MKU Hospital will receive £3 million in capital funding and an extra £1.92 million in digital funding to help them support patients over winter.
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.
Felicity Cox, Chief Executive Designate, Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care System, said:
“This capital investment is a welcome boost to local health services and our population across BLMK. The Covid pandemic has increased the pressures on our local system and unfortunately patient waiting lists have increased. This funding will help our local NHS reduce our patient waiting lists as quickly as possible to ensure that our patients are given the right care at the right time."
Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said: "Ahead of what is going to be a difficult winter, we’re putting everything behind our health and care services, so everyone can access the services they need, when they need them.
"Our £700 million investment will help more people get treated over the coming months by upgrading wards, operating theatres, and diagnostic kit.
"We’re taking unprecedented steps to keep people healthy this winter, putting the booster roll-out on steroids, and delivering the largest flu vaccine programme in UK history.
"We can all play our part in the national mission – when you get the call, please get the jab."
To prepare for this winter, the NHS and national and local government has undertaken a range of actions, which include:
- working to recruit 18,000 more staff, including nurses, healthcare support workers, medical support workers, alongside making use of temporary staffing and staff banks
- supporting the workforce with access to health and wellbeing support and mental health hubs, which have helped 30,000 people so far
- keeping the nation protected against the virus, especially against the new Omicron variant, through vaccination with over 15.5 million boosters delivered in England and the biggest flu vaccination programme in UK history
- secured new COVID-19 antiviral and therapeutic treatments to help save more lives including Ronapreve, Lagevrio and Paxlovid, in addition to tocilizumab and dexamethasone
- continuing to provide free lateral flow testing alongside contact tracing, regular asymptomatic testing and the use of self-isolation and quarantine
- bolstering capacity across urgent and emergency care and the wider NHS, including with a £250 million investment in general practice and the forthcoming Elective Recovery Plan
- publishing an adult social care winter plan including £388 million to support infection prevention control and £162.5 million for workforce recruitment and retention
- investing £478 million for support services, rehabilitation and reablement care following discharge from hospital, and ensuring health and social care services are joined up
