Your feedback February 2026
Your NHS and social care feedback February 2026
Top issues
This month we heard negative feedback about the maternity and baby unit at Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH). We received both positive and negative feedback about GP services. We also heard about issues with hospital outpatients appointments – mainly poor communication and long waits for an appointment.
This month’s focus
This month we held our regular Here to Hear drop in sessions in Alnwick, Morpeth and at Hexham General Hospital.
We have had additional in-person sessions at Northumberland County of Sanctuary in Ashington, Hexham Livestock Mart, and at Newbiggin Community Hub.
We were also invited to attend the Northern Cancer Voices event held at Cramlington Manor Walks, and we gave a talk about our services to the Age UK group in Ponteland.
Our online talk was given by Healthworks and was about women’s cancers.
We launched our Annual Survey this month, which asks ‘what matters to you?’ The results will help set our work priorities for the year ahead. You can leave feedback online until 31 March 2026.
Positive feedback example
A woman told us she was really happy with her GP surgery. They helped her stop vaping and continued to monitor her after stopping. They had also given her antibiotics when she had a chest infection.
Tynedale resident
Negative feedback example
A woman told us she was concerned about the reduction in podiatry services. She said they don’t just cut toenails but they provide a vital early detection service for conditions like diabetes. She said she is concerned that more health conditions will go undetected or not be picked up early with the new service levels.
Castle Morpeth resident
Impact
One of Northumberland County Council’s Locality Coordinators reported that she had taken our mental health booklets to Ashington College where they were well received and ‘picked up by a surprisingly high number of students’.
Information and Signposting Service
We were able to help people find the information they need on a range of issues and services, including cancer support groups, Parkinson’s support, care in the home and social prescribing.
