Recent Projects

News – 30 June 2026

We’re pleased to share our 2025–26 Annual Report, highlighting a year where listening to Rutland residents has driven real change.

With NHS reforms underway and national proposals to abolish Healthwatch, independent patient voice has never mattered more. As our Chair said, “the honesty of those who shared their experiences with us has shaped our work.”

This year we supported over 1,457 people and heard concerns about primary care, women’s health, same‑day services and system changes. Our work helped secure the new Minor Illness and Injury service in Oakham, improved emergency information for deaf and deafblind residents, and delivered major Adult Social Care improvements for self‑funders.

Our work has delivered tangible results. After four years of working to safeguard urgent care in Oakham, a new combined Minor Illness and Injury service opened on 1 April 2026 – offering walk‑in access, bookable appointments and enhanced X‑ray provision. 

Through our work on self-funders’ experiences of organising and paying for their own social care in the previous year, people told us, “I don’t know what I don’t know,” and their experiences led directly to major improvements this year by Rutland County Council – from redesigned Adult Social Care webpages to clearer financial information, new navigation support and practical tools like “Waiting Well” packs.

We also helped secure clearer emergency information for deaf and deafblind residents, ensuring local guidance now meets the Accessible Information Standard. 

Looking ahead, we will continue to reach into every part of our community. Our priorities for this year include hearing about experiences of Pharmacy First, understanding awareness of the importance and use of community defibrillators and their accessibility across Rutland and exploring patient journeys from acute discharge to community step‑down care in Rutland.

Report – 8 May 2026

Healthwatch West Northamptonshire’s Research Engagement Network (REN) Sustainability Project continued work to improve awareness and participation in health and care research among Eastern European communities across Northamptonshire. Building on previous engagement, the project focused on maintaining trusted relationships, sharing culturally appropriate information, and increasing visibility of NIHR’s “Be Part of Research” opportunities.

Between December 2025 and March 2026, the project engaged with 55 community locations, distributed 2,000 translated and English-language flyers, and reached over 11,000 people through targeted social media campaigns. Engagement activities included working with libraries, community centres, local businesses, and cultural organisations, with a particular focus on strengthening connections with Albanian, Romanian, and Polish communities.

The report highlights the importance of long-term community engagement, providing information in native languages, and using trusted digital platforms to reduce barriers and encourage inclusive participation in research.

Click to learn more details!

We are pleased to publish our Enter and View visit to Templemore Care Home.

In February 2026, representatives from Healthwatch West Northamptonshire visited Templemore Care Home to conduct an Enter and View visit (more information about this method). We had the opportunity to view the home’s facilities, speak with staff and residents, and gain a better understanding of the quality of care and the experiences of residents living within the home.

Templemore Care Home is a larger residential facility which has 64 beds in total. The home specialises in dementia support and has three different communities to support residents, one residential and two dementia focused areas, each supporting a different stage of cognition and dementia.

We have published the report from our Enter and View visit to Northampton General Hospital’s Paediatrics Departments.

In October 2025, Healthwatch West Northamptonshire representatives, consisting of two staff members and two volunteers, conducted an Enter and View (more information about this method) to the Paediatric Departments at Northampton General Hospital. We were able to speak to patients and staff about their experiences, observe the service and provide recommendations to the hospital to improve patient experience.

The recommendations we made included: 

• Increase the communications and awareness of the hospital passport system.
• Introduce sensory spaces on all wards, especially Disney and Paddington.
• Redevelop the outdoor space into an inclusive, accessible play environment with greenery, sensory paths and wheelchair-friendly equipment.

Read the report:

We recently conducted an Enter and View visit to the Adult Emergency Departments at Northampton General Hospital, read our findings!

In October 2025, Healthwatch West Northamptonshire representatives, conducted an Enter and View (more information about this method) to the Adult Emergency Departments at Northampton General Hospital. We are happy to announce that this report has been published!

Some of our Key Findings can be seen below.

Positives:

• Passionate and dedicated staff
• Safe and secure departments, with dementia-friendly blue seating
• We were informed about upcoming renovations to help the flow of patients and the quality of care

The recommendations we made included:

• Better communication with patients about what to expect and wait times
• Improving where patients are waiting, with additional notices, display boards and décor
• Improvements to provide more privacy to patients

“It was great to have the ability to view the service and to speak with both patients and staff. We were able to see the positive strides the service has taken to improve the patient pathway and made suggestions for ways to improve patients’ experiences.”

Gabriella Van Beek, HWW Operations Manager

Read the report:

We have published our 2024-25 Young Healthwatch Annual Report, see what we have been up to!

This year we have published 5 reports:

• Young People’s Experiences of Dentistry in Northamptonshire
• 15 Steps Visit Kettering General Hospital
• Teen Clinic Daventry: An Evaluation
• Experiences of Autism and ADHD waiting lists in Northamptonshire
• Vaping in West Northamptonshire

The young people that volunteer with us have really worked hard this year. The skills and dedication that they have shown is fantastic and we would not be able to make sure that the voices of children and young people across Northamptonshire are heard without them”

Young Healthwatch Lead

Read about our year: