Local healthcare major talking point

Patients, service users and health and social care professionals discuss how to improve local services

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More than 150 local people, service users, health professionals and partner representatives came together to discuss the future of the borough’s health and social care.

NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group (HMR CCG) organised the event at Rochdale Masonic Hall to provide local people with the opportunity to find out more about the organisation and its work and to feed in their views.

Through presentations and interactive workshop sessions, the morning focussed on setting the scene and explaining how the reformed NHS works locally as well as updating on what the new organisation has achieved during its first six months.

The afternoon looked at how people would like to see health and social care commissioners and service providers working together in a more joined up way across the borough. This will help inform the development of our borough-wide integrated care work programme.

Senior representatives from NHS HMR CCG as well as local NHS and partner organisations – Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and Rochdale Borough Council – were on hand to answer questions and provide updates.

Dr Chris Duffy, local GP and Chairman of NHS HMR CCG, said: “The turnout was fantastic and highlights how passionate local people are about their health and social care services. It was extremely useful to hear people’s views, concerns, feedback and suggestions about what they need and how we can improve things.

“We’re committed to listening to patients and acting upon their feedback so we are taking this valuable information away and will be feeding it into our integrated care plan, which is the CCG’s and our partners’ pledge to work together to improve health and social care services across the borough.

“We fully intend to run more events like this across the borough.”

A full report, including details of how feedback and suggestions will be acted upon, is being prepared and will be shared with all those who attended.