News and reports

Young people in Barking and Dagenham are being encouraged to get a free Meningitis B (MenB) vaccine before starting university or moving into residential further education this autumn.

The Government has launched a new consultation seeking views on improving employment rights for unpaid carers and parents of children with serious illnesses.

The following blog has been written by a Health and Social Care student who recently completed a one-week work placement with Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham. It shares their personal reflections and experiences from their time with the team.

Every year, South Asian Heritage Month offers an opportunity to celebrate the cultures, histories and contributions of people with roots in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

People waiting for planned NHS care should soon receive clearer and more timely information about their appointments, referrals and treatment, following the publication of new NHS England minimum standards for planned patient care. The new standards aim to improve patients' experiences by ensuring they are kept informed throughout their care, reducing uncertainty and making it easier to understand what happens next.

Healthwatch Barking & Dagenham has published a new Enter and View report following an unannounced visit to the Women's Outpatients Department at Queen's Hospital. The visit explored the experiences of women accessing both gynaecology and antenatal services, focusing on referrals, appointments, communication and the quality of care. During the visit, Healthwatch spoke to 28 women about their experiences.

Healthwatch Barking & Dagenham has published a new Enter and View report following an unannounced visit to the Gynaecology Department at King George's Hospital. The visit, conducted in December 2025, provided Healthwatch representatives with the opportunity to speak with women using the service, observe the environment, and gather feedback on their experiences with referrals, appointments, and the care they received.

As a Health and Social Care student at university, I had reached a stage where I wanted to gain valuable experience within the field while also exploring career paths connected to my interests. I knew I wanted to make a positive impact, although I was still uncertain about exactly where I saw myself in the future.

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Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham has published a new report exploring how local residents access adult social care services, the barriers they face, and what improvements they would like to see.

Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham has published its latest Enter and View report following an unannounced visit to Barking Urgent Treatment Centre in April 2026.

At Healthwatch, we believe that every voice matters—especially those caring for loved ones in challenging times. Recently, as part of our carers project, we spoke with a carer who shared her deeply personal experience of supporting her mother, who lives with dementia. Her story sheds light on the emotional toll, the resilience required, and the importance of compassionate care.