Healthwatch Milton Keynes

03/09/2026

02/09/2026

New series of Ageing Well Public talks with the Open University - Wednesday September 16th from 11.00am to 12.30pm. To Age Well or not Age Well? That is the question. The session is part of of series of Ageing Well public talks. This session with be in two parts.

Part One: To Age Well or not to Age Well – the decision is ours to make.

Sinead and Gráinne will introduce the Ageing Well Public Talk series and as part of it we will explore why is it important to think and discuss about ageing. We will discuss some most common age-related conditions such as osteoporosis, frailty, and how hormonal changes associated with ageing may affect us. We will look into how we might want to think about ageing and preventing ill health, self-manage better and keep our health and wellbeing for longer. We will also give a brief overview of the most recent 4 nations public health campaign Take Five to Age Well.

Part two - Plan ahead: Transforming our Experience of End-of-life Care

In this talk, Sharon Williams, Project Manager at Compassionate Communities NI, will explore the transformative power of Advance Care Planning. By addressing the common anxieties surrounding mortality, Sharon will discuss how increased awareness and education can move us from a place of fear – characterised by social isolation and loneliness - to one of empowerment. Central to this transition is the concept of "Death Literacy"— the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed, confident choices. Drawing on her extensive experience, Sharon will demonstrate how using tools like the Your Life, Your Choices booklet and My Peace of Mind Planner allow individuals to articulate their values across personal, legal, clinical, and financial domains. She will emphasise that when we prioritise death literacy, we gain the practical confidence to advocate for ourselves and our loved ones, ensuring that care remains compassionate, person-centred, and aligned with our individual wishes.

26/08/2026

Have Your Say: Milton Keynes Hospital
town planning consultation event

All residents in MK are invited to the Milton Keynes Hospital Town Planning event to view the proposals for a new hospital building and share your views.

Date: Monday 7 September
Time: 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Venue: MKUH Academic Centre, Standing Way, MK6 5LD

To make sure there are plenty of opportunities to learn about and comment on the proposals, the consultation will also include:

👉 A self-guided public exhibition in the hospital main entrance from 8 - 11 September 2026.
👉 An online consultation running from 8 to 25 September 2026, where all materials, supporting information and the feedback form will be available.

For more information about the proposals, head to www.mkuh.nhs.uk/mkview
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This is a valuable opportunity to take a look at the plans for developing our local hospital.

19/08/2026

GET READY FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE COMMUNITY FUN DAY! 🎉

Bring the whole family along for an afternoon packed with FREE fun, music, food, games, face painting, bouncy castles, crafts & stalls — there’s something for everyone! 🥳🎶🍔🎨

📅 Saturday 22nd August
⏰ 12–5 PM
📍 Downs Barn Pavilion, Pannier Place, Downs Barn, MK14 7QP
🎟️ FREE ENTRY!

Come along, bring your friends, bring the kids and let’s make it a day to remember! 💃🕺☀️

Fun, laughter, music & memories — FOR ALL THE FAMILY! ❤️

👉 SAVE THE DATE & SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS! 🎊

18/08/2026

The next meet up for this Milton Keynes group is this coming Thursday - starts at 7pm. All the details you need are above 👆

17/08/2026

Q:alliance have launched their new safe space for LGBTQ+ migrants, people of colour and those of diverse cultural heritage.

Q:world is a relaxed social space where you can just come along and be yourself. At these new monthly sessions, you can meet others, join in social and creative activities, or just be.

👉 Online: Tuesday 18th August: 7 – 8pm
Sign up: https://www.qalliance.org.uk/events-1/q-world-adults
Sharing memories and meanings about the food and drink you enjoy - feel free to have these with you if you can.

👉 In person: Tuesday 15th September 6 – 8pm
Sign up: https://www.qalliance.org.uk/events-1/q-world-adults
Relaxed social time and games – lots of games at Q:house, but feel free to bring a game along with you.

12/08/2026

It's the 5th heatwave of the summer, so lots of us are aware of the risks when it comes to high temperatures. But, the effects can still creep up on you without realising.

Temperatures will hit the mid 30s today and tomorrow, so it's worth keeping an eye on yourself and those around you - especially babies, young children and the elderly.

👉 If you or others feel dizzy, weak, sick or are intensely thirsty during hot weather, this may be heat exhaustion. Move to a cool place, rehydrate and cool your body down.
👉 Rest immediately in a cool place if you have painful muscular spasms and drink plenty of cool drinks. Seek medical attention if you feel unusual symptoms or if symptoms persist
👉 A high temperature, confusion and breathing fast can be symptoms of heat stroke, which is a medical emergency. Other serious symptoms include skin that is no longer sweating and seizures. If you suspect someone has heatstroke, call 999, put them in the recovery position and keep trying to cool the person down.

How to cool down (if you or someone else has heat exhaustion)

👉 Move to a cooler place such as a room with air conditioning or somewhere in the shade
👉 Remove all unnecessary clothing like a jacket or socks
👉 Drink cool water, a sports or rehydration drink, or eat cold and water rich foods like ice-lollies
👉 Apply cool water by spray or sponge to exposed skin, and using cold packs wrapped in a cloth and put under the armpits or on the neck can also help.

STAY COOL 😎

11/08/2026

We were commissioned by the Milton Keynes Health and Care Partnership, with support from the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (BLMK ICB), to carry out an independent evaluation of patient experience during the implementation of the Integrated Discharge Hub at Milton Keynes Hospital.

Our aim was to:
👉 Understand how patients experienced discharge through the new model, identify what was working well and where improvements were needed.
👉 Provide real-time insight to a steering group of professionals overseeing the implementation of the IDH.
👉 Support the system to refine and strengthen the discharge process.

We have just published the report of our findings, alongside a thorough response from Milton Keynes City Council, Central North West London NHS Trust , Milton Keynes University Hospital and our ICB.

Read the full report now:

https://www.healthwatchmiltonkeynes.co.uk/report/2026-08-06/integrated-discharge-hub-patient-experience-report

05/08/2026

Your local Integrated Care Board have recently become NHS Central East.

We've seen an increase in feedback about how the ICB are handling your complaints. So, we've put together this guide to help you navigate the complaints process for Integrated Care Boards.

https://www.healthwatchmiltonkeynes.co.uk/advice-and-information/2026-07-30/why-complain-integrated-care-board