Carers views needed on proposals to shape health and social care services

Carers from Bury are invited to feed back on plans for the biggest ever changes to health services in Greater Manchester.

The ‘Healthier Together’ plans aim to improve services like those provided at your GP surgery, community-based services and hospital care.   NHS Bury Clinical Commissioning Group (NHS Bury CCG) will be attending the next meeting of the Carers Forum to explain about the proposals and to gather feedback from carers living in Bury.

The next meeting of the Carers Forum will take place on Thursday 18 September, starting at 1pm at Blackburne Hall (accessed via The Wylde) in Bury town centre. 

Dr Kiran Patel, Chair and Clinical Lead for NHS Bury CCG, said: “I would encourage carers from the Bury area to come along and find out more about the Healthier Together plans.  The proposals aim to
provide the best care for local people, at their GP surgery, in the community and in hospital, but before some of these changes can happen, the NHS needs to know what you think about them.” 

A variety of carer related issues will also be on the agenda of the meeting of the Carers Forum on the 18 September.

Sheila Blackman, Carers Centre manager, added: “It’s really important that Carers have their say on these proposals, in their dual role as a patient and a carer of a relative, friend or neighbour, carers
are in an ideal position to provide valuable insight into local services. I’d really encourage carers from Bury to hear about plans to improve services, consider what this means for them and to say what they think about them.”

“We know that there are carers living in Bury who perhaps don’t consider themselves to be carers, but help and support is available.  All carers are welcome to pop along to our Forum meetings to find out more about what we do, how we can support them and to link into our network of carers, who often find it valuable to talk to other people in a similar situation.”

If you can’t come to this event, you can find out more and give your views on the Healthier Together proposals online at www.BestCareGM.nhs.uk or by calling 0800 888 6789.

ENDS

Date: 2^nd September 2014

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