Healthcare in Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes – Have your say

Bedfordshire CCG and Milton Keynes CCG today published a progress report (http://www.yourhealthinbedfordshire.co.uk/) on the review of the way healthcare services are delivered across our joint patch.  We recognise that there are areas locally where health services aren’t as good as they could – and should - be.

We recognise that the NHS is under increasing clinical and financial pressures locally as well as nationally. Both our local hospitals, Bedford and Milton Keynes, are currently losing millions of pounds.  Our document, A Case for Change – a midway report of the review - sets out the challenges we face and the way we are exploring all the options in order to change things for the better.

We have some old-fashioned models of care which patients find fragmented and inefficient.  And as these don’t attract the best NHS staff, or support them to do the jobs they are best at, there’s a risk that these services will deteriorate, while at the same time becoming more costly to run.

Like other parts of the country, we are expecting significant growth in the numbers of older people with long-term conditions, and we need to keep up with advances in both care delivery and technology. The review also covers all NHS-funded healthcare in Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes in planned care, urgent care, and children and maternity care.

Together, the strains on today’s services and the challenges of tomorrow add up to a pressing need to update and reform healthcare services in Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes.  Existing services can’t absorb the additional demand - or bring in new ways of delivering high-quality care that deliver the best outcomes for patients.

The review covers all aspects of NHS healthcare locally: general practice, community-based care and hospital-based care. It’s being supported by three national NHS organisations – Monitor, NHS England and the NHS Trust Development Authority – and paid for by Monitor. 

The review is being led by clinicians, who are doing all they can to meet with patients, carers, GPs, MPs, local authorities, patient groups – in fact, as many people as possible, to find out what people want and need from the NHS locally.  Both the local general hospitals – Bedford and Milton Keynes, with their 5,500 staff – are fully involved.  Public meetings are being held across the area and there are many other ways in which you can give your input – such as by giving your response to this blog. 

Nothing has been decided at this stage, but we do know that things can’t go on as they are: they are going to change.  All of us use local healthcare services and all of us help pay for them.  We need to draw on everybody’s feedback to produce a set of solutions which will deliver the local healthcare services we need and deserve.  

We welcome your comments or suggestions on local healthcare services and the ideas contained in A Case for Change. Visit our websites or contact us to see how you can take part in our meetings and forums and be kept up to date with the progress of the review.   And please do respond to this blog.

Now is your chance to have your say and have your input into this hugely important review.