News and reports

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.

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!

On 4th July 2025, trained representatives from Healthwatch Rotherham visited the Acute Medical Unit at Rotherham Hospital to carry out and Enter and View visit.

There is no evidence that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism in children.

On Wednesday 10th September, our Community Engagement Officer Andrea went along to the Headway Rotherham social group at the Hub on Barbers Ave, Rawmarsh. She was joined there by Joanne and James from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) to talk to the group about CPR and defibrillators.

Imagine stepping into your GP surgery, clinic or hospital and instantly letting staff know exactly how you communicate—no awkward explanations needed. That’s the reality we’ve created with our new communication cards, designed to give deaf and hard of hearing patients confidence and clarity at every healthcare visit.

Co-designed with local communities to ensure needs are clearly signalled at health appointments