Learning Disability Services

Planning Ahead

July 2015 – Newsletter no. 1

What is ‘Planning Ahead’ about?
/ In 2012 a team looked at how learning disability services worked in Milton Keynes. Their ideas to make services better were not used. Since then learning disability services have got bigger and changed. People with learning disability now have more choice and control over their care and support.
/ A team want to look at what has happened in learning disability services since 2012 and how services can be better in future so we can plan ahead. This is called a review.
/ The team will ask the Council’s Cabinet on 13 July 2015 if they can go ahead with this plan:
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  1. The Joint Commissioning Team will ask these people what is good (or could be better) about services:
  2. people who use learning disability services
  3. family carers
  4. staff working in services
  5. young people who will use services in future
They will use different ways to ask people what they think.
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  1. Talking to people and making any changes to services will take 1 year to 18 months to do. The first part of the work will be to look at Day Services, Community Support Services, and Short Breaks Service.

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  1. People interested in learning disability services (stakeholders) will help plan any changes to services and make them the best they can be. This means making sure people get services that:
  2. meet their needs now and in future
  3. give people choice and control


/ Which services will be looked at?
The review will look at joint learning disability services provided by Milton Keynes Council and Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL). These include:
  • Short Breaks Service (Mathiesen Road and
    Polemartin Court)
  • Community Support Team (CST)
  • Community Support Intervention Team (CSiT)
  • Day Services (Whaddon Way, Beanhill, Surrey Road and Tower Drive)

/ How will the review help?
The review will help us find out what is happening with services now. We will also find out how things can work better and what services will be needed in future for people in Milton Keynes. We will also look at how services in other areas work.
/ This work will help us make any changes to services to make sure:
  • People with learning disabilities have more choice and control over their lives

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  • People with learning disabilities choose how they spend their time during the day, evening and weekends

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  • Milton Keynes stops abuse happening when possible, and acts quickly to stop abuse if it happens

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  • People with learning disabilities have a choice about where and with whom they want to live

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  • People with learning disabilities get help to be healthy and use health care

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  • People who need a lot of support with their health or behaviour get good, safe, services when they need them

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  • Moving from children’s services to adult services is planned well and works well for all people with learning disability

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  • People know how important family carers are in helping people have better lives

/ How can I get involved?
If the Council’s Cabinet agree that we can talk to people, there will be lots of ways you can tell us what you think including meetings and events. You can also email:

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