Agenda item

The Township Forum received a presentation from Sharon Martin and Dr Stuart North from the Bury Clinical Commissioning Group which is responsible for commissioning of health services in Bury. The transformation of health and care services in Bury was being implemented in conjunction with changes across Greater Manchester under the Healthier Together proposals.

The presentation provided an outline of Healthier Together which would draw together:-

·        A Greater Manchester Integrated Care Programme

·        A Healthier Together Programme

·        A Greater Manchester Primary Care Programme

An ‘In-Hospital Reconfiguration Programme’ would include a clinically led programme of work to develop safer, higher quality hospital services targeting:-

·        Urgent, Acute and Emergency Medicine

·        General Surgery, and

·        Women’s and Children’s services

These changes have been proposed in order to meet an increasing number of demands on resources. The Reconfiguration Programme will provide health services at community level(integrating GPs, hospital doctors, community services and social care) and developing centres of excellence for more specialised need. There would be a move towards lowering the need for emergency admissions/need for A&E visits through the introduction of 7 days a week GP availability. A pilot scheme was currently being run in Radcliffe and had seen improvements in health service provision.

The Chair invited questions.

-    Why has the scheme in Radcliffe received limited publicity?

It has been limited to the patients in Radcliffe only. It is envisaged that a larger scheme will be rolled across the whole of Bury and these will receive a higher level of publicity. Through the provision of a GP service over the weekend it is less likely that an A&E Department will be visited for minor conditions. This will reduce the pressure on hospital services.

- Will there be improved contacts for people who suffer from dementia to ensure that the right services are provided?

Dementia is high on the list of priorities and by working with local authorities to identify people who may be affected by mental health issues it will be more effective to put services into place to speed up the process for care.

-      Why are women and children and not men included as a priority area, is there a reduction in cover for men health screening?

No, it is proposed that there will be a follow to the ‘Making it Better’ initiative for men’s health. Women and children’s health has been given priority through screening and immunisations.

- Will elderly people be monitored to ensure they receiving social care 

People over the age of 75 years will provided with a named GP. GPs will also be looking at their patients to identify those with the highest levels of need to work through individual plans and providing localised services, where possible, to reduce the need for hospital visits.

- Will there be special care baby provision at Fairfield Hospital?

Maternity care will be based on capacity for each hospital and where possible child birth will take place at a local hospital. In those situations where special care is required it will be provided at a centre of excellence. The mother and baby will in these cases be transported from their local hospital by a specialised crew to ensure the continuity of care.

-      What consultation will there be on the proposals?

The consultation will run in June and July followed by a change on the services/criteria on how options are assessed. The will be three specialised centres of care to be introduced and the changes so far have indicated improvements in patient experiences.

-    Localised services in Hollins are important because at the moment people who need their bloods to be taken must have it done by the practice nurse (under appointment) or travel on two buses to another practice because the Blackford Health Centre GPs don’t do it. Also, if services are to be centralised then people need to be able to access them. The bus services to North Manchester General Hospital are not adequate because there is no direct bus route from Hollins Village. The bus service to Blackford Health Centre is also inadequate for a service that was re-sited for the convenience of local users on a regular bus route which has since be changed.

The intention is for a localised delivery of services taking away the need to travel to a hospital. If a GP in a local practice cannot take blood then we will engage another GP at the practice or close that will. Outpatient requirements should be localised also with GPs undertaking check ups and revisits to reduced lengthy hospital visits.

The issue of transport was addressed following the relocation of a service from Fairfield to Rochdale Infirmary. A bus service was provided for those people who may not have their own transport. The service was underused as people were making their own arrangements. A meeting will be held on 14 March to talk about the provision of services and the issue of taking bloods and other issues will be raised.

-       Could the issue of introducing of a standardised appointment system be considered for GP surgeries? In some cases the appointments involve a 4 week wait.

The new proposals target investment in primary care to reduce the need to visit A&E Departments. GPs will be available at surgeries who can access your records and treat a patient.

The meeting was thanked for the questions and feedback and informed that any could give feedback by email, post and telephone available at www.buryccg.nhs.uk and www.healthiertogethergm.co.uk

The Chair thanked Sharon Martin and Dr Stuart North for their attendance and presentation.