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You should only come to A&E in an emergency or life-threatening situation. Please help our staff to focus on our patients who need us most. If it is not an emergency we won't be able to see you and you will be redirected to NHS111 or other local services.
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Important information to keep you safe from COVID when attending the hospital for your appointment

This guidance is provided for your safety and the safety of our patients, visitors and staff at Kettering General Hospital. We would ask you to please follow this guidance to protect and respect.
 
Protect and Respect please wear a mask. Wash your hands and maintain social distancing

Visiting guidance for adult inpatient wards:
 

  • Only one visitor may visit the patient each day for 45 minutes
  • All visitors must clean their hands and wear a hospital face mask
  • Visits must be pre-booked the day before by phoning the ward ideally between 09.30-11.30
  • Visitors must show proof of a negative lateral flow test from that day before they will be allowed entry to the ward
  • The visitor must be in the same household or support bubble as the patient
  • Visiting for maternity, paediatrics, end of life, A&E and outpatients remains the same at the current time
  • Children cannot visit unless there are special circumstances
By following these seven simple steps you can stop the spread of COVID and save lives.
 
Why we are requiring you to wear a face covering
 
We can all play a role in reducing the spread of COVID and keeping our hospitals safe. If you are coming to hospital as a visitor or for planned outpatient care, you must wear a face covering at all times. This is for your safety and the safety of other patients and staff.
 
We are asking that you to plan in advance and bring a face covering with you.
 
You will need to wear your face covering at all times for it to be effective:
 
  • It should cover your nose and mouth while allowing you to breathe comfortably
  • You should not touch your face
  • You should wash your hands or use hand sanitiser before putting it on and taking it off. You should also avoid touching the front or the inside of the covering, and handle it by the ear loops or ties
  • You should change your face covering regularly
  • You can find advice on how to wear and make your own face covering at home on the Government website.
 
Government guidance on the use of face coverings generally, is also available on their website.
 
For some people, wearing a face covering may be difficult due to physical or mental health conditions. In these instances, other measures will be considered on a case by case basis, for example timed appointments and being seen immediately on arrival. Please talk to our security team on arrival.
 
If you are deaf or hearing impaired, our staff have a range of communication options to ensure that they can communicate effectively with you. This might include the use of clear masks where possible, as well as visual aids such as writing things down, speech to text apps and sign language.
 
All visitors will be expected to comply with existing social distancing and hand hygiene measures in addition to wearing face coverings while in the hospital setting.
 
An easy read on face coverings and other COVID information is available on the Mencap website.
 
COVID testing
 
Before coming to the hospital for a pre-planned appointment we would encourage you to complete a lateral flow test to ensure you do not have COVID. Some people may have COVID and have no symptoms so could pass on the virus without knowing it.
 
You can order these for free from the government website: https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests
 
Some appointments or operations may require testing before you can attend.
 
Please note we are not a location for the COVID testing in the county. If you think you may have COVID and need a test please visit www.nhs.uk/coronavirus to book.
 
 
If you require testing for COVID before having a procedure or operation with us at KGH, the testing station is located at the rear of Glebe House next to the Social Club. This facility will not test you if you have not been invited.
 
Appointments via telephone or video call
 
We will continue to provide as many services as possible either virtually (through video and telephone contact), or off site.
 
If you are suitable for a virtual appointment you will be contacted to arrange a virtual option.
 
Our overriding priority will be to minimise the risk of cross infection in whatever we do, from people who have COVID-19 to those who do not. To do this we must continue with many of the arrangements that are already in place in response to COVID-19, gradually increasing the number of patients we treat whilst keeping the number of patients and visitors to NGH to a minimum.
 
We have developed COVID and non-COVID care pathways within the hospital, including designated wards for patients with coronavirus.
We will continue to maintain our ‘surge’ capacity so that we are best placed to deal with any future increase in COVID-19 admissions.