News and reports

Enter & View Visit to Market Surgery, Wath

In November, Healthwatch Rotherham carried out an Enter & View visit to Market Surgery in Wath-upon-Dearne. These visits allow us to see services first-hand, speak directly with patients and staff, and understand how care is experienced by local people.

Overall, the feedback from patients was strongly positive. Many described Market Surgery as a caring, well-run practice with friendly and professional staff. Patients frequently told us they feel listened to, taken seriously, and treated with kindness and respect. The practice was also praised for its clean, welcoming environment and clear communication about next steps after appointments.

Staff shared pride in their work and spoke positively about teamwork and patient care, while also highlighting the pressures faced in a busy primary care setting. Despite these challenges, the practice continues to provide inclusive and innovative services, including nurse-led dementia care, sexual health services, and shared-care support for LGBTQ+ patients.

The visit also identified opportunities to further improve patient experience. These included strengthening privacy at the reception desk, improving communication around appointment delays and follow-up, enhancing accessibility for wheelchair users, and increasing awareness of how patients can give feedback or raise concerns.

Market Surgery welcomed the findings of the report and expressed their commitment to using patient and staff feedback to continue improving services.

We would like to thank the practice team for their openness and cooperation, and all the patients who took the time to share their experiences. Your feedback plays a vital role in shaping local health services.

📄 Read the full Enter & View report below to explore the findings, patient voices, and recommendations in detail.

The Rainbow Project Rotherham plays a vital role in creating safe, inclusive, and uplifting spaces for LGBTQ+ people across our community and this report shines a light on the real impact it has on local lives. Throughout October 2025, Healthwatch Rotherham spent time within the project’s groups and activities, listening to people’s experiences of support, wellbeing, identity, and access to health and care. What we heard was clear: The Rainbow Project provides not just services, but a sense of belonging, connection, and confidence for those who need it most. This report shares the voices of attendees, highlights the strengths of the project, and explores where greater understanding and support are still needed.

November "You said, we did" report.
We've received lots of feedback regarding NHS and Social Care services and we've also provided information and signposting to those that need it.

Our 'You said, we did' report for October 2025 is now available.

This month we were heard from 78 people who either shared their experiences of health and social care services, or asked for information and signposting help. Our report highlights some of the things we heard and some of the actions we have taken, as well as some of the feedback given to us. We had a massive response at our outreach engagements totaling 275 people seen!

During several public engagement sessions conducted by Healthwatch Rotherham, concerns were raised about hospital referral waiting times. A number of individuals reported experiencing delays of several weeks for their referrals, with some expressing that they felt abandoned by the NHS during this period of uncertainty.
In response to these concerns, Healthwatch Rotherham launched a web-based SmartSurvey to gather data on patients' experiences of "waiting well" and to explore whether this approach had been recommended or supported by their healthcare professionals.

Healthwatch Rotherham attended Rotherham College to support a series of educational sessions focused on breast cancer awareness and early detection. The sessions at Healthwatch Rotherham attended had a total of 27 students, including 8 male students, demonstrating the importance of breast health awareness for all sexes, ages, and backgrounds.

Healthwatch Rotherham has been engaging with local people to understand their experiences of menopause — a natural stage of life that can have wide-ranging physical, emotional, and social effects.

As we head into the colder months, the NHS is encouraging everyone who is eligible to book their free flu and COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and our community from serious illness this winter.

This winter, your community pharmacy offers an easy, appointment-free way to get expert advice, treatment and—where appropriate—prescription medicines for common ailments. By choosing Pharmacy First instead of booking a GP appointment, you’ll be seen quicker

The September "You said, we did" report is here!
It's been a busy month with engagement events, the annual Rotherham Show and our very own "Health in our Community" event hosted alongside the Rotherham Cancer Advocacy Service at Rotherham Minster.
Read our report to see how many people we have provided information to and signposting.

September brought a burst of inspiration for our team as Kym, along with our newest team member Danielle, had the exciting opportunity to attend the Rotherham Creative Health Symposium. And where better to soak up creative energy than the stunning Wentworth Woodhouse Estate?

Healthwatch Rotherham & Rotherham Sight and Sound come together to collaborate on making new communication cards!