Doctors’ AI scribes get names of drugs and diagnoses wrong, NHS watchdog warns Exclusive: Patients identify errors in consultation transcripts that are missed by GPs, Healthwatch England finds The Guardian - UK · Aug 31
It’s unwise to end local scrutiny of NHS trusts Letters: Abolishing the role of statutory governors is ill-advised, says Jean Flanagan. Plus a letter from Jonathan Phillips on the abolition of Healthwatch The Guardian - UK · Aug 23
Frustrated GP patients hang up as Yorkshire accent baffles AI receptionist ‘Emma’ the Rotherham chatbot has 17 languages says AI firm – but health watchdog says system struggling with local ‘twangs’ The Guardian - UK · Aug 20
More patients are paying for private care to bypass NHS waits – report The Healthwatch England report highlights shifting public attitudes over the last two years about NHS care. Evening Standard · Mar 16
Almost a third of people in England use private dentists amid NHS dental crisis Exclusive: Watchdog finds sharp rise in number of poorer households forced to pay for fillings and extractions The Guardian - UK · Mar 9
A&E patients left in the dark and on broken beds for 24 hours – NHS corridor care laid bare in damning new report One in 10 people waited more than 12 hours for a bed after being admitted to hospital in December when pressures were heightened due to the resident doctors’ strike The Independent UK · Feb 11
Patients left stranded and forced to take public transport to hospital appointments Patients using non-emergency transport to get to hospital appointments or operations have transport cancelled or denied, watchdog finds The Independent UK · Dec 17, 2025
Brits Are Pulling Out Their Own Teeth for Lack of Urgent Dental Care Says Patient Watchdog Healthwatch England reveals Brits resorting to pulling out own teeth as NHS urgent dental access falters. With fewer regular check-ups and growing inequalities, government pledges extra appointments but faces calls for deeper reforms. International Business Times UK · Dec 16, 2025
People are pulling their own teeth out due to lack of urgent NHS dental care In September 2025, 10 per cent fewer adults had seen an NHS dentist in the past 24 months compared to 2019 The Independent UK · Dec 15, 2025
People pulling own teeth due to lack of urgent NHS dental care in England, watchdog finds Emergency help should be available, but some being forced to travel 100 miles or go private, says Healthwatch England The Guardian - UK · Dec 15, 2025
Thousands of patients in England at risk as GP referrals vanish into NHS ‘black hole’ Exclusive: Watchdog finds 14% of cases not put on hospital waiting lists, with many reporting worsening health and rising anxiety The Guardian - UK · Dec 7, 2025
Demise of Healthwatch England will do NHS patients a disservice Letter: Sharon Grant says the agency, which advocates for patients, will go the same way as previous community engagement bodies, to the detriment of health service users The Guardian - UK · Jul 7, 2025
One in four patients in England find errors in medical records, watchdog says Healthwatch England says mistakes mean some patients are refused care or given drugs they do not need The Guardian - UK · Apr 30, 2025
Call for ‘trauma cards’ to help NHS patients Healthwatch England said that the cards can help discreetly alert health workers that they are caring for someone who has experienced trauma. The Independent UK · Mar 3, 2025
The Guardian - UK · Jan 27, 2025 Quarter of people in England had poor NHS care in past year, report says Survey for patient watchdog finds over half of those who made complaint were not satisfied with process or outcome
Evening Standard · Jan 27, 2025 Low confidence in NHS complaints process ‘stops patients flagging poor care’ A survey showed more than half of those who made a complaint to an NHS organisation were not satisfied with the process or outcome.
The Guardian - UK · Dec 31, 2024 UK patients unable to get dental care after ‘eye-watering’ rise in private fees Exclusive: warning that lack of NHS dentists and soaring cost of private work puts essential care out of reach for many
The Independent UK · Nov 20, 2024 Concern as some NHS dentists will ‘accept children only if parents go private’ It comes as a patient champion said there is widespread confusion about registration for NHS dentistry.
The Guardian - UK · Sep 25, 2024 Pharmacy closures in England threaten plan to use them instead of GPs for some care Closure of hundreds of outlets hitting rural areas, older people and deprived communities hardest, according to Healthwatch England
The Independent UK · Jul 21, 2024 One in five patients don’t know the difference between doctors and physician associates, watchdog warns Charities call for NHS to make information on physician associates more accessible to patients
Evening Standard · Apr 6, 2024 Plans to cut Royal Mail deliveries ‘could worsen patient safety risks’ The chief executives of Healthwatch England, National Voices, The Patients Association and NHS Providers have ‘raised direct concerns’.
The Guardian - UK · Mar 4, 2024 Worst-off find it harder than well-off to access NHS care, survey finds Exclusive: findings raise concerns over ‘two-tier service’ with poorer people also feeling less heard by medics
The Guardian - UK · Nov 19, 2023 Patients ‘neglected and confused’ after leaving hospital, says NHS watchdog Research shows patients risk being readmitted after not being given help and advice after treatment
The Independent UK · Sep 29, 2023 Second NHS trust failed to send tens of thousands of patient and GP letters The Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust said that no significant patient harm had been found but it would review its initial investigation.
The Guardian - UK · Sep 23, 2023 Third of life-or-death 999 ambulance calls in England not attended by paramedic Exclusive: Concerns over patient safety after NHS figures show less-qualified staff attending urgent calls