Healthwatch Richmond-upon-Thames

12/08/2026

Ready to watch the sky put on a show? ☀️🌑
Protect your vision with these eclipse viewing rules:

Get proper specs: Regular sunglasses won't cut it. Use solar viewing glasses or handheld viewers certified to the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard.

No optical shortcuts: Never look at the sun through a camera lens, telescope, or binoculars while wearing eclipse glasses—the concentrated solar rays can burn right through the filter and harm your eyes instantly.

Indirect options: No glasses? Use a pinhole projector or a colander to project the sun's image onto a card or the ground.

➡You can find more about the eclipse on the NASA website: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety/

Enjoy the view safely! 🕶️✨

05/08/2026

Summer Festival Season: The Ultimate Festival Health Checklist !

Heading to a summer festival? Keep the good vibes rolling and stay safe with these quick tips:
🌞Slather on the Sunscreen: Apply SPF 30+ before you head out, and reapply every couple of hours. Sunburn is the ultimate vibe killer.

💧Hydrate: Sip water continuously throughout the day—especially if you're dancing or drinking alcohol. Refillable bottles are your best friend!

🧼Keep Hands Clean: Hand sanitizer or soap and water before eating and after port-a-potty visits keeps festival bugs at bay.

🚨Know Where Help Is: Take 30 seconds when you arrive to locate the nearest Medical Tent and Information/Security Desk. It's always better to know where to go before you need it.

Stay safe, look out for your friends, and enjoy the music!

03/08/2026

Not All Heroes Wear Capes... Some Just Wear Band-Aids: Give blood this summer!
Blood and plasma donations naturally drop during the summer, but the need for blood never takes a break. Hospitals need life-saving donations every single day for emergency surgeries, trauma care, and ongoing treatments.

Taking just one hour out of your sunny day can save up to three lives.
It’s quick, easy, and you get free snacks and AC in return!

Book your slot today here: https://www.blood.co.uk/the-donation-process/about-our-donation-venues/twickenham/
or type in your internet search box "NHS blood donation"

01/08/2026

Summertime Shots (the Health-Conscious Kind) : get vaccinated before Uni!

Summer break checklist:
🌞Relax
🥤Catch up with friends
💉Check your vaccines

Step into the new term safe and fully protected. Need to catch up on a dose? A quick visit to your GP is all it takes.

↪You can check information on meningitis B and symptoms to watch out for here:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/getting-free-nhs-meningococcal-b-menb-vaccinations/

30/07/2026

Caring for a friend or family member with a neurological condition in Richmond upon Thames?

Drop by the Carers Marketplace at Age UK Barnes Green Centre on Tuesday, Aug 4! Meet local organizations and discover the free support available to you!

🗓️ Tuesday 4th August
🕙️ 10:30am - 12:30pm (drop-in)
📍 Age UK Barnes Green Centre, Church Road, Barnes, SW13 9HE

Register your place today: https://forms.office.com/e/8HJ9ubqULz
If you have any questions or trouble accessing the booking form, please get in touch at [email protected] or 020 8755 4000!

28/07/2026

Come and meet us on Tuesday 4th August at the Carers Marketplace!

Do you live in Richmond and provide unpaid care or support for a friend or family member with a neurological condition?

Visit our drop-in Carers Marketplace at Age UK Barnes Green Centre on Tuesday 4th August for the chance to meet with local organisations offering support for carers and find out more about how they can help you:
Integrated Neurological Services, Age UK Richmond upon Thames, FISH Neighbourhood Care, Crossroads Care Richmond & Kingston, Homelink - Whitton, Healthwatch Richmond-upon-Thames, Multicultural Richmond, Parkinson's UK, Richmond Borough Mind, Richmond Carers Centre , Ruils - Independent Living ..And more to be confirmed!

Details
🗓️ Tuesday 4th August
🕙️ 10:30am - 12:30pm (drop-in)
📍 Age UK Barnes Green Centre, Church Road, Barnes, SW13 9HE

Register your place today: https://forms.office.com/e/8HJ9ubqULz

If you have any questions or trouble accessing the booking form, please get in touch at [email protected] or 020 8755 4000 and a member of the team will be happy to assist you.

27/07/2026

🟠⚠️ An Amber Heat-Health Alert has been issued across the East Midlands, East of England, London and South East, with a Yellow Heat-Health Alert in place across Yorkshire, the West Midlands and the South West.

These alerts will be in place from 9am Wednesday 29 July until Thursday 30 July at 9am.

Read our blog post on how to keep cool and stay well during hot weather: https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/06/23/how-to-keep-cool-and-stay-well-during-hot-weather/

16/07/2026

Read our latest update on the Health Reform Bill and Parliament debates on the future of independent patient voice.

➡

While the Government’s majority carried the vote as predicted, the debate exposed a profound divide over the future of independent patient voice.

15/07/2026

We published our Annual Report 2025 - 2026 last week.

If you missed it, you can still read about it here: https://www.healthwatchrichmond.co.uk/report/2026-06-30/speaking-better-care-annual-report-2025-2026

The report details our work and impact in 2025/26, our plans for the year to come, and how we're dealing with the results of the planned abolition of Healthwatch.
It brings together the considerable work that was carried out over the last year, including:
📍 Our volunteers contributed around 250 hours of their valuable time to enable us to speak to 488 patients across 28 Enter & View visits.
📍 We published 13 reports giving more than 1,770 people a voice in local services.
📍 People viewed our communications over 180,000 times and engaged with them over 70,000 times.

13/07/2026

Taking their Own Pulse: the 999 Patient Survey 🩺

London Ambulance Service would like to hear about your experience of using their services.
👉 Please follow this link to complete the short survey (about 2 minutes):
https://forms.office.com/e/sQPQAKGPxA
Or visit directly the London Ambulance Service website to complete the survey.

By sharing your views and providing feedback, you will help us improve patients care! 🚑🚨

London Ambulance Service NHS Trust