Health Information
Health related websites
There are four main NHS related websites for this area:
NHS Direct ( www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk )
This is a good site containing a large amount of useful national and local information, although the majority of the details are aimed at those involved in the health service rather than at the general public.
It is fairly straight forward to navigate to different sections using buttons at the side. There is a useful Search facility, and the site does also have a comprehensive site-map listing all the contents, which allows you direct access to most of the information.
There are two areas that are likely to be the most helpful:
Health Advice and Information www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/zone.aspx?zonename=Health_Zone
This section contains details and advice on common health problems.
It also provides you with contact details, including the telephone advice line:
NHS Direct health line ( 24hour ) telephone: 08 45 46 47.
This NHS Direct telephone health line is open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year providing general information about local and national services including ‘out of hours’ advice.
The News section can provide useful advice when widespread health issues arise.
There is also access links when looking health related services, called NHS Choices, but these are actually within the NHS main website, see below.
This is a very large site again containing useful national and local information, most of which is aimed at helping the general public. Probably the most useful of all the sites.
Again it is fairly straight forward to navigate, but this time using a top row of buttons, and a lower row of drop down menus. The top row covers general navigation, including contact details and useful tools. The second row directs you to the main sections within the website. There is full Search facility, and the site does again contain a comprehensive site-map listing all the contents, allowing you direct access to most of the information on the website.
This section, entered by clicking the 'Video' button at the top of the page. It contains almost 700 audio and video clips covering a wide range of Health and Healthy Living issues.
This section, entered by clicking the 'Tools' button at the top of the page. It contains around 60 interactive tests, calculators and comparisons related to Healthy Living issues.
There are six drop down menus below the main 'NHS Choices' banner that form the main component parts of the website. You can go through these systematically, or you could search for what you are looking for, but it may be an advantage to use the sitemap, as this lists all the entries as in a contents page.
This section comprises a number of self help options many of are by linking to the NHS Direct website
Symptom Checkers
Self-help Guides
Common health Questions
NHS Direct initial assessment
Useful telephone numbers
Commonly used links
This sections allows you to look up many different health conditions with advice on treatments
Conditions and treatments
Select the conditions
- by using the alphabetic list
- or by clicking on a body map
Comprises over 100 topics on heathy living
This section contains valuable information to all types of carer in the community
Lists various news items about the NHS and health issues in general
Provides lists, and then additional details, of services based on you entering a postcode.
Northampton General Hospital ( www.northamptongeneral.nhs.uk )
This is a relatively simple site, containing general information about the Northampton General Hospital.
There is no sitemap, and the search appears to be set up to provide preselected answers for a limited number of words.
Eight buttons along the top of the page cover the majority of functions, but five of these cover general administration and working for the hospital.
There are three buttons that may be of interest to the general public:
The information is brief and rather generalised. It covers what to bring when staying in hospital, with a map giving details of the wards and departments.
This is also a rather generalised section with details on carparking and a map of the wards, together with visiting times.
This section contains a list of around one hundred services with a brief description of each.
Overall, a site of limited use for the general public, providing basic information for patients and visitors.
Northamptonshire NHS ( www.northamptonshire.nhs.uk )
Again quite a simple sitemainly covering how the NHS operates in Northamptonshire.
The search facility is adequate with a short extract, but it does not usually show the part containing the search entries. It also switches from section to section and back again. It is not always easy to find what you are looking for.
There is a sitemap, which lists the main site contents in a logical order, and this may be more useful than the search.
There are seven major buttons across the top of the page, but five of then cover general administration, working fot the NHS, communication and procurement.
Only the first two buttons are likely to be of interest to the majority of the public:
This button covers a list of sixteen local services, including minor injuries and finding a doctor, dentist or other common services. What is strange, is that research projects and ethical issues are also included here listed after the services most likely to be of interest to the public.
This button contains a number of broad and varied topics that contain little information and do not always logically fit under the section name.
Generally not the most useful site for the public. Most of the home page is covered with details of blogs and twitter.
Locating a Health Service
Locating a Doctor's Practice
NHS Direct (see above) can assist in finding a primary care centre, dentist, optician or pharmacist.
You can also find Doctor Practices on Yellow Pages Practices
NHS Northamptonshire Advice and Information Service
This service provides a large amount of general information on local services
Telephone: 0800 5870 879
or visit the website www.northamptonshire.nhs.uk/what-we-do/local-services/
Northampton General Hospital
The local general hospital is Northampton General Hospital
Northampton General Hospital
Cliftonville
Northampton
NN1 5BD
Telephone number: 01604 634700
24 hour Accident and Emergency Department
There is a 24 hour Accident and Emergency Department with a separate Eye Casualty from 9am to 5pm.
Northampton Minor Illness and Minor Injury Unit
The MIaMI unit is now based in the Highfield Clinical Care Centre on Cliftonville Road, close to Northampton General Hospital.
NeneDoc
During evenings, weekends and public holidays, people who have urgent health problems that will not wait until their doctor's surgery is next open, should call NeneDoc, the out-of-hours doctor service, 03336 664 664. This is also now based in the Highfield Clinical Care Centre on Cliftonville Road. See the main Health section of this site.
If you need to get to the hospital, and you do not have your own transport and cannot manage the local bus, a volunteer car scheme can be contacted. See Transport section of this website for details.
Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Trust
Mental health care is provided by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Trust
Patient Advice and Liaison
Sudborough House
St Mary’s Hospital
London Road
Kettering
NN15 7PW
Telephone number: 01536 494130
Local Dentists, Pharmacists, Opticians Etc
NHS Direct offers a list of local health professionals for other disciplines
and there are similar links from the Northampton General Hospital site
You can also try Yellow Pages www.Yell.com entering the service you require
Dentists
If you're not registered and need help finding a dentist, call NHS Direct
or contact
Patient Relations Unite.
Highfield, Cliftonville Road, Northampton NN1 5DN
Telephone: 615305
It may be helpful to also try local Yellow Pages Dentists
Pharmacists
Denton Surgery is a Dispensing Surgery (for prescriptions supplied through Denton Village Surgery only).
Boots at Riverside Retail Park has a pharmacy
Tesco and Boots at Weston Favell Shopping Centre each have an in-house pharmacy
Also try Local Yellow Pages Pharmacies
Opticians
The following website provides a list of Opticians
Try also local Yellow Pages Opticians
Date last updated: 19 Feb 2010 Valid until: 31 Dec 2010