West Yorkshire and Craven Insight Report Healthwatch

Healthwatch, working together across West Yorkshire (including Craven in North Yorkshire) has produced a report highlighting some of the key challenges and issues being faced by people and communities when trying to access health and care services. This report is based on what Healthwatch have been hearing about in their local areas and has been shared with those in charge of planning health and care services.

Healthwatch North Yorkshire has done additional engagement with the Craven Communities Together Partnership and a more detailed report can be read here.

The West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership has a five-year plan which outlines how health and care services will work together to ensure people have long and healthy lives. The plan is currently being refreshed and the Healthwatch report will make sure the voices of local people are a central part of the refresh.

West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership work together with NHS organisations, councils, Healthwatch, hospices, charities and the community voluntary and social enterprise sector to improve the health and wellbeing of people living in West Yorkshire and Craven. Working together in this way is called an Integrated Care System.

Within this report, Healthwatch highlighted local people's issues with GPs, dentists, mental health services and the growing effects of the cost-of-living crisis.

Findings in the report were gathered from local Healthwatch speaking and listening to people in their local communities, through Healthwatch advice and information services and reports produced by local Healthwatch over the past 12 to 18 months. Based on what people have told us, we produced recommendations for how services can be improved.

The report will be available with a formal response to the recommendations on the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership website.