Public to be consulted on local health and social care plans.

The local NHS and Stockport Council are asking local organisations and individuals about plans that are proposed to change the focus of health and social care spending with the aim of benefitting local people across the borough.

Dr Ranjit Gill, a local GP and Chief Clinical Officer of Stockport CCG said, “We published four outline business plans in July and since then we’ve been talking to local people about them. We’re really grateful to everyone who took part in our listening events to help shape the plans. We’ve been listening to a range of issues raised by people across the borough, including mental health support, services for young people, alternatives to GP appointments, hospital treatments and repeat prescriptions”.

The consultation is a formal opportunity for organisations and individuals to share their views with NHS Stockport Clinical Commissioning Group and Stockport Council ahead of decisions in January whether or not to adopt the plans as a joint strategy. It will run from October 10th to November 30th 2017. Feedback from the exercise will be published in January.

Dr Gill continued, “These services belong to all of us and it’s vital we hear from local people when we’re making decisions about them. Adopting the plans would shift the focus of health and care from being centred round our hospitals to being delivered in the heart of our communities with local doctors in control.

“We’re encouraging people to read about the plans and fill in our questionnaire. We have an opportunity to offer the right care in the right place at the right time, and it’s important we get it right. If we do, we can offer truly joined up healthcare services, from community medical services, GP’s, to hospitals admissions and care for our most vulnerable residents. ”

Councillor Wendy Wild, Stockport Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Stockport Together, said: “We would like to thank everyone who attended the listening events recently, especially those who gave feedback either verbally or by completing any of the questionnaires.

“We now want to build on that initial engagement by embarking on a consultation exercise, so please do take part either online or by calling us to give us your views so we can look to progress our plans accordingly.”

Recently, the Stockport Together Partnership – which includes organisations providing Health and Social Care in the Borough, secured an additional £19m to invest in services.

People can have their say by visiting the Stockport Together website www.stockport-together.co.uk/consultation, call us on 0161 426 5011 or email STOCCG.stockport-together@nhs.net

Views collected will be subject to independent analysis which will inform how plans are progressed