Great to attend Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust’s AGM this week and see how our 2025 work with them is helping shape neighbourhood health planning across Leeds.

Great to attend the West Leeds Local Care Partnership Learning Event at SCRAP in Farsley. Listening is most powerful when people can see the impact of their voice - a message that ran through the whole day. #NeighbourhoodHealth #HealthwatchLeeds #WestLeeds

Tonight marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. From all of us at Healthwatch Leeds, we wish everyone observing a peaceful and joyful new year. Shana Tova - may it be a good and sweet year. #RoshHashanah #ShanaTova #HealthwatchLeeds #Leeds

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. I was proud to join around 20 colleagues from the Old Fire Station in Gipton for one of this year’s Walks of Hope: a gentle 2.5km walk around Wyke Beck Woods, starting and finishing at the station.

It was lovely to welcome Gillian to our office today. She came in to share her positive experience of Healthwatch Leeds — a powerful reminder of why our service matters.

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day and the theme is changing the narrative on suicide. One of the biggest misconceptions about suicide is that talking about it makes someone more likely to act on their thoughts.

Pregnancy isn't just one person's journey. Sometimes support looks as simple as choosing the alcohol-free option too. Watch this new film. #NoThanksImPregnant #Teamwork 👉 Learn more: alcoholandpregnancy.org.uk/

Knowing the facts can make decisions easier. Watch the latest #NoThanksImPregnant film and help spread awareness this FASD Awareness Day. 👉 Learn more: alcoholandpregnancy.org.uk/

Planning a pregnancy? This short film explores why many people decide to go alcohol-free before they even get a positive pregnancy test. #FASDAwarenessDay #Leeds 👉 Learn more: alcoholandpregnancy.org.uk/

Today is Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day: a day to support those affected and to raise awareness. There is emerging evidence that any alcohol consumption during pregnancy is linked to a wide range of FASDs. The safest choice is to not drink any alcohol while pregnant.

Navigating health and care services can feel overwhelming - especially when you are already exhausted from trying to get the right support for yourself or someone you love.

Today's question isn't whether people will continue to be asked for feedback. The question is: Will people continue to trust the system enough to provide it?

The Government has rightly spoken about devolution, neighbourhood health, community partnership and tackling inequalities. In Leeds, independent voice helps deliver all of these ambitions by ensuring local people influence local decisions.

Today the Health Bill reaches its Third Reading. Trust cannot be transferred through legislation. It is built over years through independent engagement with communities. That is why independent voice matters. #HealthBill #Leeds #IndependentVoice

This year Healthwatch Leeds listened to: - People struggling with their mental health - Construction workers - People whose first language is not English - Young people - Autistic people - Deaf people - People living in low-income communities

Today and tomorrow, MPs are debating the future of Healthwatch as part of the Health Bill. In Leeds, an independent review found that trust and independence go hand in hand.

"Independence was identified as the most important factor in building trust." That's what people and organisations across Leeds told us through the Independent Voice Discovery Review.

“Healthwatch have been a constant, positive partner in the Integrated Care System, bringing patient and public voice into all our decision making fora.” Rob Webster, Former Chief Executive, West Yorkshire ICB #HealthBill #Leeds #IndependentVoice

Healthwatch Leeds carried out 11 Enter and View visits to health and care services last year. This led to improvements in: - Staffing - Accessibility - Medication safety - Support for families This statutory power would be lost under current proposals. #HealthBill #Leeds #IndependentVoice

It is Know Your Numbers! Week 2026. Did you know 6.5 million people in the UK do not know they have high blood pressure? Healthwatch Leeds is launching pop-up blood pressure awareness events across East Leeds. Watch this space. #KnowYourNumbers #BloodPressure #HealthwatchLeeds

Young people in Leeds told us mental health support needed to change. Their feedback led to: - Better signposting - Improved hub environments - Clearer information Young people's voices changed services. #HealthBill #Leeds #IndependentVoice #YouthwatchLeeds

Independent feedback from Leeds residents helped improve: - BSL support - Accessible patient information - Interpreter access Small changes. Huge difference. #HealthBill #Leeds #IndependentVoice #SmallChangeBigDifference

After struggling to get answers following concerns about care, Jackie contacted Healthwatch Leeds. Within a day, her concerns were escalated and investigated. Changes were introduced that improved procedures for other families. Independent voice changes lives. #HealthBill #Leeds #IndependentVoice

“Healthwatch is such a valuable part of what we all do. If it goes, Leeds would need another ‘Healthwatch’.” Jim Barwick, Former Chief Executive, Leeds GP Confederation. Independent voice is not a barrier to change. It's part of how change happens. #HealthBill #Leeds #IndependentVoice

Before Leeds designed its neighbourhood health approach, Healthwatch Leeds worked with over 850 local people to understand what good neighbourhood health actually looks like.

As summer comes to an end, check out our latest newsletter, rounding up our summer activities. It features our must-read annual report, shoutouts to volunteers and upcoming events. mailchi.mp/d776b59467f7...

The CHARMER study looks at how reducing medication can make a difference to your wellbeing and reduce over prescribing. Find out more and share your experience on charmerstudy.org/

We featured in The Guardian!! The Guardian published an article arguing that it is "unwise to end local scrutiny of NHS trusts," supported by a letter from Jonathan Phillips (our Co-Chair) on the abolition of Healthwatch. 

It’s unwise to end local scrutiny of NHS trusts | Letters

Letters: Abolishing the role of statutory governors is ill-advised, says Jean Flanagan. Plus a letter from Jonathan Phillips on the abolition of Healthwatch

theguardian.com

In June, we asked people what they would like the new NHS Trust organisation to be called, formed through the planned merger of Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) and Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust (LCH). The votes have been counted, and the new name has been chosen...

Today is Matty Burchell's last meeting as a Healthwatch Leeds Board Director and Youthwatch Representative after 4 years of volunteering.