Unannounced visit to Northampton General Hospital Accident and Emergency Department

Based on feedback from the public, and other service providers, including comments posted on social media platforms, the Healthwatch North and West Northamptonshire (HWNW) Advisory Board agreed to use their statutory powers to undertake an unannounced visit the NGH A&E department.

The hospital was informed prior to the visit that it would be taking place and by whom but did not know the date or time of the visit before it happened.

The volunteers spoke to patients at about their experiences of the service, from the parking and waiting times, to the care they were provided.

The report, written by our volunteers, is a snapshot of the hospital’s A&E department on the day, along with the teams’ recommendations to improve the patient experience locally. It is not a comment on the situation nationally, Government policy or the need for additional resources in Emergency Departments across the country.