My Health, My responsibility
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Healthwatch Bucks undertook a public engagement project between January and May 2026 to understand how residents view their responsibility for maintaining their own health and wellbeing. Feedback was gathered from 430 people through surveys, focus groups and community engagement events. Overall, respondents strongly agreed that looking after their health was primarily their own responsibility and reported taking positive steps to stay well, including eating healthily, attending screening appointments and vaccinations, and managing stress.
While most participants felt they were actively managing their health, several challenges were identified. Around a third considered themselves overweight, over a third reported not achieving recommended levels of physical activity, and many highlighted barriers such as lack of time, affordability, caring responsibilities and limited awareness of local services and support. Respondents also demonstrated gaps in knowledge about some risk factors linked to high blood pressure, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Participants wanted more affordable opportunities to exercise, better access to healthy food, clearer information about managing their health and easier routes to support following a diagnosis. Different groups preferred different ways of receiving information, with online respondents favouring direct conversations with health professionals and NHS App content, while focus group participants preferred community-based sessions, videos and information available in other languages.
Overall, Healthwatch Bucks concluded that residents are willing to take responsibility for their health but need better support, information and access to preventative services to do so effectively. Recommendations focused on improving awareness of prevention programmes, increasing opportunities for physical activity, promoting healthy eating, providing clear and accessible health information, and addressing practical barriers that prevent people from leading healthier lives.