About us

We are the independent voice for North Tyneside residents using local health and social care services.

We talk to users of NHS and social care services to hear about experiences, identify what’s working well and what could be done better so that services can improve.

Healthwatch North Tyneside is here to:

• Provide information and signposting to local health and care services so that you get the support you need.
• Listen to your views and gather feedback about health and social care services.
• Improve the quality of services by making sure service providers and decision makers listen to your views and use these to make services better.
• Encourage people running services to involve local people in changes to care.

What do we stand for?

We are here to help make sure that those designing, running and regulating health and social care listen to people’s views and act on them to make services work as well as possible for those using them.

How do we do it?

People speak to Healthwatch about the issues that matter most to them. We share these experiences with local services so they can be improved. We have strong relationships with service providers and commissioners and act as a critical independent friend to ensure users’ voices are heard.

We are part of a national network of Local Healthwatch that was set up under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Healthwatch England is the national body for Healthwatch, working with the network of 152 local Healthwatch (such as Healthwatch North Tyneside) and other partners to address national issues relating to accessing services and the quality of health and social care services.

We share information with Healthwatch England, which identifies common issues affecting people across the country, and informs those with the power to make change happen. The Health and Social Care Act 2012 sets out the powers and role local Healthwatch have with funding coming through the local authority.

Who we are

Healthwatch North Tyneside is a small independent charity based in Wallsend (Charity no 1160753) and delivers Healthwatch work in the area. Our organisation is made up of:

• a team of volunteer trustees who oversee the work of the charity.
• a team of volunteers who make a massive contribution to our work through our activities and gathering information from service users.
• a small staff team who coordinate the work of the charity.

What we are doing 

The ‘our work’ area of our website sets out the work we are currently doing.

Our key issues  – each year, we select a small number of key issues to focus some of our work on. These are based on what local people have told us really matters to them. We have also discussed these with service providers and commissioners.

Our annual report – you can read more about what we achieved last year in our latest annual report.

Our insights – we produce a regular report which includes updates about our recent work and insights about health and social care from what people have told us. Read our latest insight report here.

Our plans for 2022 to 2025 – we have a plan that sets out what we want to achieve and how we will work during this period. Read our plan here

More information

If you want to talk to us about our work, please get in touch. See how to contact us.

Our e-News is packed with the latest news and information about health and social care in North Tyneside, and beyond. It’s delivered directly into your inbox each month. It’s a great way to keep up to date with health and care matters in our region, sign-up to receive yours.