Ambitious health body is praised

NHS Oldham has been praised in a report as being an energetic, driven and highly ambitious organisation.

An independent panel that visited the primary care trust, responsible for commissioning health services in Oldham, concluded that it clearly knows how it wants to improve health and well-being.

The report also states that NHS Oldham actively involves patients and clinical experts, such as doctors and nurses, in deciding how to develop services and has set up innovative ways to help everyone in Oldham get the access they need.

The results are published in NHS Oldham’s first assurance report for world class commissioning — a ground-breaking health programme which takes best practice from around the world to benefit local people. The aim is for primary care trusts to work with the public and partners to understand the health needs in their area are and then match up services to meet those needs.

Recommendations in the panel’s report following the visit in November, include:

::Supporting opportunities provided by organisations such as the Local Involvement Networks (LINkS)

::Building on joint working with organisations such as Oldham Council

::Involving patients even earlier in looking at the needs and priorities of different parts of Oldham

::Making sure the way the organisation works is systematic.

NHS Oldham chief executive Gail Richards said: “We’re very pleased that this independent report recognises our strengths — and also highlights the areas we still need to strengthen. Our real commitment now is to taking on board the recommendations, many of which are around the way we work as an organisation, and continuing to improve health for the people of Oldham.

“We’ll be concentrating on six areas for action which we think will have the greatest impact on improving health — heart disease, cancer, mental health, respiratory disease, stopping smoking and improving access to health services.

“The results we expect are fewer people dying from respiratory diseases, heart disease and stroke, earlier detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, with high take up of the cancer-screening services that we’ll develop, and people with mental-health problems being supported to access treatment and support that helps them live more fulfilling lives.

“We’ll also see a very targeted and specific approach to improving the lifestyle choices of local people that so often cause them to suffer with health problems — a reduction in smoking, a healthier diet, less binge drinking and more exercise, as well as specific services to prevent, detect and treat illness sooner.”