Long waits for emergency care, concerns about dental treatment and delays to autism and ADHD assessments are among the biggest issues facing Isle of Wight residents, according to the latest intelligence report from Healthwatch Isle of Wight.
The report, covering the period between 13th May and 12th June 2026, summarises feedback received from local people about health and social care services across the Isle of Wight.
During the month-long reporting period, Healthwatch received 128 pieces of feedback, with 54% (69) classed as negative, 45% (58) positive and 1% (1) recorded as mixed or neutral.
As previously reported by Island Echo, a HealthWatch report of a similar nature, which ran from 13th March and 12th April 2026, revealed that 59% of feedback received was negative.
Dentistry and GP services generated the highest volume of feedback, with continued concerns raised about the quality of some dental treatment and ongoing problems accessing GP referrals.
The report also highlights positive feedback for NHS staff, but says long waiting times at A&E remain a significant concern for patients, as well as long waiting times for autism and ADHD assessments for both adults and children, which were also identified as a recurring issue.
Examples of patient experiences included one resident describing spending 24 hours waiting on a chair after being admitted through A&E before eventually reaching a ward and then waiting longer for a bed.
Another patient highlighted ongoing difficulties obtaining repeat prescriptions, saying family members were regularly forced to spend hours contacting both their GP practice and pharmacy to resolve issues.
In contrast, one patient praised The Bay GP Practice, saying they were able to secure a telephone appointment quickly and easily using the online booking system.
Healthwatch also received complaints about dental care, with one patient reporting multiple unnecessary tooth extractions before being provided with dentures that did not fit, leaving them unable to use them and still in pain.
As part of its work during the reporting period, Healthwatch shared feedback on dental services with the Care Quality Commission ahead of planned inspections of Isle of Wight dental practices.
The organisation also met with representatives from Portsmouth and Isle of Wight hospitals to discuss improvements to accessible information for patients and took part in a television interview to discuss key concerns raised by residents.
Healthwatch says the findings will be shared with local healthcare providers and commissioners to highlight where services are performing well and where improvements are needed.
The organisation is also preparing to launch regular public surveys to gather further feedback on local health and social care services and identify the issues that matter most to Isle of Wight residents.
The NHS is finished, maybe if they abolished NHS full sick pay
and STOPPED employees shirking from home, things will improve
UNTIL THEN IT IS STILL THE
NO HOPE SERVICE