Oldham takes the lead in healthcare

AWARD winners - from left, Kay Worsley-Cox, North West Leadership Academy, Majid Hussain, Oldham CCG governing body chair, Denis Gizzi, Oldham CCG managing director, Mark Drury, Oldham CCG head of public affairs, Dr Ian Wilkinson, Oldham CCG chief clinical officer, award presenter Ben Cohen, former England rugby union player, Julie Daines, chief finance officer, Irene Shepherd, Oldham CCG governing body member and practice nurse, Kath Wynne-Jones, Oldham CCG director of performance and delivery

Oldham’s NHS Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group has won an Academy Award.

Not Hollywood but healthcare: Oldham CCG, responsible for spending the borough’s £300 million healthcare budget, won the NHS North West Leadership Academy’s Governing Body of the Year Award.

The health body was praised for its impact on improvements to local healthcare in its too years of existence.

Denis Gizzi, managing director of Oldham CCG said: “This is an incredible honour and we owe so much to our staff and the partners.”

The CCG is run by local doctors and healthcare professionals and covers 46 GP practices.

Some of their successes include the Dragons’ Den innovation scheme which has funded local charities and healthcare groups to set up their own health care programmes.

The borough also boasts one of the UK’s first Clinical Pharmacists, an idea imported from America where pharmacists provide patient care that optimises the use of medication.

Oldham CCG will now be entered into the national NHS Leadership Academy Awards to be presented in February.