CEO's blog: meeting the needs of our growing city

Seeing the space in person really brought home the scale of what MKUH is doing to ensure the hospital can meet the needs of people in Milton Keynes as the city continues to grow at a substantial pace.

The new wards are spacious and designed with both patients and staff in mind, and they are a visible sign that the hospital is planning ahead for the future needs of our city. The Oak Wards will be opening very soon.

At the same time, there’s important work happening beyond the hospital. Recent national guidance has set out a clear direction around neighbourhood health models which directs more care into communities, closer to where people live. The aim is to support people earlier, join up professionals and services, and relieve pressure on hospital services.

I’m involved in local neighbourhood planning work, advising on how residents and patients can help shape what neighbourhood care looks like in practice. Making sure lived experience influences these designs is essential if they’re going to work for the people of MK.

I also want to highlight that we’re now in a pre‑election sensitivity period as we approach the local elections on 7 May. After the elections, we expect the publication of the Health Reform Bill, which is anticipated to outline changes including the abolition of the current Healthwatch network and what will replace the Healthwatch role.

While details are still emerging, our focus remains the same: ensuring that the voices of residents and patients continue to be heard as health and care services in Milton Keynes continue to change.

Finally, I'd like to thank everyone who took part in our MK Health Check In survey late last year. We always appreciate the time that residents take to tell us about their experiences of health and care services. We've just published our findings, which you can find out more about below.