Healthwatch West Sussex Annual Report 2025-26: Speaking up for better care
We have undertaken a range of projects and initiatives over the last 12 months to engage with a diverse range of individuals and communities living in different areas of West Sussex, and worked hard to share these experiences and preferences on health and care services with commissioners and providers so that they focus on meeting the needs of local people.
Our year in review
Reaching out
- 40,855 people shared their experiences of health and social care services with us, helping to raise awareness of issues and improve care.
- 1,010 people came to us for clear advice and information on topics such as help with making a NHS complaint, finding a dentist and feedback about people’s experiences at General Practices.
- 22 newsletters and bulletins issued and over 400 social media posts giving you information and updates about services.
Making a difference to care
- We published 32 reports covering the improvements people would like to see to health and social care services.
- Our most popular report was Horsham District Women’s Health Survey Report, highlighting people’s responses to a proposed Women’s Health Hub. Other popular reports included: the Young People’s Experiences of NHS Communication and Appointments Report and NHS Sussex Sensory Impairment Health Inequalities Summary.
Health and care that works for you
- We’re lucky to have 67 volunteers, who gave up 2,018 hours to make care better for our community.
- We’re funded by our local authority. In 2025-26 we received: £234,696, which is the same as last year.
- We currently have 7 staff who help us carry out this work.
How we’ve made a difference throughout the year
Our biggest projects between April 2025 to March 2026.
Spring
- We heard from 18,000+ women in Horsham calling for better healthcare access. Our work helped support improvements and priorities for a new Health Hub.
- Ourselves, Macmillan, and NHS Sussex empower patients and carers by using real feedback to improve digital palliative care.
Summer
- We submitted a response to the UK Parliament Committee for reproductive health conditions: girls and young women, to ensure that the voices of women in West Sussex are considered.
- In July, we held a Summer Mental Health and Wellbeing Information Event at Saint Wilfrid’s Church in Bognor Regis.
Autumn
- We promoted and contributed to an independent NHS England expert review of the Cardiac Cath Lab Service at St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester.
- Our collaboration with UK Harvest meant that we could support their service delivery, promote our work and hear local voices in six neighbourhoods across Chichester and Bognor Regis.
Winter
- Since the Crawley LCN Temporary Accommodation report was published, members have focused on its key themes, including producing a booklet on cooking affordable meals with limited equipment.
- Partnership working with Stonepillow has led to a strong collaboration, including the co-design and delivery of a Lived Experience Project that amplifies local voices.
Speaking up for better care
The power of your voices - shared through surveys, community outreach, focus groups, and advocacy - has driven our work and shaped the way care is delivered. From volunteers offering their time and insight, to our dedicated Healthwatch and Advocacy teams working tirelessly behind the scenes, every contribution has counted.
Looking ahead, our focus remains clear.
Over the next year, we will keep reaching out to every part of society, especially people in the most deprived areas, so that those in power hear their views and experiences.
We will also work together with partners and our local Integrated Care System to help develop an NHS culture where, at every level, staff strive to listen and learn from patients to make care better.
Our top three priorities for the next year are:
- Insight
- Influence
- Impact
Who we share our report with
Our Healthwatch Annual Report has been submitted to Healthwatch England, alongside reports from all local Healthwatch in England.
We also share our report with West Sussex County Council as the commissioners of the local Healthwatch service, and with a wide range of our statutory and voluntary sector partners across West Sussex.
If you find this interesting or you are interested in the work we do, please feel free to share or forward our annual report with your contacts or network.
Tell Us Your Experiences
Take five minutes to share your experiences.
NHS and social care staff are doing everything they can to keep us well during these challenging times, but there might be things that can be improved for you and your loved ones. Please take five minutes to share your story with us.
We're here to help
Whether you'd like to share your feedback about health and care services, or you're looking for local support - get in touch.
0300 012 0122
