WaitLess posterNorthamptonshire Health and Care Partnership has launched WaitLess, enabling people in the local area to see the fastest place to access urgent care services for minor injuries.

Thanks to the WaitLess smartphone app, people in Northamptonshire can access real-time information about waiting times at the county’s NHS urgent care facilities.

Those in need of urgent but non-life-threatening care can quickly see how long the wait is at Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals and Corby Urgent Care Centre.

The WaitLess app also factors in journey times using live traffic and travel information to help people choose the most appropriate treatment location for their condition or injury.

WaitLess, developed by Transforming Systems, was selected to join the NHS Innovation Accelerator (NIA) in 2017, and is represented by Fellow Alistair Martin.

WaitLess aims to reduce the pressure on urgent and emergency care services by spreading demand and helping patients to make an informed choice about where to go for treatment.

Simon Weldon, Chief Executive at Kettering General Hospital and urgent and emergency care lead for Northamptonshire Health and Care Partnership, said:

“When people need urgent treatment for an injury or medical condition they often head straight to their nearest hospital – but with demand and waiting times constantly changing, the closest location isn’t always the best.

“WaitLess allows people to quickly view the local urgent care and minor injury facilities where they can go for treatment and how long they are likely to wait to be seen there. Not only does this enable them to choose the most appropriate location for their needs but it also helps to reduce pressure on our busy services. That’s especially important at this time of year when demand for urgent and emergency care is particularly high.”

Kate Holt, CEO of Healthwatch Northamptonshire, said:

“Healthwatch is pleased to see the launch of this app, which puts data into the hands of people and helps them to make an informed choice about where to seek care, benefitting them and the county’s health and care system.”