1. Access to NHS Dental Services during the Christmas and New Year period

    News -

    Tiered restrictions in response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic may differ according to where someone lives. Dental practices will continue to provide services over the Christmas and New Year period although opening hours for practices may vary.

  2. VoiceAbility

    Advice and Information -

    VoiceAbility provide advocacy for people who need help to have their voice heard and to make complaints to health and social care services.

  3. Countywide services

    Advice and Information -

    Visit the West Northamptonshire Council or North Northamptonshire Council (depending on your location) website to find all services they provide, including adult social care, children and families services, and safeguarding of children and adults.

  4. Care Choices

    Advice and Information -

    Need to know more about care and care services in Northamptonshire? Care providers and care homes in the county are listed in the Northamptonshire Care Services Directory.

  5. Residents in Northamptonshire are officially told to ‘Stay at Home, Protect the NHS and Save Lives’

    News -

    The national lockdown restrictions are now in place until further review.

  6. Support At Home - British Red Cross Independent Living Services

    Advice and Information -

    British Red Cross offer short-term practical and emotional support to help people improve their wellbeing and quality of life and live independently in their community. Their services are tailored to each person’s needs and goals.

  7. Elderly Care: A Guide for Families New to Caring

    Advice and Information -

    SuperCarers (a UK organisation that helps families find the best possible elderly care option) has created a guide for families new to caring for elderly loved ones.

  8. Professional Standards Authority

    Advice and Information -

    The Professional Standards Authority helps to protect the public through their work with organisations that register and regulate people working in health and social care.

  9. Information on Modern Slavery

    Advice and Information -

    Modern slavery is the illegal exploitation of people for personal or commercial gain. It covers a wide range of abuse and exploitation including sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, forced labour, criminal exploitation and organ harvesting.

  10. Supporting Independence Programme

    Advice and Information -

    Each year, around one in three people over the age of 65 has a fall, resulting in significant injury. Falls are not an inevitable part of growing older, and there are lots of things you can do to help reduce the risk of falling.

  11. ACTS Amputee Support Group

    Advice and Information -

    ACTS is a group set up by Amputees in the Northampton area to provide support, advice and friendship to other Amputees and those who care for them.

  12. Empowering patients to stay independent after a broken bone

    Advice and Information -

    Strong bones after 50 is a guide that provides jargon-free information to patients and carers for supporting older people who have broken a bone following a fall.

  13. British Heart Foundation Heart Support Group

    Advice and Information -

    British Heart Foundation hosts Heart Support Groups, bringing hope and a healthier lifestyle to thousands of patients and carers across England and Wales.

  14. COVID-19 vaccination advice and information

    Advice and Information -

    Find more information about the COVID-19 vaccination programme here.

  15. Public Health officials praise Northamptonshire’s residents for staying at home, protecting the NHS and saving lives

    News -

    Public Health officials praise Northamptonshire’s residents for staying at home, protecting the NHS and saving lives as COVID-19 cases continue to display a steady drop during national lockdown.

  16. Step 2 on the government’s ‘roadmap’ back to freedom came into effect Monday

    News -

    From Monday 12 April, residents of Northamptonshire and across England will take Step 2 on the four-step ‘roadmap’ out of lockdown.

  17. Northampton Prostate Cancer Support Group

    Advice and Information -

    Supporting men with prostate cancer and their families in the Northampton Area

  18. Experiences of caring during the coronavirus pandemic

    Report -

    Your feedback from 2020 suggested that more people were providing care to their loved ones during the pandemic and the changes to services had put extra strain on carers. In 2021, we set out to find out more about the experiences of unpaid carers.

  19. Annual Report 2020-2021 - On equal terms

    Report -

    This year has been a very difficult one for everybody. While Healthwatch could not visit health and social care premises, we were still able to investigate the impact of the pandemic on people's access to the services that matter to them most.

  20. Stay Connected Locality Newsletter August 2021

    News -

    Download and read Northamptonshire's Children's Trust Locality Newsletter

  21. Belinda Black has been appointed the Interim Chair of Healthwatch England

    News -

    We are glad to announce that Belinda Black has been appointed as the Interim Chair of Healthwatch England.

  22. Join us for the Wellingborough sight loss open day

    News -

    Join us on Monday 20th March for the Wellingborough sight loss open day in partnership with the Macular Society.

  23. Our report on the Young People's Health and Wellbeing survey

    News -

    Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire, supported by Healthwatch East and North Northamptonshire, have released their report on young people’s health and wellbeing in East Northamptonshire.

  24. Unannounced visit to Northampton General Hospital Accident and Emergency Department

    News -

    Volunteers from Healthwatch North and West Northamptonshire visited Northampton General Hospital's A&E department unannounced using their statutory power to conduct Enter and View visits on 31st January 2023.

  25. Unannounced visit to the Kettering General Hospital Accident and Emergency Department.

    News -

    Healthwatch North and West Northamptonshire unannounced visit to Kettering General Hospital Accident and Emergency Department

  26. Access to mainstream crisis services for D/deaf and hard of hearing people

    Advice and Information -

    Shout currently provide a 24/7 free text service for times where D/deaf people feel they need immediate support.

  27. Community Engagement; Carnival 2023

    News -

    We are proud to share our impactful experience at this year’s Northampton Carnival, which was held at the Racecourse on June 10th 2023.

  28. Annual Report 2022-2023 - Together we're making health and social care better

    Report -

    Our 2022-2023 Annual Report is a showcase of the work we completed throughout the last financial year. Read about our year!

  29. Our report on the Change Grow Live Service.

    Report -

    Healthwatch North and West Northamptonshire created a survey to gather experiences from users of the substance misuse service, Change Grow Live.

  30. Corby Urgent Care Centre Visit Report

    Report -

    Our programme to understand more about how local urgent care services are meeting people's needs continues with Healthwatch North and West Northamptonshire recently visiting the Corby Urgent Care Centre. 

  31. Public Advisory Board meeting minutes 24/04/23

    News -

    Our minutes from our public Advisory Board meeting held on 24/04/23.

  32. What should you expect from home care services?

    Advice and Information -

    The number of people being cared for in their own homes is increasing but what should you expect from home care services?

  33. NHS warning as winter vomiting bug closes 1,000 hospital beds

    Advice and Information -

    Find out more about how you can prevent the spread of winter norovirus

  34. Registering with your GP: understanding your rights

    Advice and Information -

    People have told us they can have problems registering with a GP. This article explains more about your rights and what do to if you are refused the right to register.

  35. Accessibility checklist for GP surgeries

    Advice and Information -

    Help make sure that your practice meets people’s accessibility requirements using this checklist from Healthwatch Slough.

  36. Do you need help travelling to NHS services?

    Advice and Information -

    Find out what support is available to help you when travelling to your GP, hospital or other NHS services.

  37. Fighting flu – winter vaccination is everybody’s business

    Advice and Information -

    Last year nearly 2,400 people had to be admitted to hospital with flu or flu-related complications. Find out how you can prevent the spread of flu.

  38. Make Your Voice Count - Views and experiences of health and social care in Northamptonshire, specifically cancer, diabetes and dementia

    Report -

    Between October 2015 and January 2016 Healthwatch Northamptonshire (HWN) carried out our third annual ‘Make Your Voice Count’ campaign.

  39. Annual Report 2015-16

    Report -

    Read all about our year!

  40. Patient experiences of GP services in Northamptonshire

    Report -

    Healthwatch Northamptonshire visited 25 GP practices in 2014 and spoke to 234 people. We spoke to the practice managers to find out more about how their practice works, what they thought worked well and their views on the challenges faced.

  41. Annual Report 2014-15

    Report -

    Read all about our year!

  42. Make Your Voice Count Report

    Report -

    During September and October 2013, Healthwatch Northamptonshire ran a campaign called “Make Your Voice Count”.

  43. How can your pharmacy help you?

    Advice and Information -

    Did you know that pharmacies provide advice and information on minor illnesses and ailments? Take a look at how they an help you.

  44. Where can I go for help when I’m ill in winter?

    Advice and Information -

    Feeling unwell? Read on for advice about where you can go for help with your health during the winter months.

  45. Healthwatch Northamptonshire receives highly commended recognition at national award

    News -

    We are pleased to announce Healthwatch Northamptonshire has been recognised as highly commended in the ‘Helping more people to have their say’ category at the 2019 Healthwatch Network Awards.

  46. Launch of the pharmacy inspections website and learning from inspections report

    News -

    Publication of pharmacy inspection reports to help drive improvement in pharmacy practice.

  47. Northamptonshire GPs asked to keep things simple when seeking patient feedback

    News -

    New research by health and care champion Healthwatch England adds to a growing evidence base that people recognise the pressures the NHS is under and want to help make it better by sharing their feedback.

  48. Protect your unborn baby this winter with a free flu jab

    Advice and Information -

    Pregnant women in Northamptonshire are being urged to have their free flu vaccination to help keep themselves and their unborn baby safe and well.

  49. Most people still getting good care – but health and care system is ‘straining at the seams’, making future quality precarious

    News -

    This year’s State of Care shows that, thanks to the efforts of staff and leaders, the quality of health and social care has been maintained despite very real challenges and the majority of people are getting good, safe care.