Extending the interval for Covid vaccines to 12 weeks – what’s the rationale?

    Advice and Information -

    Acting on advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the four UK chief medical officers announced in December, that the second doses of covid vaccines should now be given at 12 weeks rather than initial 3-4 weeks.

  22. Covid has completely changed my life

    News -

    This week, we're talking with a number of people who have had Covid. They've been telling us how Covid is still affecting them more than three months later.

  23. The reality of home-schooling and working

    News -

    Just like us, many of you have been juggling work and home school for the past nine weeks. Home-schooling in the winter has been much harder than the initial lockdown.

  24. What’s it really like to be a parent, teacher, cook, cleaner, partner as well as a work colleague?

    News -

    We hear from working parents about how lockdown is affecting them.

  25. Did you know vaccine appointments are now available at Medway hospital?

    News -

    If you’ve been offered the vaccine, you now have the option to have it at the hospital on Friday, Saturday and Sundays.

  26. Are you worried about how the Covid vaccine might affect your long term condition?

    Advice and Information -

    Many people have been asking us what they should do if they have a long term condition and they want the Covid vaccine. We have some answers.

  27. How Covid can change your life

    Report -

    Five people spoke to us in detail this week to tell us how Covid has changed their lives.

  28. New large vaccination centre opens in Chatham

    News -

    The former DW Sports store in the Pentagon Centre will open as the new large vaccination centre on March 11th

  29. Covid and the Vaccines – great news but it’s not all over yet

    Advice and Information -

    The UK government has published their four-step roadmap of a route back to a more normal way of living. In England, the easing of restrictions on our current covid lockdown began on March 8th with the return of schools.

  30. Our feedback contributes to a national conversation about GPs

    News -

    This week, a national report has been published documenting the struggles that thousands of people have faced trying to get a GP appointment during the pandemic. The report features our work on the lack of support available on GP websites in Medway.

  31. Have you had Covid? Are you still struggling?

    News -

    Have you, or someone you know, had Covid and are still feeling the effects four weeks later?

  32. We get your vaccine questions answered

    News -

    Every day we’re taking calls from people with questions about the Covid vaccine. If we don’t know the answer, we don’t rest until we find it. Here are a few of the questions we’ve heard this week. We hope the answers may help you too.

  33. A vaccine with your name on it - book it!

    News -

    There are slots available this week for the Covid vaccine. Have you had yours? Book it today

  34. Did you know you can now get Covid tests from your pharmacy?

    News -

    All of us are now being encouraged to take a Covid test regularly even if we don't have any symptoms.

  35. 42 year olds and over can now get their vaccine

    News -

    The Covid vaccine programme has today been extended and anyone over the age of 42 can now book their vaccine

  36. Vaccination programme continues at pace

    News -

    Anyone aged 38 or over , is now entitled to get their Covid vaccination.

  37. Over 1 million vaccines in Kent & Medway. Have you had yours?

    News -

    Over 1 million people in Kent & Medway have now had their first dose of the Covid vaccine. Have you had yours? Tell us about it.

  38. New research exploring vaccination confidence provides vital lessons for public health campaigns

    News -

    Healthwatch England has joined forces with Traverse to explore vaccination confidence among people from African, Bangladeshi, Caribbean and Pakistani backgrounds living in the UK.

  39. Five principles for post-COVID-19 digital healthcare

    News -

    Healthwatch England has published a new report exploring people's experiences of digital and remote healthcare. They have set out five principles for post-COVID19 care to ensure no one is left behind.

  40. Learning lessons from Covid in our pharmacies

    Report -

    Last year, over 100 community pharmacists told us what life had been like for them during the first wave of the Covid pandemic. Now, we've gone back to them to see what lessons have been learned since our first report.

  41. Vaccine programme : boosters and vaccinations for children

    News -

    Booster vaccinations are already being offered across Kent & Medway and the vaccine programme will now extend to include children aged 12 and above following the recent Government announcement.

  42. COVID-19 vaccine: what you need to know

    Advice and Information -

    Take a look at what you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccination programme, including how you will know when it's your turn, where to go, and why it's important.

  43. How has lockdown affected people's mental health and dignity?

    News -

    New research highlights the challenges faced by health and social care services in England and the importance of feedback for improving care.

  44. £6.8million to help tackle the lack of dentist appointments

    News -

    The NHS has today announced emergency funding to help create hundreds of new dentist appointments.

  45. What are the rules about Covid testing now?

    Advice and Information -

    COVID-19 testing rules have now changed across England. Find out the latest information on where to go to get tested, which test is most suitable for you, and what to do if you get a positive COVID-19 test result.

  46. Covid has exacerbated the health inequalities that already existed for people trying to access a dentist in Medway

    Report -

    Nearly 100 people from Medway have talked to us about how easy (or not) it has been to get an appointment with an NHS dentist.

  47. Covid-19 patient from Walderslade given ground-breaking antiviral treatment Paxlovid

    News -

    A Chatham woman suffering from coronavirus is one of a number of patients who have been given a ground-breaking anti-Covid drug at home that lessens symptoms “within hours”.

  48. COVID-19 UPDATES

    Advice and Information -

    Vaccines: Spring boosters are now being offered to elderly people, care home residents and the most vulnerable.

  49. Your stories about Long Covid heard at a national level

    News -

    Your voice has been heard in a new national report which details the experiences of people with Long Covid from across the country.

  50. Major milestone reached in fight against Covid

    News -

    A major milestone has been reached in Medway’s fight against Covid - 19 with the four millionth jab being administrated. This is a major achievement in the county’s fight against Covid - 19.