Caring, involving, improving magazine hits the streets

A magazine aimed at keeping 206,300 residents informed about changes to their local health services, is available in a range of public places such as GP surgeries, libraries, the hospital and town hall across the borough of Rochdale.

Titled Caring, Involving, Improving, the magazine focuses on the changes planned for the next five years or more in the north east of Greater Manchester known as Healthy Futures.

The Healthy Futures changes affect more than 800,000 people living in Rochdale, Heywood, Middleton, Bury, North Manchester, Oldham and Rossendale and centre on bringing health services closer to where people live and reducing the amount of time people spend in hospital for routine treatments.

Innovative services such as the recruitment of Health Trainers are highlighted in the magazine, as well as details of new community health centres that are currently under construction in Alkrington and Deeplish, with further plans for Heywood and Wardleworth.

The magazine also explains the changes planned for services for children, young people, parents and babies, known as Making it Better in the north east of Greater Manchester.

Trevor Purt, Chief Executive of Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust, says: “We have travelled a long way since the summer of 2004 when we held our first meeting to look at changing the way healthcare is provided in the north east of Greater Manchester.

“We are now at the start of the very exciting implementation stage when all that has been discussed, consulted on and decided, now begins to become a reality. We are still very keen for patients and the public to have their say in the implementation and welcome their continued involvement.”

Many of the changes will take five or more years to come into effect.

An information roadshow will be visiting shopping centres, bus stations, superstores and hospitals from February 12th until 30 April giving the public the opportunity to find out more about the changes in their area.

If you would like to be involved in the next stage of the implementation process, or find out more details about when the roadshow will be in your area then call the Patients’ Council on 0161 763 5644.

If you would like a copy of the magazine, then call Healthy Futures on 0161 655 1449.