Healthwatch Leeds

12/06/2026

Tomorrow we will be holding a stall at The Old Fire Station Gipton Fire Engine Day. It is a free, family-friendly event from 11 am to 3pm with lots of fire engines, games, activities, and community stallholders. We hope to see you there 😎

11/06/2026

At an insightful adult safeguarding event today, we learned more about “cuckooing", when criminals exploit a vulnerable person by taking over their home.

One key message stood out: many voluntary organisations feel safeguarding training can be too generic and too focused on council services. There’s a real need for training that reflects the experiences of charities and community groups, using practical, real-life scenarios from the frontline.


Forward Leeds Women's Health Matters

11/06/2026

This is exactly the kind of difference we exist to make.

When people share their experiences with us, we make sure those experiences reach the right people - whether that is doctors, hospitals, or other health and care services across Leeds. And as this quote shows, that can lead to real improvements.

If you are struggling to access health or care services, or if you simply want your experience to help make things better for others, please get in touch.

10/06/2026

Did you see us in the Yorkshire Evening Post? https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/health/fears-over-future-of-healthcare-scrutiny-8660534?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Healthwatch+Leeds&utm_campaign=publer

We encourage everyone to write to their MP to help keep a trusted independent organisation that ensures ALL voices are heard.

We made it easy for you to do, providing a step-by-step guide on our website and a letter you can copy and paste to your local MP.

https://healthwatchleeds.co.uk/healthwatch-leeds-news/2026/letter-to-mp/?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Healthwatch+Leeds&utm_campaign=publer

Fears over healthcare scrutiny in Leeds if independent watchdog is scrapped

10/06/2026

It's from 8th to 14th June. This year, they are focusing on building carer-friendly communities and calling for better recognition and support for unpaid carers.
Did you know that there are an estimated 61,500 unpaid carers living in Leeds?

If you are an unpaid Carer in Leeds, find out more about the support available by contacting our friends at Carers Leeds or call them on 0113 380 4300.

If you care for a loved one and want to discuss your experience (good or bad) of accessing health and care services in Leeds, get in touch. We are here to listen and help.

09/06/2026

Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust are merging together and they'd love your input on the name of the new organisation.

NHS England has given its approval for its Trusts to now develop and submit their full business case, which sets out in more detail their plans to unite. They are aiming to go live with this from 1 April 2027 to become an integrated provider of all health and care services currently provided by two Trusts across Leeds and beyond.

✅ Voting is now open!

You can take part in a quick online vote to choose your preferred name from a shortlist of four options that meet the national guidelines.

🗳 The vote also includes space to share your thoughts and comments.

🕛 The vote closes at midnight on Sunday 21 June 2026.

🔗 https://www.leedsandyorkpft.nhs.uk/news/articles/have-your-say-on-the-name-of-our-new-organisation/?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Healthwatch+Leeds&utm_campaign=publer

08/06/2026

Diabetes Awareness Week runs from June 8 to June 14 📅

Did you know 4.6 million people in the UK are currently living with diabetes.

Please take a moment to share your experience of Diabetes care in Leeds with us: https://healthwatchleeds.co.uk/advice-and-info/?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Healthwatch+Leeds&utm_campaign=publer

08/06/2026

Did you know you can recycle unused walking aids back to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust? Look out for the yellow bins.

Have you, friends or family got one of the estimated 4,000 pairs of walking aids kept by patients annually in Leeds? If so, let's help Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust get their kit back! Grab those crutches, zimmers or metal walking sticks that might be lurking discarded in the back of garages or cupboards. You can drop off them at Kirkstall, Meanwood, Middleton, Pudsey, Seacroft, Wetherby or Yeadon - just look for the big yellow bins!💚 💙

08/06/2026

The Northern Race Equality Conference 2026, taking place on Monday 15 June 2026 at the University of Leeds.
The conference will bring together activists, advocates, grassroots and national organisations, lawyers, researchers, and academics committed to building a society where racial justice is the norm. In collaboration with the Racial Justice Network and the Ella Baker School of Organising, the day will be interactive, educational, and welcoming, creating opportunities to learn, connect, and strengthen our collective work for equal rights and justice.

This is a fantastic opportunity to engage with organisations and individuals across the sector, share experiences, and build meaningful connections within the wider community.

📍 University of Leeds
📅 Monday 15 June 2026
🕘 Registration from 9am / Conference starts from 10am to 4:30pm

Find out more and register here:
https://www.ellabakerorganising.org.uk/northern-race-equality-conference

There’s now less than two weeks to go before we stop selling tickets for the Northern Race Equality Conference 2026, in collaboration with Ella Baker School of Organising and Race Equality Network! ‼️✨

Join us for a day of powerful conversations, political education, workshops, and collective organising with communities, organisers, academics, artists, and activists from across the country.

In increasingly hostile times, spaces like NREC are vital for building solidarity, exchanging knowledge, strengthening connections, and imagining collective pathways towards racial justice and liberation.

Whether you’re attending to learn, connect, reflect, or organise, we hope you’ll join us in building this important space together.

🔗 Get a ticket via the link in our bio!

07/06/2026

This National , we want to say a heartfelt thank you to all the incredible members of our Peoples Voices group, who their time and lived experience to participate in a broad range of involvement opportunities with Healthwatch Leeds and many of our partners.

Whether it's providing practical ideas, input, completing surveys, taking part in focus groups, research, co-designing new services, attending workshops or events, your contributions make a real and lasting difference to improving health and care services.

In 2025 – 2026, our 324 lived experience partners were involved in over 175 involvement opportunities with organisations such as National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), University of Leeds, Leeds Trinity University, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds City Council, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT), Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust (LCH), Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) and many other partners across West Yorkshire and beyond.

To find out more and details of how to join our lived experience partners membership list email [email protected]