Final decision on Infirmary downgrading

The Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts confirmed the provisional decision it made in September to adopt Option One from the public consultation.

The changes will affect healthcare for 800,000 people living in Bury, Heywood, Middleton, North Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale and Rossendale.  They will be implemented over the next five years.

The Joint Committee agreed that:

• Rochdale will have an Urgent Care Centre staffed by doctors and nurses that, the Committee said,  will deal with up to 85% of current A&E and NHS Walk-In Centre attendances.
• Fairfield, North Manchester and Oldham will provide specialist A&E care for the most critically-ill patients. 
• Emergency surgery will be carried out at North Manchester and Oldham. 
• New health centres, funded by Local Investment Finance Trusts (LIFT), will be built across the north east of Greater Manchester.

Tim Presswood, Chairman of the Healthy Futures Joint Committee, said: “We have taken a long and very thorough look at how the NHS can provide the best care for patients in the north east of Greater Manchester. 

"Improvements in healthcare and changes in health needs mean patients no longer have to go to hospital for every type of treatment.  That’s why Healthy Futures has never been just about hospitals; it is also about investing heavily in community health services so patients get easier access to the care they need.

“The options that went to public consultation in January 2006 were the result of two years’ discussion with more than 500 clinicians.  Their overwhelming belief was that, without these changes, patients could not be guaranteed safe and effective treatment of the highest quality.

"Despite the best efforts of the superb staff in our hospitals, it has become increasingly difficult to maintain appropriate levels of medical cover in all specialties at all sites. 

"We have had to make some very tough decisions during this process, but we firmly believe they are the right decisions and will result in better healthcare for patients in the north east of Greater Manchester.”