Milton Keynes City Council have announced themselves as one of multiple parties creating a service giving extra help to patients discharged from hospital.
The MK Integrated Discharge Hub has been set up as a collaboration between Milton Keynes University Hospital, Milton Keynes City Council, and Central and North West London (CNWL) NHS Foundation Trust.
Milton Keynes has been recognised for prompt discharge of hospital patients who are ready to go home with the support of social care, having previously being ranked by an independent body as number one in England for doing so.
The three organisations have been working together over the past year to develop this initiative to make the experience of leaving hospital even easier for patients and their families.
Under the new scheme, a diverse team of specialists will work 365 days a year to secure the necessary support for patients leaving the hospital and provide a smooth transition for them.
The team includes a dedicated Housing Officer to ensure suitable housing is considered at the earliest opportunity whilst a Voluntary Sector Co-ordinator will connect patients with community organisations that can help them maintain their independence at home.
Local partners such as Age UK and Healthwatch will work alongside the hub to offer practical support to families as well as gathering feedback from patients.
By combining services, the hub will act as a central point of contact which simplifies the process, reduces duplication, and minimises the likelihood of delays caused by moving between services – a common issue across the country.
MK City Council’s Cllr Donna Fuller, Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Health & Communities, said in a statement, “We’ve been working with our partners at Milton Keynes University Hospital and CNWL to develop this enhanced service which will make the process of leaving hospital as seamless and supportive as possible. This co-ordinated approach to discharge will benefit healthcare professionals and the people under their care. Milton Keynes has always had a good reputation in this area, and we believe the hub will enable us to continue delivering a high level of personalised care as the city expands.”
Ian Reckless, Chief Medical Officer at Milton Keynes University Hospital, added, “The launch of the MK Integrated Discharge Hub represents a significant step forward in how we can tailor our help and support for residents on discharge from hospital. By working closely with our partners, we can ensure that patients receive the comprehensive support they need to transition smoothly from hospital to home. There will be fewer delays – which are frustrating for all – and a real sense of ‘one team’ working with residents and their loved ones.”
Karen French, CNWL’s Deputy Director for Milton Keynes Community Services, also said, “It’s a really exciting step to bring together the expertise of all of the teams from across various organisations for the benefit of the patients and their families and carers. Being discharged from hospital can be a scary prospect for some and so our new Integrated Discharge Hub team will be key to improving the patient experience by getting people home safely and in a timely way.”
Anyone seeking more information about the MK Integrated Discharge Hub would be able to do so by contacting [email protected]
MK Dons have confirmed Neil Hart as the club’s new Chief Executive Officer.
Hart joins MK Dons after leaving his role with League One side Bolton Wanderers, having spent three years with the Lancashire-based club.
Before Bolton, Hart had enjoyed a nine year stint as CEO of Burnley, including during spells where the Clarets competed in the Premier League, and had spells in the boardroom at Watford and Luton Town.
Hart’s appointment is part of the changes at MK Dons following the club’s recent takeover, with a Kuwaiti consortium lead by Fahad Al Ghanim taking over the club in a deal announced in the week before the first game of the new season last month.
In a statement to the official MK Dons website, Hart said he was very delighted to make the move to Milton Keynes and would be looking to work boost the club’s off-field potential.
He said, “I’m absolutely delighted to be taking on this role at such an exciting time for the football club. Having spoken at length with Fahad, the vision he has, not just for MK Dons, but for Milton Keynes as a whole, really excited me. The potential for the football club, with its phenomenal infrastructure, is there for all to see. Now, it’s for us to go and realise it.
“While we all want to see MK Dons rising up the league tables, there is also scope to add to the matchday experience, amplify the club’s commercial opportunities and of course build on the fantastic community work of the MK Dons Sports and Education Trust. I can’t wait to get started and am sincerely looking forward to meeting staff and supporters over the coming weeks.”
MK Dons’ Chairman Fahad Al Ghanim added, “Neil’s record in football speaks for itself. He is undoubtedly a top-level CEO with a wealth of fantastic experience across both the EFL and the Premier League. His community work in particular is second to none, and I know he’ll bring that same tenacity to deliver meaningful opportunities in the community to Milton Keynes.
“My experience in business and sport have taught me that a unified approach is crucial to success, and I’m confident Neil is the person we need to bring everyone at the club together as we enter this new era. I thought long and hard about this appointment, and am absolutely thrilled Neil has chosen to join MK Dons.
Red Bull have lost the lead of the Constructor’s Championship after picking up a fifth place finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Sergio Perez nearly picked up a first podium since April but crashed out on the second-to-last lap while team-mate Max Verstappen had an off-colour weekend, finishing fifth, though he was elevated by two positions after the collision between Perez and Carlos Sainz when they were fighting over fourth.
With McLaren seeing Oscar Piastri win the race and Lando Norris finish fourth with the fastest lap bonus point, it means that Red Bull are knocked off top spot in the Constructor’s Championship, with the Milton Keynes-based team now 20 points behind Woking.
The result means Red Bull are now in a position other than first in the Constructor’s Championship for the first time since the early stages of 2022, having won the title in 2022, lead for the entirety of 2023 and been in the lead for 2024 until now.
McLaren, for their part, are leading the Constructor’s race for the first time since 2014, ahead of next weekend’s race at Singapore and a month pause in the season.
In the Driver’s Championship, Verstappen remains in the lead, with the Dutch driver seeing his lead on Norris cut to 59 points, while he is now 78 ahead of third place Charles Leclerc.
Perez, meanwhile, dropped a place to 8th, with the Mexican level on 143 points with George Russell but behind due to Russell winning in Austria and Perez being yet to win.
Red Bull had seen something of a switch at the Baku City Circuit in Azerbaijan, with Perez being the lead driver in qualifying at a track where he picked up his last win in F1 last April. This was the first time Verstappen had been outqualified by Perez in 2024.
Each Red Bull made a place off the line, with Perez jumping ahead of Sainz and Verstappen getting ahead of Mercedes man Russell.
Much of Perez’s race saw him chasing the front two of Piastri and Leclerc, but he was unable to close up on the McLaren and Ferrari as they spent a long phase after their pit-stop duelling over the lead. Perez was closing up, but not quite able to get past.
Verstappen, meanwhile, had more of a compromised afternoon, with the Dutch driver having issues and he was overtaken first by Russell and then by Norris, despite the McLaren having started a long way behind his championship rival following complications in qualifying. Norris had previously held Verstappen up before making his pit-stop.
In the latter stages, Leclerc saw his tyres fade and that brought Perez closer. Sainz, however, had been closing up on the pair of them, and a major scramble at the start of lap 50 saw Perez and Sainz fight hard until a collision put both cars in the wall and out of the race.
The stewards would later rule the incident to be a racing incident, meaning there will not be penalties issued for either driver involved at the next round in Singapore.
Verstappen, meanwhile, had pit to try to go for fastest lap, but before he could take his tyres for a spin, he couldn’t try to get it.
The Dutchman would also be summoned to the stewards, with Verstappen one of four drivers handed a warning by the stewards for breaking virtual safety car procedure on the cooldown lap.
Tributes have been paid after the death of Milton Keynes City Council Councillor Robin Bradburn.
Councillor Bradburn passed away on Saturday evening while in Brighton attending the Liberal Democrat party conference. He was 68.
Councillor Bradburn was the Leader of the City Council’s Liberal Democrat Group, as well as being the Deputy Leader of the City Council between 2021 and 2024 when a Labour-Lib Dem alliance ran the City Council, and the Leader of the Opposition after the Lib Dems were the second largest party after the latest elections.
As well as fulfilling leadership roles, Councillor Bradburn served as a local councillor for Bradwell ward in Milton Keynes.
Outside of local politics, Robin was a husband, father, and grandfather. He was married to his wife Marie for 40 years who together have a son Alan, a daughter Kerrie, and five grandchildren.
Councillor Marie Bradburn, Robin’s wife is the current Mayor of Milton Keynes, and his daughter Kerrie is also a city councillor.
The National Liberal Democrat Conference, taking place in Brighton this week, held a minute silence on Sunday (15/09) in honour of Councillor Bradburn, which was led by Liberal Democrat Councillor Nick da Costa, Chair of the Federal Conference Committee.
The family have asked for privacy at this time and further details of funeral arrangements will be made available in due course.
Tributes have been made from a multitude of figures across Milton Keynes’ local politics.
Michael Bracey, Chief Executive of Milton Keynes City Council, said, “We are all so sad to hear that Cllr Robin Bradburn has passed away. He has served the council in a number of roles, including as Deputy Leader, and his work with officers of the council was always exemplary.”
Cllr Jane Carr, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats in MK, added, “Robin was an amazing man, and we are all so shocked and hurt by his sudden loss. He was a good friend, colleague, and councillor, but above all he was a devoted husband to Marie, dad to Alan and Kerrie, and a loving granddad. He will be deeply missed by us all.”
Cllr Peter Marland, Leader of Milton Keynes City Council, said, “Councillor Robin Bradburn was a role model of public service. Robin served the residents of the city because he believed that we could make a difference to the lives of the people we represent. I’m deeply upset by the news having lost a colleague and friend.”
Cllr Shazna Muzammil, who paid tribute on behalf of the Conservative Group, added “The Conservative Group are sad to hear about Councillor Robin Bradburn passing away. On behalf of my group, I would like to express my condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues at this very difficult time. Personally, I share a profound sense of loss; Robin was known for his kindness and generosity, and he will be missed by us all.”
Northampton Town suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Wycombe Wanderers despite scoring early on.
Sam Hoskins had given the Cobblers the lead with a fourth minute penalty, but Daniel Udoh and Richard Kone scored a goal in each half to tilt the scoreboard in the away side’s favour.
It meant a second defeat at home to Wycombe in quick succession for Northampton, with the Cobblers having lost to the same opponent at the same stadium in the Carabao Cup last month.
A reshuffled Cobblers team that included a debut for deadline day loan signing Tyler Roberts started brightly, with Jon Brady’s side ahead in the opening four minutes.
Callum Morton’s pass into the box picked out Hoskins, who was brought down for a penalty by Jack Grimmer. Hoskins duly dusted himself down and beat Wycombe keeper Franco Ravizzoli from the penalty spot to give Northampton the lead.
But the Cobblers would hold their lead for less than eight minutes before the away side equalised. Space opened up for Garath McCleary, who was able to fire in an inviting cross that Udoh met and duly converted.
Morton would see an attempt blocked by Ravizzoli after initially getting around the Wycombe keeper later in the half before Cameron McGeehan had a shot blocked as the home side attempted to find a way through.
But the balance shifted after half-time, as Wycombe came close when Cameron Humphreys forced a save from Lee Burge.
Wycombe then took the lead less than ten minutes after the restart. Burge and Jon Guthrie got in one another’s way when trying to deal with a left-wing cross and the ball broke kindly for Kone to tap over the line.
Udoh and Kone would both miss the target when well placed as Wycombe tried to put the game further out of Northampton’s reach, with the Cobblers also seeing Burge unable to continue after a knock.
Substitute Tarique Fosu had a late opportunity for Northampton but couldn’t find a way through with a shot that bounced just wide, as the home side ultimately couldn’t respond and slip to defeat.
The Cobblers face a tricky test in their next outing as they visit early high-fliers Huddersfield Town.
