You Told Us: Jan - March 2026

Healthwatch County Durham summarises key themes in feedback they collected between January and March 2026 from 186 people across County Durham about their experiences of health and social care services. 

Most feedback related to general practice, dentistry and community mental health teams. People most often commented on access to services, the quality of treatment, and whether they were treated with kindness, respect and dignity. General practice received the highest volume of feedback overall, followed by hospital services and social care.

Patient experiences were mixed. Some people described very positive care, particularly where individual GPs were supportive, persistent and helped patients navigate long waiting lists or referral systems. Others reported frustration with accessing timely appointments, repeated triage, seeing different clinicians, and difficulties feeling listened to, especially when their condition was worsening.

Access to urgent dental care was a significant concern. Several people described being left in severe pain, struggling to get appointments through NHS services, and feeling pushed towards private care. This led to distress, unsafe coping strategies, and a sense of being abandoned by the system.

Hospital-related feedback included concerns about parking changes, accessibility for disabled people, and communication in accident and emergency departments. Some individuals felt care was disjointed, particularly for ongoing or complex pain, and that dignity and communication were lacking at times.

Mental health and emotional wellbeing featured strongly. One case study highlighted the potential impact of proposed funding cuts to voluntary and charitable services, specifically a bereavement support group. The individual explained that the group provided essential, ongoing emotional support that could not easily be replaced and that losing it could worsen mental health and increase pressure on NHS services.

Volunteers also gathered informal feedback while out in the community. People raised concerns about difficulty accessing female GPs, confusion around updating “Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation” forms, problems booking British Sign Language interpreters, and gaps in emergency care pathways.

The report also outlines Healthwatch County Durham’s engagement activity during the quarter. Staff attended a wide range of community events and groups, including veterans’ hubs, carers’ groups, LGBT groups, dementia and hearing-loss forums, and wellbeing events, to ensure diverse voices were heard.