Annual Report 2025 to 2026
Our Annual Report 2025 to 2026 shows how 1,853 people sharing their experiences of health and social care in Leeds made a real difference this year. From mental health crisis services to neighbourhood health, read how your voice shaped services across Leeds and West Yorkshire.
The importance of independent voice
Published 03 July 2026
Written by the Healthwatch Leeds team
This has been a year of real impact. We listened to people struggling to access mental health crisis support, families navigating long waiting lists, young people trying to use mental health services, and communities who are often left out of conversations about their own care.
We took what people told us to the organisations that run and fund NHS and social care services in Leeds and West Yorkshire and things changed. People got better support when calling NHS 111 in a mental health crisis. Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust used our findings to shape how neighbourhood health services will work across the city. Youthwatch volunteers helped improve children and young people's mental health hubs.
This year also saw us speak up about what matters most to all of us: that an independent voice for patients and communities in Leeds must continue. The government has proposed abolishing Healthwatch as part of the wider NHS 10-year plan. Nothing changes until at least April 2027, and we are continuing to work as normal. But we believe, and the evidence shows, that independence is what makes honest feedback possible, and that honest feedback is what makes services improve.
If you would like the report in another format, please contact us on 0113 898 0035 or email the team at info@healthwatchleeds.co.uk
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“Despite the threat of abolition, it has been very much business as usual for us at Healthwatch Leeds. We firmly believe that having a trusted, independent place for the people of Leeds to share their experiences of health and care and then for those experiences to be heard and used to improve services is a vital part of a robust health and care system. Many thanks to all the people who shared their experiences with us and to the brilliant volunteers, Board Directors, community organisations, partners, commissioners, and our wonderful staff team.”
Highlights
1,853 people shared their experiences of health and social care with us, helping to raise awareness of issues and improve care across Leeds.
8,166 people came to us for advice and information on topics including finding an NHS dentist, accessing audiology services, and getting mental health support.
We published 56 reports, videos and briefings, with our NHS 111 Mental Health Crisis report and Neighbourhood Health report among the most widely used by commissioners and services.
Read the full report and find out more
The full Annual Report 2025 to 2026 includes detailed outcomes showing the difference your feedback has made, from GP website improvements to changes in how Aspire supports people with learning disabilities to Youthwatch's influence on children and young people's mental health services city-wide.