5 November 2024

Resident Briefing: Update on health services in Leighton Buzzard

We are pleased to update residents, representatives and partners on the latest developments in the delivery of healthcare services in Leighton Buzzard. Increasing local primary care capacity and improving services New, additional services, coupled with changes in how existing services […]

28 August 2024

Leighton Buzzard – Statement

Between August 2023 and May 2024, BLMK ICB (Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board) completed an Outline Business Case (OBC) in relation to potential additional healthcare services in Leighton Buzzard. On 09 September, the ICB will be talking […]

1 August 2024

World Breastfeeding Week: give your baby the best start

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated annually worldwide from 1 to 7 August.  This global campaign aims to raise awareness about breastfeeding and its benefits. The event takes place during the first week of August each year, with support from World […]

2 July 2024

University to host theatre performances tackling health and social care workforce shortages

The University of Bedfordshire, in collaboration with Komola Collective, is presenting the Collaborative Targeted Outreach Programme (CTOP) play – an innovative theatre project aiming to demystify and celebrate the health and social care professions and encourage people to think about […]

17 May 2024

GPs use new health data sources to identify patients at risk of disease, leading to earlier diagnoses

GPs in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes are taking proactive steps to prevent disease, thanks to new ways of working which can help clinicians identify people who are at risk of developing prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease – preventing untimely […]

5 April 2024

Leighton Buzzard Update – 05 April 2024

In our last update in February 2024, we were pleased to discuss the Winter Pressure Clinics delivered in the Town. These clinics, which finished at the end of March 2024, successfully supported additional access to primary care during the winter […]

23 February 2024

February 2024 – Update on Health and Care Services in Leighton Buzzard

1.We are pleased to confirm that additional clinics to respond to winter pressures continue in the Town, led by hard working primary care teams. Appointments are booked on the day via registered practices, and this is providing an additional five […]

12 January 2024

Leighton Buzzard Public Update – January 2024

Update on the development of the Outline Business Case for additional health services in Leighton Buzzard In our last update in December, we were pleased to share news of our event with local residents and community representatives to further develop […]

1 December 2023

Leighton Buzzard Public Update – December 2023

In our last update on work in Leighton Buzzard, we were pleased to confirm that a “focus group” style event would be held in the town in early November with attendance from residents on the town’s Patient Participation Groups, voluntary […]

23 October 2023

Update on Leighton Buzzard Outline Business Case

Last month, Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK) Integrated Care Board published an initialupdate on the Outline Business Case for additional health and care services in Leighton Buzzard.We are pleased today to publish our second update on work in the […]

6 October 2023

NHS invites people in Luton and Central Bedfordshire for life-saving lung cancer checks

More than 39,000 people across Luton and Central Bedfordshire have been invited for a potentially life-saving free lung check, as part of the biggest programme to improve early lung cancer diagnosis in NHS history. Current and former smokers aged between […]

21 September 2023

New community garden in Dunstable provides a path to better mental health

A brand-new community garden has opened in Dunstable to give local people the opportunity to improve their mental and physical wellbeing through volunteering in a natural setting.  The project has been funded by Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care […]

28 July 2023

Update on additional health and care services in Leighton Buzzard

In May, we were pleased to publish our Feasibility Study into additional health and care services in Leighton Buzzard. The Study highlighted the options for increasing health capacity in the Town, including how the development or release of the land […]

19 May 2023

Priory Gardens Surgery moves into new Grove View Integrated Health and Care Hub

Priory Gardens Surgery in Dunstable has moved into new premises at the Grove View Integrated Health and Care Hub – with patients set to benefit from improved facilities and better access to appointments. The general practice team, previously located on […]

22 March 2023

Update on Primary Care in Leighton Buzzard

On 09 February 2023, representatives from Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (BLMK ICB) were pleased to attend the public meeting in Leighton Buzzard alongside representatives of Central Bedfordshire Council, the local Primary Care Network and Andrew Selous […]

17 March 2023

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

This week (13-19 March) is Neurodiversity Celebration Week. Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. It is estimated that around 1 in 7 people in the UK are neurodivergent, which is an […]

17 January 2023

Changes to provider for Ivel Medical Centre, Biggleswade

Statement on Ivel Medical Centre, Biggleswade The GP partners at Ivel Medical Centre in Biggleswade have notified Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (BLMK ICB) of their decision to resign their contract to provide GP primary care services. […]

3 January 2023

NHS Launches New Dementia Diagnosis Drive in Central Bedfordshire 

A new specialist dementia diagnosis service is being set up by the Trust in Central Bedfordshire as part of a national NHS pilot. Care home residents will be assessed for the condition by specialist nurses and other healthcare professionals.  Fourteen new […]

2 December 2022

Leighton Linslade Health Connections – New Name and a New Home

The NHS is investing in new services at Leighton Buzzard Health Centre that will support the work of the town’s three GP practices. Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (ICB) has worked with the three GP practices to […]

31 August 2022

Festival-Goers Urged To Get COVID Jabs

Festival-goers in Houghton Regis will be able to get their COVID-19 vaccinations up to date this weekend (Saturday 3 September) as the local NHS jabs team visits the Houghton Rocks festival. Amidst the live music, classic cars, stalls and rides, […]

25 August 2022

Bear hugs on hand – 30,000 teddies delivered to children at Bedfordshire Hospitals

If you go down to A&E today, you could be in for a fluffy surprise… As all parents know, a visit to A&E can be a scary experience for a child, but Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is set to […]

3 August 2022

Providing better care locally | Health and Social Care | Central Bedfordshire Council

20 July 2022

Festival-goers Urged to get COVID Jabs

Festival-goers in Bedford will be able to get their COVID-19 vaccinations up to date this weekend (Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 July) as the local NHS jabs team visits Bedford River Festival. Among the parades, races, demonstrations and live entertainment, […]

20 June 2022

Life Changing Lung Health Checks Programme Comes to Central Bedfordshire

Central Bedfordshire residents are now being invited to the Targeted Lung Health Checks programme, which screens for lung cancer. Central Bedfordshire is the second area in Bedfordshire to be given the opportunity to improve lung cancer outcomes and follows the […]

8 February 2022

BLMK NHS staff playing their part to vaccinate residents

In December 2021, NHS staff from Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK) were redeployed to the frontline of the vaccination programme to protect vulnerable residents against the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Two colleagues, Helen Barker and Debbie Blake, BLMK Clinical […]

11 January 2022

Lee tells us about Leighton Linslade Helpers and how they’re supporting local families.

21 December 2021

Bea explains why it’s important to volunteer at a vaccination centre

Bea Scholes explains why it’s important to volunteer at a vaccination centre after being inspired by her mom.

Samantha tells us about being redeployed as a vaccinator

Samantha Golton Scholes has been redeployed from her role in the NHS and is now working as a trained vaccinator

20 December 2021

Keeping it in the family

Over the last few months, a local family from Flitwick have rallied together to support the NHS vaccination programme in many different ways. Earlier this year Samantha Golton Scholes, a Personal Assistant who works for Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes […]

7 December 2021

“I’ve gained my life back thanks to social prescribing”

Jamie’s life changed forever when Social Prescriber, Victoria, walked in on an unintentional suicide attempt at their initial consultation. Since then, the two have worked closely together to save Jamie’s life. As part of a new initiative by the Bedfordshire, […]

3 December 2021

Local health system awarded funding to help reduce patient waiting lists.

Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care System (BLMK ICS) has been awarded funding to help the local health system reduce patient waiting lists which have increased during the Covid pandemic. Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been allocated £5.9 […]

14 November 2021

How the Population Health Management approach helped Jane who spent every day in the front room

One of the key reasons I enjoy my role so much is because I get to help people tackle the problems that matter to them. Social prescribers like myself keep a very open mind about anyone who comes to see […]