News and reports

On 30 April, Healthwatch South Tees, in partnership with Middlesbrough Voluntary Development Agency (MVDA), brought together a wide range of organisations for a collaborative event focused on strengthening community connections and improving how we work together across South Tees.

Our original plan for 2025/26 was to deliver one large project across both Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland, focused on developing a mental health resource to help people understand and navigate what is often a confusing local mental health landscape.

Following concerns raised regarding accessibility and awareness of toilet facilities at James Cook University Hospital (JCUH), actions have now been implemented that are already having a positive impact on patient and carer experience

Over recent months, all 14 Healthwatch across the North East and North Cumbria have been out in communities listening to people’s real experiences of accessing their GP, using the NHS App, and trying Pharmacy First.

Joe and Gaynor visited the Loftus Club to speak with members of the public attending The Bread and Butter Thing—a UK charity that brings affordable, nutritious food to low-income families while helping reduce food waste. The session provided an important opportunity to gather feedback from East Cleveland residents about local health services and the challenges they face.

Recently, Healthwatch South Tees, Together Teesside, and Tees Community Dental Service joined forces to deliver an informal health drop‑in session at a women’s refuge in Middlesbrough.
The goal was clear: to make accessing health support as easy, comfortable, and stigma‑free as possible for residents who may otherwise face significant barriers to seeking help.

At our recent visit to the Last Hope Group in Redcar, we carried out a series of healthy heart checks for people affected by homelessness.

Survivors of sexual violence often face barriers to cervical screening. Survivors, Arch, Public Health, the ICB, Healthwatch Middlesbrough and community organisations came together to create a trauma-informed card that helps survivors communicate their needs, without having to disclose past trauma.

Healthwatch teams across Tees Valley, County Durham and North Yorkshire worked together to support community engagement around the development of the University Hospitals Tees Group Model. This work was carried out in partnership with North Tees & Hartlepool and South Tees NHS Foundation Trusts and reflects the voices of over 380 people across the region.

Healthwatch teams across the North East and North Cumbria (NENC) worked collaboratively to support regional engagement around women’s health, aligning with the national Women’s Health Strategy for England.

Healthwatch NENC has worked closely with the ICB to support the development of the region’s Oral Health and Dental Strategy, which was officially published in October 2025.

As part of a request from the ICB, Healthwatch teams across the North East and North Cumbria supported a rapid engagement exercise to gather feedback on the WorkWell programme, a service designed to help people with long-term health conditions stay in or return to work.