15 Steps visit: Kettering General Hospital

This report summarises volunteers from Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire and EnFold’s Young Autism Advisors visit to Kettering General Hospital in January 2025. The group assessed how welcoming and child-friendly the hospital’s children’s areas felt. The report is written by the young people and is based on what they observed on the day of the visit and of the people they spoke to – one parent. They used NHS England’s 15 Steps Challenge to guide their visit, focusing on first impressions, safety, and inclusivity from a young person’s point of view. They visited The Paediatric Emergency Department and Skylark Ward, the main children’s ward.

Key findings:

• Staff were kind and supportive, creating a welcoming atmosphere. The hospital used calming themes, such as fish-themed floors and woodland art to create a to a less clinical, more relaxing environment. 

•  The Paediatric Emergency Department offered a range of age-appropriate entertainment, including Nintendo Switches and wall activities. Skylark Ward provided DVDs and a sensory room for younger patients. 

• Helpful materials, like the “your journey through the children’s emergency department” display, eased patient anxiety. However, a broken interactive projector and limited entertainment options for older children were noted.

• Finding Skylark Ward from the Emergency Department was difficult due to a lack of initial signs/directions. The waiting area in the Emergency Department was slightly stuffy, and the Skylark Ward waiting room felt cramped with limited activities for older children.

Recommendations

1. Improve Signage: Add signs outside the Emergency Department to guide patients to Skylark Ward, and use floor designs to enhance wayfinding.

2. Safety Improvements: Repair broken skirting boards and remove trip hazards in waiting areas.

3. Expand Entertainment: Offer more entertainment options for older children, and repair the interactive projector.

4. Clarify Information: Make Wi-Fi and food/drink options more visible, and update noticeboard titles for consistency with content.

5. Comfort and Airflow: Address temperature issues in the Emergency Department.

6. Inclusive Resources: Continue developing supportive tools for neurodivergent children, such as MRI preparation videos featuring real people.