Staffordshire Healthwatch received 14 applications for their Engagement Fund by the end of July 2026, and the Healthwatch Staffordshire People’s Panel approved funding for eight of those groups. They are looking forward to receiving and approving more applications soon. To get in touch, contact enquiries@healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk and you could receive £500 from this year's engagement fund to help the group gather experiences on this year's health and care research topics

In April of this year, the Government released the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England, pledging to prioritise women's voices in NHS decision-making, address gynaecology waiting times, and enhance pain relief and care for conditions like endometriosis, fibroids, and menopause. The strategy recognises what many women have been saying for years: that they feel dismissed, unheard, and left waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment. These national commitments strongly