Recent Projects

Find out about the work we undertook this year!

Our annual report is a showcase of the work we completed throughout the last financial year, including the projects we conducted, how we’ve made a difference and the way that we work.

We’ve listened to feedback from all areas of our community. People’s experiences of care help us know what’s working and what isn’t, so we can give feedback on services and help them improve. This year we published 14 reports, with key highlights including:

• Our visit to Corby’s Willowbrook Health Centre led to improvements in accessibility and dementia-friendly design. Our feedback shaped plans for the new CDC, including a dedicated dementia care pathway.
• The REN project identified that low awareness and complex processes limit research participation. Future efforts will focus on publicity and community involvement to enhance engagement and equity.
• We captured the lived experiences of young people and their families waiting for Autism and ADHD diagnoses, highlighting the emotional strain and lack of support during long waits. By sharing these powerful stories with the ICB, we helped decision-makers see the real impact behind the data and brought experiences of both children and families to the forefront.

Our latest report, “Making Your Voice Count: An Exploration of Mental and Physical Wellbeing in Northamptonshire” has now been published!

Last year Healthwatch North and West Northamptonshire embarked on a 4 month campaign to engage with people locally and gain a greater understanding of their physical and mental health, including how they manage their wellbeing, with an aim to support individuals within the community through our findings. We designed a survey to gather the views of people in Northamptonshire, which gained 482 responses.

We have since analysed the feedback we received and have created a report detailing what people told us. The report also includes our recommendations, key findings and more information about the background of the campaign.

Read the report:

Young Healthwatch has published our report on Young People’s Experiences of Oral Health in Northamptonshire.

In December 2024, Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire held two focus groups in Northamptonshire secondary schools, asking questions about their experiences. Questions ranged from how often they see a dentist to ones intended to understand their knowledge of maintaining good oral health and where to access information regarding this.

The feedback we received was mixed. For example, in response to ‘How close is your dentist? Is it easy to get to?’, some young people told us it was within walking/driving distance, while for others this wasn’t the case.

Answers included:

“Cambridge, it was the only place that was taking on patients. My mum drove me.”

“I travel to Lithuania to go to the dentist. My family find it cheaper and more trustworthy”

The responses to all our focus group questions have been put into a report, which can be read below!

Full report:

Easy read:

We have published our report on Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire’s 15 step visit to Kettering General Hospital.

In January 2025, Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire and En-Fold members conducted a joint visit to Kettering General Hospital to perform a 15 step. This involved inspecting the Paediatric Emergency Department and Skylark Children’s Ward from a young person’s perspective. They took note of where they observed areas of outstanding care and provided recommendations for where the patient’s experience could be improved. 

Read the report below!

Full report:

Easy read:

I loved being involved in this project and meeting the staff at the hospital. It felt good to be listened to and make suggestions on how things could be improved.”

Overall, Kettering General Hospital was a welcoming and calm environment. The staff that we saw on the day were kind, friendly and seemed attentive to what was going on in their surroundings. The report includes our observations of the two wards visited and our key findings.

Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire’s latest report is published!

Teen Clinic Daventry is a service where young people aged 11-18 can access free support for physical, sexual and emotional health all in one place. More information about them here.

In Autumn 2023, Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire was commissioned by Teen Clinic Daventry to carry out an evaluation of the clinic. This involved conducting a survey for young people in Daventry and the creation of a series of videos that highlighted the importance and impact the Teen Clinic has had on young people locally and service providers.

The full report containing our findings, the videos we made and our recommendations is available to view below.

An independent report based on our findings from an Enter & View visit to The Beacon Unit.

Opened in 2020, the Beacon Unit is based at the Glenfield Hospital site in Leicester. The unit provides inpatient care for people aged 13-17 with acute mental health needs. We teamed up with Healthwatch Leicester and Healthwatch Leicestershire to complete an Enter & View and speak to patients. We attended the unit on the 24th July 2024. We were given a tour of the unit and were able to speak to 2 patients. 

When asked ‘What has been the most helpful aspect of your time at the CAMHS unit?’ one patient responded by saying “the support from the staff”. When asked what could be improved, both patients suggested the food with one stating that the food is “bland and tasteless”. 

To read the full report with a list of recommendations, download the document below.

If you need a copy of the report in another format, please contact us on 01572 720381 or email info@healthwatchrutland.co.uk