Healthwatch Northamptonshire has just been shortlisted for an East Midlands Academic Health Science Network, Innovation in Healthcare Award for their work 'in engaging young people'.   

It is one of three finalists in the Patient Identified Innovations Category for their Young People’s Health and Wellbeing Conference in February 2015, the launch of Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire and their ongoing work to engage children and young people in improving children and adolescent mental health services.

There were 106 submissions from organisations throughout the NHS, health and social care, universities, voluntary sector and industry. 

Alistair Bassett, Chair of Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire said, ‘It’s fantastic news. It will allow us to work with more young people across Northamptonshire and get to some of the children and young people who find it really hard to get their voices heard about what is important to them’.

In February 2015 Healthwatch Northamptonshire received £10k from The Big Lottery fund to support the delivery of the highly successful Young People’s Health and Wellbeing Conference. 

To celebrate some of the projects funded, the Big Lottery has teamed up with ITV to showcase some of the best as The People’s Project.  This means that Healthwatch Northamptonshire has been invited to apply and may get to be on TV with a chance of getting up to £50k to help build on our original work and continue to develop Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire. 

It will be run as a competition through an Online Community and then as a public vote on TV. To find out more and ‘like’ our blog page please visit:

Good Luck to all involved!