Fragrant way to celebrate 10 years of health and care service

The NHS Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board marked the provision of 10 years of dedicated service to our communities of the NHS Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group by planting ten rose bushes. 

The roses are named Nye Bevan, after the founder of the NHS, and are being planted in nine locations in the Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes region. The new Integrated Care Board took on the responsibilities of the Clinical Commissioning Group, together with some new duties on Friday 1 July.

On the afternoon of Thursday 7 July two of the ten roses were planted at Marston Moreteyne Community Centre by Felicity Cox, Chief Executive Officer, Alison Borrett, Non-Executive Director of the Integrated Care Board, the Vice Lord-Lieutenant Chris Sharwood-Smith MBE and Janice Green, Vice Chair Marston Moreteyne Parish Council.

A further eight roses are being planted at locations around the Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes region from The Vale Cemetery and Crematorium in Luton to residential care homes and a neighbourhood community garden in Stopsley.

Organisation grows

The new organisation is now looking forward to spreading its roots by working in partnership with local councils, NHS organisations and the voluntary sector to support residents to live longer and healthier lives with an emphasis on helping people to help themselves.

The Integrated Care Board is working on improving the quality of care to enable residents to better manage their own conditions at home, tell their story just once to health and care experts to reduce duplication every time they encounter a different service.

Felicity Cox, Chief Executive, Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board said: “We are ambitious in our vision and focus. By working together our organisation and the wider Health and Care Partnership can bloom and grow strong just like these aptly named Nye Bevan roses.

“The result will be improved services, outcomes and the patient experience by providing better joined-up services that are the highest quality care whilst reducing repetition, waste and unnecessary cost.”