Greater Manchester took charge of health and social care spending and decision making three years ago aiming to achieve the biggest, fastest improvement to the health and wellbeing in our region.
This was done because it is known that good health and wellbeing are crucial to make Greater Manchester one of the best places in the world to grow up, get on and grow old. Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership are proud of the progress they have made, however, there is still more to do.
There is a need to help each other live the healthiest and most independent lives possible and, with support from local services where needed, to help people live well at home. At the same time, the very best hospital services are wanted for those who do need more specialist care.
The Improving Specialist Care (ISC) Programme has been looking at a key set of hospital-based services which are fragile, unsustainable or vary in the outcomes they deliver. Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership believe they require a Greater Manchester solution to ensure sustainability and the best outcomes for patients.
The areas Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership are now exploring as possible Greater Manchester wide services are:
- Benign Urology (which is non-cancerous disease of male and female urinary system and male reproductive organs)
- Cardiology (which is the branch of medicine that treats diseases and defects of the heart)
- Respiratory (which treats diseases of the lungs and structures associated with breathing)
- Musculoskeletal/Orthopaedics (which is treatment of muscles, bones, or joints)
- Paediatric Surgery (which is planned surgery for infants, children, and adolescents)
- (in hospital) Breast services
- Vascular (which treats conditions of the blood vessels e.g. arteries and veins) and
- Neuro-Rehabilitation (which is treating injury or disease of the nervous system)
Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership are working with doctors, nurses and a wide range of health care professionals to advise them on how this might look from a clinical perspective. Patients, carers, the community and voluntary sector are also sharing their views and informing Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership on what they feel is good about using specialist services and highlighting where they can improve. This collective thinking is helping to shape services for the future.
Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership have a Patient and Public Reference Group established which comprises of members of the public from across Greater Manchester, Healthwatch organisations, and wider community voluntary sector organisations that provide advice and support to local people, families, carers in many of the service areas under review.
If your organisation would like to be part of the Patient and Public Reference Group, contact the Programme Engagement Lead Jackie Robinson at: [email protected]
The next meeting is planned for Wednesday 11 March, 10.30am-1pm at Conference Room, Whitworth Locke, 74 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 6JD.