Getting Involved / Patient Engagement

One way to hear from patients is to get you involved in change and improvement activities in the hospital. At MKUH we have a group where people can take part in activities and events  which help us understand experiences and where we can improve. The type of activities the group gets involved with include things like checking leaflets so they are ‘patient friendly’ , taking part on focus groups ( face to face when we can and ‘virtually), members attend events and can become involved in specific projects such as improving hospital catering.

We have a programme of ‘ward and department visits’ called ‘The 15 Steps Programme’ . The idea came from a mother of a child with complex needs who had many visits to hospital. the Mum said that see could tell the type of care her daughter would get within ’15 steps’ of being on a ward. We take this idea and visit wards and departments and record what we see, what we hear , how we feel. This information is collated and feedback to the ward and department heads and often they can make very quick changes and improvements. We do these visits with groups who may experience care so for example children and young people are invited to comment on children’s wards and families experiencing maternity care will visits labour and postnatal wards. That way we get some valuable feedback and can make changes and improvements that are right for that group of patients.  People who take part in these visits say they are very interesting, and they feel their feedback is valued.

It is really up to the member how much they get involved. You can do as much or as little as you like,  there is no commitment and you can leave at any time you wish.  If you would like more information, please email [email protected]

Healthwatch Milton Keynes are the independent champion for people who use health and social care services. We’re here to make sure that those running services, put people at the heart of care. Our sole purpose is to understand the needs, experiences and concerns of people who use health and social care services and to speak out on their behalf. We also offer advice and signposting about health and social care services available locally.

We are here to listen to what you like about services and what you think could be improved. No matter how big or small the issue, we want to hear about it.

We have a statutory role to represent the views of patients and this gives us the power to make your voices heard. We write reports based on your experiences with recommendations of how services can be improved. We distribute these reports to Healthwatch England, the Care Quality Commission, and the people who pay for and provide local services.

Where possible, we will let you know when changes are planned to services in our community and help you have a say. We will also encourage those in charge of local care to involve you when changes are being planned to services. We represent you at meetings and on boards where decisions about NHS and social care are made.

We also offer advice and signposting about health and social care services available locally.

Contact details:

Telephone – 01908 698800

Email – [email protected]

To visit the Healthwatch website, please click here.

The Milton Keynes Cancer Patient Partnership (MKCPP) was founded in 2002 as a charitable organisation that combines ‘the patients’ voice’ in a partnership with health professionals and other cancer-related groups and charities, functioning in the first instance as an information-exchanging hub. In addition the Partnership initiates special projects in the hospital and community including environment audits of in-hospital cancer clinics and procedures, GP surgery workshops for cancer patients and their families at local level, and more. Our methodology as a multi-faceted networking group is increasingly attracting attention and emulation from Cancer Services in other NHS Trusts who appreciate our effectiveness, as we continue to pioneer the way forward for realistic maintenance of and improvements to cancer services based on the realities of today … while progressing, with our NHS partners, other charities, support groups and other associates, towards even better cancer care in the future. Please see here for more information.

The Trust recognises the importance of those who volunteer and the difference they can make to the experience of our patients and visitors. Volunteers are needed in clinical and non-clinical areas of the hospital. Volunteer roles include:- meet and greet duties, assisting  patients at mealtimes, wayfinding, and supporting staff on all wards, including maternity and children’s wards, to include specific roles such as breastfeeding peer support, and reception roles.

Volunteering allows people to give something back to their local community. All for as little as three hours a week. It is a great way to meet new people, make new friends and learn new skills.  Please visit our volunteering pages on our website  to find out more.