Welcome to the People's Hub |
Want to help shape health and care in your area? The People's Hub shows how you can get involved and make a difference. You can also find out here about the impact you have by getting involved. This is a monthly newsletter – please invite people to sign up! |
Do you use patient transport? |
We want to hear your views on NHS patient transport services.
We want to make it fairer, clearer and consistent across the North East. By focusing more on each person's individual needs rather than just how far they travel.
NHS patient transport services is a free service for people who cannot travel safely to or from hospital on their own.
You may be able to use it if:
• You are unwell
• You have a disability
• You have difficulty moving around
It helps with:
• Getting to hospital appointments
• Getting home after treatment or a stay in hospital
This review is not about stopping patient transport. People who need support because of their health or mobility will continue to receive help. |
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Returning to work after a stroke |
Have you or one of your family had a stroke?
An occupational therapist with a local stroke team is doing some research. They would like to hear people's experiences. To learn what opportunities or barriers there are for stroke survivors returning to paid work, volunteering, or study.
If you would like to take part, please contact rachel.megoran1@nhs.net by 6 July. |
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Gateshead: Have your say on physiotherapy |
Share your views on physiotherapy services. We want to find out:
• What you expected from physiotherapy
• What treatment you had
• Whether these two things matched
We are keen to hear from people living with long-term health conditions.
Your feedback will be used to help improve local physiotherapy services.
This survey closes on 26 June 2026. |
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Help shape Stockton-on-Tees Community Pledge |
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council want to change the way they work with the community. As well as seeing how they can support each other.
Share your views on what a community pledge for Stockton-on-Tees should look and feel like.
This survey will be open until Friday 26th June 2026
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Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP) leads |
New MNVP leads have been recruited to work with people across our area. You can also get involved if you want to.
Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships (MNVPs) help make sure the voices of women, babies, and families are heard. These roles work with local people to listen to their experiences of maternity and newborn care and share their feedback with NHS services.
This helps the NHS improve the safety, quality, and experience of care for families.
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County Durham – improving services for dementia |
Services are working together in County Durham to help reduce the risk of dementia. They are thinking about things you can do to keep your brain healthy.
They want to know:
• Your ideas about the benefits of healthy living
• Where you would go to get help to prevent dementia
This will shape future support.
This survey closes 25 June.
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Toolkit to support researchers |
VONNE and community partners have created easy-to-use tools to help researchers and local community organisations start working together early.
They help people have open, clear conversations about what matters most, including priorities, timescales and funding.
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Working together for change - regional Healthwatch Network annual report |
Our 14 local Healthwatch teams have been working together across the North East and North Cumbria. They have helped health and care services to understand what people experience in real life. What works, what doesn’t, and what needs to change.
You can read more about the kinds of work they have been involved with across the region, as they help to make sure people's voices are heard. |
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County Durham: Adult Social Care Service User Forum gets underway |
Durham County Council Adult Social Care had their first Service User Forum meetings in June.
They talked about what co-production means to people and shared some examples, which led to some really interesting conversations. One of the staff leading the work said "It was great to hear from people with experience of using our services and we are looking forward to focusing on some of the issues they raised at our next round of Service User Forum meetings".
There will be more chances to get involved in the future
You can email to find out more: asc.involvement@durham.gov.uk |
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Community recognition event at the House of Lords |
There is an opportunity to attend a special celebration event at the House of Lords in October to showcase and celebrate the amazing work that community champions do.
We are looking for two people in our region who would be interested in going to this event along with ICB colleagues. The event is happening on Monday 19 October 2026.
If you would like to be considered, please get in touch with the ICB involvement team. There is no commitment at this stage, and you are welcome to contact us if you have any questions. More details will be shared before the event.
You can email us at: nencicb.involve@nhs.net
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Newcastle: What support can I ask for |
Healthwatch Newcastle has been working with autistic patients and patients with a learning disability. They looked at support people need when they visit their GP. This is called 'reasonable adjustments'.
Together, they created a list to help people understand the support they can ask for. The work has also helped raise awareness in GP practices. |
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Newcastle: Accessible information report |
Having clear information is important to people. It helps put people in control of their own health. It can also help to improve the results of their interactions with health services.
Healthwatch Newcastle has been listening to people. They have collected evidence from local communities and health staff.
The report includes suggestions to help improve future information. |
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North Cumbria: Safeguarding Voices |
Healthwatch Westmorland & Furness and Healthwatch Cumberland worked together for this project. They developed a survey to learn about how people (including both carers and professionals) experienced the safeguarding process.
People who got involved shared their honest opinions and areas of improvement.
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Tees: what people told us about reablement |
This report brings together real experiences from people, families and carers. It is all about mental health and reablement support. Showing what helps, what doesn’t, and what needs to change.
It tells us what people across County Durham and Tees Valley have been experiencing.
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Making the People's Hub better |
Thank you to everyone who has told us what they think about the People's Hub. We have decided to keep the survey open, to keep listening and improving. Please fill in the survey if there's things you'd like to see in the future. |
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Healthwatch - listening to you |
Healthwatch is your health and social care champion. They:
- Listen to your experiences of using health and care services
- Share what they hear with the people who run services
- Help you find clear advice and info
Your local Healthwatch website exlpains:
- How you can get involved and access support
- What projects are happening and what they have heard
- The difference you can make by sharing your experience
- Volunteering opportunities
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Your voice matters. Share your views directly with the people who plan and pay for health and care services - the Integrated Care Board (ICB). Tell Us What You Think about:
- Local healthcare services
- What we could do better
- If something went well for you or your family
- What matters most to you
Your voice matters!
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