Middleton GP recognised by Health Secretary

Dr Salman Shahid (centre) was recognised by the Health Secretary Steve Barclay (right) after a nomination by Heywood and Middleton MP Chris Clarkson (left)

A Middleton GP has been named as a local NHS champion by the Health Secretary.

Dr Salman Shahid, who is clinical lead and senior business partner at Rochdale Road Medical Centre, was given the honour by Steve Barclay MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in an exclusive event at 10 Downing Street last week.

An active campaigner of an integrated health and social care model, Dr Shahid and his team have been actively collaborating with community and voluntary services at the neighbourhood level to tackle the challenges of poverty, isolation, loneliness and deprivation.

The recommendation to recognise Dr Shahid, who is also associate medical director of the Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Integrated Care Partnership, was made by Heywood and Middleton MP Chris Clarkson who has been working with Dr Shahid on various projects in the area.

Mr Clarkson, who attended the Middleton social prescribing event last year and who has since been involved in picking up issues related to both health and social care with Dr Shahid, was impressed with the work being carried out and wanted to highlight them at the health and social care parliamentary levels.

Dr Shahid spoke with Mr Barclay about regional health and care challenges particularly around mental health. Integrated healthcare services involving GPs, social prescribers, neighbourhood teams and voluntary sectors are helping but there is significant impact on young people and teenagers’ mental health and wellbeing which requires policies and further discussions.  

Dr Shahid said: “This is a great honour and I am delighted to have been recognised by Mr Clarkson and the government. But we work together as team in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale and this recognition is down to their hard work and determination to make our borough a better place for everyone.”

Mr Clarkson said: “I was pleased to join Dr Shahid and the Health Secretary at No. 10 to recognise the hard work and dedication of local NHS heroes.”

“It was fantastic to celebrate our amazing NHS staff and honour their service.”

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay said: “The NHS has changed a lot over the last 75 years, Patients are 80% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease today than in 1948. Back then, the NHS had 144,000 members of staff – it now has 1.4 million. In 1948 it had a budget of £11 billion, it is now over £180 billion.

“But two things haven’t changed. The amazing staff who provide high quality care for patients, and that it is free to the point of use. Those are the principles that we are all here to celebrate today.”