1. Advice and Information -

    We've pulled together a number of services for parents in need of support for their mental health. Read more to find out where you can go to get the help you need.
  2. Report -

    Read all about our year!
  3. Report -

    Together with Northamptonshire Maternity Voices Partnership, we carried out a 15 Steps Maternity Visit across both hospital trusts in Northamptonshire – Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital. This is the report for KGH.
  4. Report -

    Together with Northamptonshire Maternity Voices Partnership, we carried out a 15 Steps Maternity Visit across both hospital trusts in Northamptonshire – Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital. This is the report for NGH.
  5. Report -

    In summer 2017, Healthwatch Northamptonshire worked with Nene NHS and NHS Corby Clinical Commissioning Groups to gather the views and experiences of parents that were currently using or had recently used maternity services in Northamptonshire.
  6. Report -

    In March 2016, Healthwatch Northamptonshire asked 77 parents with infants or young children their views on the help and support they received during pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period.
  7. Report -

    Read all about our year!
  8. Report -

    Healthwatch Northamptonshire volunteers interviewed 221 parents in 8 locations across Northamptonshire. We found that the majority of parents were satisfied with the service in general, especially when they had specific concerns.
  9. Report -

    Read all about our year!
  10. 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. Report -

    There are different ways in which you can become involved depending on your interests and how much time you would like to commit.
  12. 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.
  13. Advice and Information -

    Read the advice and information from NHS England, Public Health England and Northamptonshire councils about the Coronavirus.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. News -

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

    Read about how coronavirus could affect you, your baby and your pregnancy care.
  19. 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.
  20. News -

    At this year's World Breastfeeding Week, which took place on the 4 August 2017 at Abington Park, we were joined by Northamptonshire Breastfeeding Alliance, Diana from Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and Ann and Kate from NGH.
  21. Report -

    Volunteers from Northamptonshire’s Maternity Voice Partnership and Healthwatch Northamptonshire conducted a virtual 15 Steps Visit of the labour and postnatal wards at Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital on 30 June 2020.
  22. Advice and Information -

    Influenza, commonly known as flu, is a highly infectious viral illness. For most healthy people, the seasonal flu is mostly unpleasant. However, those who are pregnant are at particular risk from the more serious effects of flu.
  23. Advice and Information -

    The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the inspector and regulator for health and adult social care facilities in England.
  24. 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.
  25. 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.
  26. 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.
  27. 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.
  28. Report -

    Our initiative to understand more about how local services are meeting people's needs continued as Healthwatch North and West Northamptonshire visited Kettering General Hospital to carry out a 15 steps maternity audit.
  29. Report -

    We are pleased to publish our Northampton General Hospital '15 Steps' Maternity Report. This report details the findings from our visit to the Maternity Ward at Northampton General Hospital.
  30. Advice and Information -

    Health issues unfortunately don't leave us alone at the weekend and people are often in need of medical assistance out of hours. Using NHS guidelines, we have provided some advice and information on where you can go for help when your GP is closed.
  31. Advice and Information -

    Find out what support is available to help you travel to your hospital appointments.
  32. Advice and Information -

    End of life care is support for people who are in the last months or years of their life. The guidance on the NHS website helps you know what to expect, how to plan ahead and how to manage your day to day decisions.
  33. Advice and Information -

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

    There are new duties for local authorities, as well as changes to how care is charged for, who has to pay and how much people will have to pay towards their care.
  35. 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
  36. Advice and Information -

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

    The Northamptonshire Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) sets out how health and social care in our county will change over the next five years.
  38. News -

    If you live near the borders of the county you might be affected by Sustainability and Transformation Plans of neighbouring regions.
  39. Report -

    Healthwatch Northamptonshire and NHCP NHS Long Term Plan community engagement report now published!
  40. 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.
  41. Advice and Information -

    An Easy Read Guide about Short Breaks available in Northamptonshire
  42. 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.
  43. Advice and Information -

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

    Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published a new strategy for how they will engage with the public to help make them a strong, independent regulator that is always on the side of people using care services.
  45. 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.
  46. 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.
  47. Advice and Information -

    Crisis Cafés are an easily accessible service available in the evenings and/or at weekends for people who are finding themselves in a crisis or need support with their mental health.
  48. News -

    With the progress in health and care services, there are challenges which hospitals, GP and care services need to face.
  49. Advice and Information -

    From 25 May, you’ll be able to make a choice about how the NHS uses your confidential patient information for reasons other than your care. 77% of the public say they are confident in the ability of the NHS to protect their patient data. Are you?
  50. News -

    The NHS in Northamptonshire has taken an innovative approach to encourage local people to look after their health this winter to support the national campaign, Stay Well This Winter.