The 2024 Care Quality Commission (CQC) Children and Young People survey results were published yesterday (22 May 2025).
Responses to the survey were received by the parents and carers of 232 patients aged 0 to 15 years, and who received care at Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH) between August and December 2024.
Questions included in the survey covered the waiting area, wards, communication, standards of care, hospital food and facilities, pain management, operations and procedures, and leaving hospital.
The results were broadly in line with national averages. Young patients feel they have access to a clean, age-appropriate hospital setting where they are treated with dignity, respect, kindness and compassion. They have confidence and trust in staff, feel their pain is well-managed and are happy with most facilities. Parents and carers are able to stay with patients as long as needed.
There are some areas that can be improved and MKUH is formulating a plan to address them.
Commenting on the survey, Julie Goodman, Head of Patient Experience at MKUH said: “Thank you to our patients who took time to share their experiences. Feedback is the best way for us to continually improve standard of patient care, and we will act decisively and quickly on the opportunities that have been identified.”
More information on providing your feedback can be found here: https://www.mkuh.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/tell-us-about-your-care.
The full CQC survey report is available here: Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – Care Quality Commission
Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH) has recently conducted a review of parking tariffs for patients and visitors. As a result, we will be implementing minor changes to our parking charges to reflect the increased costs of car park maintenance and to simplify the available tariffs.
New Parking Tariffs – Effective Date: 27 May 2025
| Time | Tariff (as of 27 May 2025) | Change |
| 0 – 15 min | FREE | – |
| 15 mins – 1 hour | £3 | + 7.14%/20p |
| 1 – 3 hours | £4 | + 2.56%/10p |
| 3 – 6 hours | £5 | – |
| 6 – 8 hours | £6 | + 9.09%/50p |
| 8 – 24 hours | £11 | – |
| Lost ticket charge | £11 | – |
| Weekly ticket | £22 | + 4.76%/£1 |
Blue Badge holders will continue to benefit from free parking.
For more information about parking at Milton Keynes University Hospital, please visit: Maps and car parking – Milton Keynes University Hospital
A brilliant collaboration between catering manager Frank Fiore, consultant geriatrician Dr Maria Panourgia, and dietitian Ana Wermelinger is transforming patient nutrition on our wards — and the results are already speaking for themselves.
From Fortified Drinks to Flavourful Shakes
Patients living with frailty, including those recovering from a fractured neck of femur, are often given Ensure fortified drinks to aid recovery. However, a recent project led by Dr Panourgia set out to discover how many of those drinks were actually being consumed.
“We discovered that only 25% of patients were drinking the Ensure, with over 50% of bottles going in the bin unopened,” says Dr Panourgia.
In response, Frank and Ana introduced a more appealing alternative.
“To see if we could increase uptake Frank and Ana devised a ‘milkshake and cake’ initiative. Instead of the Ensure drinks that patients found unpalatable, they devised a high protein shake that could be mixed with milk and offered in three different flavours. The patients really enjoyed it and when offered twice a day, our audit showed that almost 90% of patients were consuming the whole drink. This was extremely encouraging as good nutrition is vital for recovery.”
Understanding Patient Preferences
Beyond nutrition, it is essential that patients receive meals they actually enjoy. Yet not all patients are able to express their likes and dislikes clearly while in hospital.
“I had a patient who was very complimentary about his care, except for the fact that he was being offered meals he didn’t find enjoyable. Frank put together a questionnaire to be completed by either patients or those close to them, which records their food and drink preferences. This is now currently available to every patient on Wards 19 and 23 and the menus are now on iPads to make selection more straightforward.”
This simple, tech-friendly solution is making a big impact.
Small Steps That Make a Big Difference
“These steps seem very simple, but they make such a difference to a patient’s hospital stay and can have a positive impact on their recovery and discharge,” adds Dr Panourgia.
This initiative is a fantastic example of patient-centred care in action — where nutrition, communication, and compassion come together to support recovery.
A huge thank you to Frank, Dr Panourgia, and Ana for their thoughtful collaboration — a shining example of how small changes in nutrition and patient engagement can lead to big improvements in care.
From Monday 19 May 2025, Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH) Eye Clinic will be based in a new off-site location in Central Milton Keynes.
The Eye Clinic will relocate to the Community Diagnostic Centre at Lloyds Court, MK9 3AT. This new modern facility will enhance access to services for more patients in the community and offer an improved environment for patient care.
Patients are asked to check their appointment letters carefully to ensure they attend at the correct location.
Conveniently located just a short walk from the Central Milton Keynes shopping centre, the Lloyds Court Community Diagnostic Centre has been completely renovated and features the latest technology and equipment in a modernised and welcoming environment for both patients and staff.
For more information, visit our Eye Clinic page here: Eye Clinic – Milton Keynes University Hospital
Have you ever considered nominating yourself to become a governor of our hospital?
Nominations are now open for members of Milton Keynes University Hospital to nominate themselves as Governors on the Trust’s Council of Governors, to fill these two of these vital roles for the Trust.
As a governor, you will be one of the voices representing our members during these challenging times for our Trust and the NHS. You will have the opportunity to help shape the future of our Trust as an exciting new expansion programme is developed, designed to look after our growing local population. In this role you can also seek and share the views of our members to help improve the experience our patients receive.
If this sounds like something you would like to do, the Trust encourages you to consider putting yourself forward for nominations by registering by an online nomination form, which you can access by clicking here. Alternatively, you can request a nomination pack by phone 0345 209 3770 or email support@uk-engage.org
Please note that only members of the Trust can nominate themselves to become a governor. To sign up as a member, please click here.
The two seats up for nomination are:
- Public: Constituency C – Central Milton Keynes, Bradwell, Fishermead, Willen, Linford South – two seats
To identify which constituency you live in, click here. All nominations need to be registered by 5pm on Monday 2 June. Once all the nominations are confirmed, voting will take place. Please note that only members of our Trust can vote in elections.
To find out more about being a member, please click here.
External organisation UK Engage will be managing this election on the Trust’s behalf as Returning Officer.
For a full list of vacant seats and constituencies please click through to the Notice of Election. For more information on governors, click here.
Visit here to access all the information you will need about this election. If you have any other questions about the nomination process, please contact UK Engage.
This week Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH) marked the next stage of construction of its new Oak Wards with a ‘topping out’ ceremony.
‘Topping out’ is the building industry term for marking the completion of the positioning of a building’s highest beam. The event was attended by Milton Keynes Mayor Cllr Marie Bradburn, city council chief executive Michael Bracey and staff members, alongside contractor partners Morgan Sindall.
Oak Wards is a new block which will feature two 24-bed wards across two floors, providing a significant increase in capacity for medical patients. The construction of Oak Wards is expected to be completed in January 2026.
The new block reflects MKUH’s determination to support the health needs of the growing city. Marking the occasion, Chief Executive Joe Harrison CBE said: “Milton Keynes is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country and we are committed to providing the best experience for more and more patients.
“As our community grows, we recognise that it is also ageing. In response to this, I am delighted to reveal that Oak Wards will become our specialist frailty care unit, providing a vital response to the specific needs of our older residents.”
We are delighted to announce that MKUH is the first hospital in the UK and EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) to pilot the My Mobility app for hip fracture surgeries.
The app is designed to help and support patients throughout their care pathway journey, pre- and post-operation.
It monitors the patient’s progress post-fracture, whilst providing information about what to expect, complications, recovery, and rehabilitation.
This pilot reflects our commitment to improving patient care through innovative tools and approaches.
MKUH Chief Corporate Services Officer, Kate Jarman, said:
“On behalf of MKUH I would like to say how deeply sorry I am for Brian’s death. This inquest has been harrowing, especially so for Brian’s mother and other family members to whom I would like to offer my heartfelt condolences.
“The inquest jury has today returned a detailed set of findings. We respect and accept the conclusion the jury has reached, and the comments made by HM Coroner.
“We have learnt a great deal and changed a great deal since Brian’s death to prevent anything similar from happening again. Brian’s death will continue to shape practice at MKUH. His memory will continue to define what we do and how we work to provide patients with the safest, best care we can deliver.”
From 6 April 2025, the government has introduced two new benefits to support parents of babies who have a stay in a hospital neonatal unit (NNU).
Parents/carers will qualify for Neonatal Care Leave if:
- Their baby is born on or after 6 April, 2025
- They live in England, Wales or Scotland
- Their baby spends at least seven continuous days receiving neonatal care that starts within 28 days of their birth
- They are an employee
Neonatal Care Leave is a ‘day one’ right, which means it applies no matter how long parents/carers have been in their job.
Parents/carers will qualify for both Neonatal Care Leave and Pay if they meet the criteria for Neonatal Care Leave above and have been working for the same employer for at least 26 weeks and earn an average of at least £125 per week.
For further information visit: Neonatal Care Pay and Leave: Overview – GOV.UK or speak to a member of the NNU team for more guidance.
Milton Keynes University Hospital is partnering with King’s Community Centre in Wolverton to host a ‘Hospital in the Community Day’ on Tuesday 13 May.
This free event, from 10am-2pm, is an opportunity for local residents to meet hospital staff, learn about vital health services, and engage with various teams dedicated to supporting the community’s wellbeing.
Visitors can explore several health and support stations, including:
- Maternity Team
- Diabetic Eye and Bowel Screening Team
- Lung Cancer Screening Team & Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation
- Dementia Support
- MK Hospital Charity
- Tuberculosis Team
- Research & Development – Genes and Health Project Team
- Armed Forces Covenant Team
- MKUH Governors
- Patient Experience
- Strategic Estates
- Patient Portal Team
- Carers MK
- Healthwatch MK
- Age UK MK
With healthcare professionals on hand to provide insights, answer questions, and offer support, this event is a fantastic way for the local community to gain direct access to important health resources and services. Entry is free and open to all.
MKUH Governor Andy Forbes, who is also Chair of Kings Community Centre Board of Trustees, said: “We are thrilled to bring healthcare closer to the people of Wolverton and all of Milton Keynes. This event is about empowering residents with knowledge, ensuring they feel supported, and strengthening the connection between the hospital and the wider community.”
We encourage everyone to join us at King’s Community Centre, in Creed Street, Wolverton (MK12 5LY), and take advantage of this unique opportunity to engage with healthcare professionals who are dedicated to supporting your health and wellbeing.
Click here to share your experience