News
What's happening in health and social care?
Includes the latest news, health and social care reports and consultations to add your voice to.
Healthwatch MK Board vacancies
We are inviting members to apply to put themselves forward for election to join our Board of Trustees and Health and Social Care Committee (HSCC)...
Volunteer with us
You could make a difference We are looking for volunteer representatives with experience of either learning disabilities, dementia, or health and...
Share your views about Personal Health Budgets
NHS England is seeking feedback about people's experiences of personal health budgets in England. Running until 30 April 2018, a survey is open to...
Read our Autumn Newsletter
Take a look inside to read about some of the things we've been doing to make NHS and social care work for you. Our CEO, Maxine Taffetani, rounds up her top 5 achievements in her first 6 months in post Read about our first of a series of Enter and View visits to Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS...
Report of our Enter and View visit
We're delighted to share our report of our first Enter and View survey of Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust's (MK Hospital) Red2Green service in wards 17 and 18. We reviewed how informed patients were kept about their hospital stay and made recommendations in areas where...
RNIB accessible transport survey
The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) want to hear about blind and partially sighted people's recent experience of using public transport and travelling. Findings will form part of RNIB's response to the Department for Transport's Accessibility Action Plan consultation . Responses will...
How to #StayWellThisWinter
Public Health England and NHS England want people stay well this winter. #StayWellThisWinter campaign encourages vulnerable people to get their flu jab. If you are pregnant, are aged 65 years or over, a carer, or have a long term health condition , ask your GP, pharmacist or midwife about the free...
CQC review of children and young people's mental health services
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published a report on its initial review of mental health services for children and young people. Background: The Prime Minister asked the CQC to look at children and young people's mental health services as part of a series of measures to "transform mental...
What do the numbers say about hospital readmissions?
Healthwatch England has taken a detailed look at the data around emergency readmissions. Admissions to hospital and delayed transfers of care (DTOCs) are well monitored and understood, but information about the number of people being readmitted to hospital for unplanned follow-up treatment is less...
How does the NHS in England work?
Are you confused about how the NHS actually works? Do you want to know more about who makes decisions, who pays for care and what changes (such as the STP) will mean for you? You're not alone. The King's Fund has produced this short video for people just like you (and me).
The State of Care - CQC report
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has produced its annual assessment of health and social care provision in England. The report looks at trends, highlights examples of good or outstanding care, and identifies factors that maintain high-quality care. The CQC based their report on comprehensive...
Have your say on local pharmaceutical services
What do you think about local pharmacy services? Do they meet the needs of local people? Please share your feedback on all services offered by local pharmacies, including health advice and information such as stop-smoking services, sexual health and drug support services, and the provision of over-...
How easy is it to get an NHS dental appointment in Milton Keynes?
Please note: this survey has ended. We look forward to sharing our survey findings with you. Please do check back. Have you recently tried to make an appointment with an NHS dentist? Have you found the process easy, or have you struggled to find one accepting NHS patients? Have you been referred...
New Wheelchair Service in Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group is pleased to confirm AJM Healthcare as the new provider of wheelchair services in Milton Keynes from 1st October 2017. AJM Healthcare will deliver an integrated service for the assessment, provision and maintenance of wheelchairs in Milton Keynes. The...
World Mental Health Day 10th October
The theme of this year's World Mental Health Day is mental health in the workplace We're looking at how we think and talk about mental health, and how we can all support each other in the workplace. We want to promote good mental health and to support employees who have mental health disorders...
Your Birth Plan campaign
Choose the right birth plan for you The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is launching a new national campaign aimed at raising awareness of CQC among women who are pregnant, planning to have a baby, are looking to be pregnant, or have recently used maternity services in England. The campaign aims at...
The state of care in General Practice
A Care Quality Commission (CQC) report has found that General Practice is delivering real improvement and innovation, despite facing 'very real' pressures. The CQC undertook a comprehensive inspection of 7,365 GP practices and published a report of its findings. It found General Practice to be the...
What do the public think about the NHS?
Has public attitude towards the NHS changed in the 70 years since the NHS was founded? If so, how? To mark 70 years since the foundation of the NHS, and as part of its project on the changing relationship between the public and the NHS , The King's Fund commissioned Ipsos MORI to conduct a survey...
Calls for feedback about GPs
We know that people want to give feedback about their local GP surgeries to help make care better, but many simply don't know how. A poll Healthwatch England conducted with YouGov found that 76% of the adults in England surveyed said they would be interested in sharing their feedback with GPs to...
STP hospital merger
Luton and Dunstable Hospital and Bedford Hospital have announced that they have decided to formally collaborate through a proposed merger. This will bring the two hospitals together to manage specialties as a single set of services, but delivered at both hospital sites. This important development...
Healthwatch 2017
Thanks to everyone who attended our health, social care and wellbeing event in Middleton Hall. We laughed with the Laughing Yoga demo, got pelvis strengthening techniques from Jacqui Jackson Fitness, were awed by the agility of the Tai Chi Society, and danced our socks off at Ceroc Dancing. We...
Healthwatch 2017
Join us for the largest local health and care event on Tuesday 12th September in Middleton Hall, CMK. Our event is a unique opportunity to hear what's new in health and social care, and about products and services available near you. Talk to the people who provide and pay for local healthcare...
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust AGM
Join Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust on Wednesday 27 September for its free annual event, open to everyone, being held at The Venue MK, Walton High, Milton Keynes MK7 7WH. Light refreshments will be available from 17.30, followed by an evening of various attractions. Enjoy...
MK Hospital Council of Governor elections
Please note: nominations have now closed. Members of Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust can put themselves forward to stand for election to become a Hospital Governor. The Trust's Council of Governors represent the interests of the hospital's members and make sure services are...
Volunteer with us at Healthwatch 2017
We're looking for volunteers who can spare an hour or two to get stuck in and help us at our annual event. Contact us if you can spare some time on Tuesday 12th September.
CQC report - The state of adult social care services 2014-17
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published findings from its comprehensive programme of adult social care inspections in a report, 'The state of adult social care services 2014-17'. The focus of the report is on the quality of adult social care services and the impact that this has on people...
Consultation on items that should not be routinely prescribed by GPs
Consultation on items that should not be routinely prescribed by GPs Please note: this consultation has now ended NHS England is consulting on a proposal to reduce the number of items routinely prescribed by GPs. Last year 1.1 billion prescription items were dispensed in primary care at a cost of £...
Our Annual Meeting
The theme of this year's meeting was Primary Care We were delighted with the great attendance and lively discussion at our Annual Meeting. Many of you have voiced concern over access to GP services. To address those concerns we invited guest speaker, Alexia Stenning, Deputy Chair of Programme...
