Islanders Raise Concerns Over GPs, Dentists And Mental Health Support In New Healthwatch Report

Concerns about the increasing use of online GP services, access to crisis mental health support, and NHS dentistry have been highlighted in an Isle of Wight watchdog report.

Between February 13 and March 12, Healthwatch gathered feedback on Island health and social care services which was 59 per cent negative (107 responses), 38 per cent positive (68) and three per cent mixed or neutral (5).

The two most common themes in its findings were GP and dentistry services.

NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight in response pointed to ‘improved access’ to routine and urgent NHS dental care and cited the delivery of over a million GP appointments across the region in January and February.

A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson meanwhile said Islanders requiring urgent mental health support can now access help 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by calling NHS 111 free of charge.

One resident told Healthwatch of difficulty getting face-to-face appointments at a GP surgery and said “doing it all online” does not work well with queries just requiring a quick answer.

Another said:

“The dentist accused me of delaying treatment when I had been waiting for months, and my appointments had been cancelled by the surgery not me.”

A third spoke of calling 111 Mental Health Crisis support, waiting 20 minutes and then hanging up.

“After listening to their auto message that they’re busy helping other people, I decided mine wasn’t as important,” they said.

“A crisis service that leaves you on hold for 20 minutes? It took a long time to get up the courage to call them anyway.”

James Roach, director of primary care and local care for NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, said:

“People on the Island now have improved access to routine and urgent NHS dental care as we work with two different providers offering an additional 42,000 appointments between them and with more access due to be commissioned.

“We have also made additional investment into oral health promotion for children because we know early prevention is key to better health outcomes.

“We know demand for services continue to be high – in both January and February more than a million GP practice appointments were delivered across Hampshire and Isle of Wight.

“The trend of increasing appointment numbers has also been seen on the Isle of Wight along with more people accessing services virtually.

“And between October 2025 and January 2026, around 40,000 people also accessed the Pharmacy First service to get advice and treatment for seven common conditions.”

He said the integrated health board (ICB) know appointment data alone only paints one half of the picture, and how a person felt their appointment went can tell a different story.

While ‘broadly speaking’ patient satisfaction is improving, the ICB understands there is still more to be done, Mr Roach added.

A spokesperson for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“This week we have continued our good working relationship with Healthwatch Isle of Wight by way of a productive conversation about our services.

“We welcome the feedback gathered by Healthwatch as it ensures that patients, families, carers and the public are heard openly and regularly.

“We note the report’s particular point around people’s concerns about access to crisis mental health support.

“We are pleased to have recently communicated a way in which these concerns are being meaningfully responded to.

“People on the Isle of Wight who need urgent mental health support can now access help 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by calling NHS 111 free of charge and selecting the mental health option (option two).”

The Isle of Wight Council has been approached for comment.