Find out how Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire can help you by watching this video

Our aim is to improve health and social care services in Central Bedfordshire.

To do this we need your feedback about local GP surgeries, hospitals, dentists, pharmacies, opticians, social care, emergency care and community based health teams. With this, we are able to inform, liaise, influence and, if necessary, challenge decisions and plans.

For all of this, we need your help!

Please help us by sharing your experiences of all or any of these services by clicking on the button below.

Tell us when things are going well and when they’re not, so we can do something about it.

What changes do people want to make to local services in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes?

The Government is investing an extra £20bn a year in the NHS until 2023.  The NHS has produced a Long Term Plan, setting out all the things it wants health services to do better for people across the country.

For these plans to work, the NHS needs to shape local plans based on local needs. We asked people #WhatWouldYouDo to improve local services in Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK).

We heard from nearly 1000 people about the changes they would like to see. These include:

• Quicker and easier access to GP appointments around the clock
• More investment in mental health services
• Shorter waiting times for appointments with professionals
• More choice on where they receive care with better local provision of services
• And improved social care to enable people to continue to live in their own homes.

As a result, the NHS has committed to take the following steps:

• To plan services and pathways from a patient perspective to allow better access to services and support 24/7
• Implement better communication and signposting
• To investigate the gaps highlighted in the report to help determine future activity and further engagement.

Read more about what people would do to change services in Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes by reading the main report (Scale).

The Place-based report is also available to read here.

Didn’t have chance to share your view? Talk to us today.

Our Young Healthwatch volunteers have been busy working on a number of projects since they came together almost a year ago. They have also recently received appropriate ‘Enter & View’ training and are keen to put their learning into practice by visiting health and social care services such as hospital wards, surgeries and care homes. The young people will then be able to report their findings from their unique perspective. If you would like a group of young Healthwatch volunteers to visit your service please contact Amy.Eymor@healthwatch-centralbedfordshire.org.uk.

There is a lot more information on the Young Healthwatch website, including the great achievement of one of our volunteers who has secured a fantastic apprenticeship with Cancer Research UK.

If you are under 25, why not consider becoming a member of Young Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire? Get in touch for more information.

Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire is on the road again.

Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire will be visiting an area near you to provide information, advice and guidance about local social care, health, housing and additional services. We will be joined by our partner organisations and local voluntary groups.

Please come along to find out more about the services available in your local area.