1. 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.

  2. 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

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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!

  6. 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.

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

    News -

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

  8. Northamptonshire Health, Care and Wellbeing Plan

    News -

    Join the conversation and have your say

  9. 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.

  10. 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.

  11. 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.

  12. 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!

  13. 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?

  14. 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.

  15. 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.

  16. 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!

  17. 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.

  18. 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.

  19. 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.

  20. 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.

  21. 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.

  22. 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.

  23. 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.

  24. 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.

  25. 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.

  26. Transport and Car schemes

    Advice and Information -

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

  27. Complaints about GPs

    Advice and Information -

    The care you receive from a GP is usually very good and most people don’t have any problems. But occasionally things can go wrong. This page tells you where to start when you want to sort out a problem with a GP.

  28. Help health and social care services recover from COVID-19 #BecauseWeAllCare

    News -

    Two-thirds of people in England say they are more likely to act to improve health and social care services since the outbreak of COVID-19. You can help improve care in Northamptonshire by joining our campaign #BecauseWeAllCare.

  29. Getting the most out of the virtual health and care experience

    Advice and Information -

    Working with National Voices, Traverse, and PPL, Healthwatch England put together some tips on how to get the most out of the virtual health and care appointments both for patients and health and care professionals.

  30. Northampton Borough and Corby Borough removed from the government watch list

    News -

    Northampton and Corby has now been removed from the Government watch list for Coronavirus this week

  31. Update your first aid kit with the new My Health and Care Directory smartphone app

    Blog -

    People across Northamptonshire can now benefit from quick and easy access to the latest information about local health and care services – thanks to the launch of a brand new smartphone app.

  32. NHS 111 First

    News -

    A new national programme called NHS 111 First, which encourages patients to contact NHS 111 before attending an Emergency Department (A&E) so they can be directed straight to the right service for their needs, is now live.

  33. The way health and care professionals in Northamptonshire use the information they hold about you is changing

    News -

    Local providers of health and social care have a duty to keep complete, accurate and up-to-date information about your care to ensure you can receive the best possible treatment and support.

  34. Community Healthcare for Young People Focus Groups Report

    Report -

    Find out what young people told us about their views and experiences of community health and wellbeing services.

  35. Do you have a long term health condition? Have you had your flu vaccine? If not get in touch with your GP or a local pharmacy.

    Advice and Information -

    For most healthy people, the seasonal flu is mostly unpleasant. However, if you have a serious long term health condition if you have a BMI over 40, you are at particular risk from the more serious effects of flu.

  36. 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.

  37. Do you know anyone who could benefit from a GP Access card?

    Advice and Information -

    Previously known as My Right to Healthcare, GP Access cards allow people who aren't registered with a GP practice, have no fixed address or identification to communicate their right to healthcare.

  38. 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.

  39. 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.

  40. Top tips to get the most out of your GP appointment

    Advice and Information -

    Do you struggle to speak to your doctor about your medical concerns? You’re not alone. Take a look at these top tips to make the most out of your GP appointment.

  41. GP Data for planning and research collection: what you need to know

    Advice and Information -

    The NHS is making some changes to how it collects and uses patient data. To make sure you're clued up, read some frequently asked questions about the upcoming GP Data for planning and research collection below.

  42. What are your experiences of accessing a GP appointment in Northamptonshire?

    News -

    We want to know about your experiences with accessing GP services in Northamptonshire.

  43. Annual Report 2021-2022 - Championing what matters to you

    Report -

    Our 2021-2022 Annual Report looks at the work that we completed last year whilst still being limited by the new ways of working. Despite the year's challenges we continue to work relentlessly to ensure the public's voice was heard.

  44. Our report on the publics' views about accessing GP appointments in Northamptonshire

    News -

    Healthwatch North and West Northamptonshire created a short survey to ask the public their views on what was working and what could be improved to enhance the accessibility of GP services in the county.

  45. 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!

  46. Have your say on patient rights within the NHS

    News -

    Have your say on proposed changes to the NHS Constitution.

  47. 10 top tips to get the most out of your GP appointment

    Advice and Information -

    We know from our conversations with the public that some patients report feeling rushed during appointments and struggling to make themselves heard. Here are some tips that could help you get the most out of visiting your GP.