1. 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

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. Health and social care needs of the Armed Forces Community in Northamptonshire

    Report -

    Healthwatch Northamptonshire carried out a survey on behalf of the Armed Forces Covenant Northamptonshire to find out more about the health and social care needs of the Armed Forces community in Northamptonshire.

  7. Annual Report 2018-19

    Report -

    Read all about our year!

  8. Annual Report 2017-18

    Report -

    2017/18 has been an exciting year for us, albeit not without continuing financial challenges.

  9. Annual Report 2016-17

    Report -

    Last year was another busy year for Healthwatch Northamptonshire! You can read all about it in our Annual Report 2016/17.

  10. 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.

  11. The views of people using Musculoskeletal (MSK) services and staff delivering MSK services

    Report -

    Working in partnership with the local NHS, we wanted to find out what patients and staff thought of current services and how they could be improved.

  12. Annual Report 2015-16

    Report -

    Read all about our year!

  13. 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.

  14. Annual Report 2014-15

    Report -

    Read all about our year!

  15. Annual Report 2013-14

    Report -

    Read all about our year!

  16. Make Your Voice Count Report

    Report -

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

  17. 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.

  18. Speak up and help improve services in Northamptonshire

    News -

    We all love the NHS, but let’s make it even better this year. Tell us about your experiences of health and social care, and the changes that you would like to see made locally, in our online survey. #SpeakUp2020

  19. 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.

  20. 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.

  21. The ‘Big Ideas’ people in Northamptonshire think would improve local health and care services

    Report -

    Healthwatch Northamptonshire and NHCP NHS Long Term Plan community engagement report now published!

  22. What would to do to improve local health services? #WhatWouldYouDo

    News -

    With growing pressure on the NHS – people living longer, more people living with long-term conditions, and lifestyle choices affecting people’s health – changes are needed to make sure everybody gets the support they need.

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

    News -

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

  24. Northamptonshire Health, Care and Wellbeing Plan

    News -

    Join the conversation and have your say

  25. 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.

  26. 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.

  27. 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.

  28. Quick poll results - Over half of you told us you find making a GP appointment difficult!

    News -

    Our September quick poll asked you how you find making an appointment with your GP surgery. Thank you to the 213 people who took part!

  29. How does the NHS in England work? An alternative guide

    Advice and Information -

    How does the NHS in England work? What organisations make it up? And how is it changing over time?

  30. Free NHS Health Checks for 40 - 74 year olds

    Advice and Information -

    The NHS Health Check is a health check-up for adults in England aged 40 to 74. It's designed to spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes or dementia.

  31. Recently had vomiting and or diarrhoea? Please do not go into A&E or hospitals

    Advice and Information -

    Kettering General Hospital and Nene Clinical Commissioning Group are urging local people not to attend A&E – or visit relatives in hospitals – if they have, or have recently had, vomiting and/or diarrhoea.

  32. Quick poll results - You told us how you felt about Out of Hours being moved nearer to A&E

    Response -

    Your questions regarding our “Out of Hours” quick poll have been answered!

  33. CQC publishes its review of how local health and social care systems work together in Northamptonshire

    News -

    The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published its findings following a review of health and social care services in Northamptonshire.

  34. Successful procurements mean Corby’s Urgent Care Centre will continue and an extra 1,000 NHS appointments a month will be available via a brand-new service

    Advice and Information -

    NHS Corby Clinical Commissioning Group has successfully procured two new contracts - meaning Corby’s Urgent Care Centre (UCC) service will continue and a new service providing 1,000 extra GP related appointments a month will be on offer to patients.

  35. Joint Community Engagement Event – 2 May 2019

    News -

    To inform future changes in the health and care system in the county, Connected Together CIC, Healthwatch Northamptonshire and Northamptonshire Health and Care Partnership (NHCP), held a successful community engagement event with around 90 attendees.

  36. The CQC rates EMAS as ‘Good’ overall and ‘Outstanding’ for caring

    News -

    Congratulations to East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) which was graded overall as 'Good', with 'Outstanding' for the care that it provides, in the recent Care Quality Commission inspection report.

  37. The experiences of children and young people of health services

    Report -

    Healthwatch Northamptonshire wanted to seek the views of children and young people directly in a different and engaging way.

  38. Have you had a bad experience of NHS administration? We need your views.

    News -

    Have you had problems with NHS administrative processes, such as booking appointments, referrals, prescriptions or other correspondence with NHS services? We want to hear how people's care experience has been affected by poor NHS administration.

  39. Information on Coronavirus

    Advice and Information -

    Read the advice and information from NHS England, Public Health England and Northamptonshire councils about the Coronavirus.

  40. Coronavirus: Advice from other organisations

    Advice and Information -

    It can be hard to keep up with the constantly changing and evolving nature of guidance and help with coronavirus. Here are some links to different national organisations and their advice.

  41. Healthwatch Northamptonshire’s support for health and care services and the people using them during the pandemic

    News -

    As a statutory body, Healthwatch has the role of working with others to both help communities have clear and accurate information and advice and safeguard the rights and wellbeing of people who use health and social care services.

  42. Coronavirus: Local services and updates

    Advice and Information -

    The links on this page are to help you find information about local services and updates relating to coronavirus all in one place.

  43. Remote consultations in general practice

    Advice and Information -

    For many people, it’s more convenient to be able to speak to their GP or other healthcare professionals remotely.

  44. Advice for parents during coronavirus - what to do if your child is unwell or injured

    Advice and Information -

    Whilst it is extremely important to follow Government advice to stay at home during this period, it can be confusing to know what to do when your child is unwell or injured.

  45. Share your experience of health and social care services during the COVID-19 pandemic so we can help services better help you

    News -

    During the current crisis, it is really important that we hear about your good and bad experiences of health and social care.

  46. Northamptonshire parents urged not to miss regular child health checks and life-saving vaccinations

    Advice and Information -

    Clinicians in Northamptonshire are urging parents not to let coronavirus fears stand in the way of bringing their children for regular vaccination appointments and GP health checks.

  47. Annual Report 2019-20 - Guided by you

    Report -

    During 2019-20 we undertook some exciting projects and continued to ensure that the views and needs of the people of Northamptonshire are considered, particularly as services and organisations are restructured.

  48. Enter and View Reports - GP Practices

    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.

  49. Transport and Car schemes

    Advice and Information -

    Find local volunteer and community transport schemes to get you to your appointment on time