Healthcare shake-up gets go-ahead

THE revolutionary reorganisation of Greater Manchester’s hospital services has been backed following a judicial review.

High Court Judge Mr Justice Ian Dove ruled yesterday that there were no grounds to challenge the decisions of the “Healthier Together” programme. The plan, confirmed last June, brings four shared services together to improve emergency abdominal surgery standards. The Royal Oldham Hospital will become a specialist site with three others - Rochdale Infirmary, Fairfield in Bury and North Manchester General Hospital - with a shared medical staff who will work across the sites.

The Royal Oldham will also become one of four hospitals in Greater Manchester specialising in emergency medicine and abdominal surgery for patients with life-threatening conditions.

The judicial review concerned a bid by Stockport’s Stepping Hill Hospital to be one of the four, which led to the legal challenge and an appeal by Wythenshawe Hospital, which had also campaigned.

Dr Jane Eddleston, Healthier Together’s newly appointed chief medical advisor, said: “We are delighted to be able to press ahead with the Healthier Together programme. All parties in this court case have a common interest in doing the best for patients.”