Press release -
Local people urged to have their say on health and well being priorities
Local people are being urged to have their voices heard about plans to improve health and wellbeing in Bury.
Through a joint (draft) Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Bury, the NHS Bury Clinical Commissioning Group and Bury Council’s shadow Health and Wellbeing Board have joined forces and set out a number of priorities to work together to achieve the best possible outcomes, and support local people to live well and stay healthy.
Since October, local people have had the opportunity to give their thoughts on this draft joint Strategy; which focuses on ensuring that services are tailored to the needs of local people to improve their health and wellbeing whilst ensuring that every pound is spent wisely.
In order to ensure that every local person has the opportunity to comment on these plans, the closing date for comments has been extended until mid February 2013. People can get hold of a copy of the draft Strategy in a number of ways and can give their views via a quick questionnaire.
Dr. Audrey Gibson, Chair of the shadow Bury Health and Wellbeing Board said: “Together we want to improve health and wellbeing in Bury. This process is about patients and local people being equal partners and having their voices heard so that together, we can secure a healthy Bury.”
“During October we got out and about across the borough to talk to people about our plans, and since then we’ve been busy targeting local community groups and local people through our existing networks to promote our plans and encourage people to let us know what they think of them. We are still keen to get the views of local people and have extended the closing date for comments to the 15th February next year. This extension will allow us to ensure that our final plans are reflective of the views of local people and that they meet their needs.”
Dr. Kiran Patel, Chairman and Clinical Lead for the NHS Bury Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) added: “Working together is the key to improving health and wellbeing, we are working towards offering fully integrated services and care that is co-ordinated and offered in the most appropriate settings. Our joint strategy will give us a springboard to make this happen, but first, we need the views of local people to assure us that we are heading in the right direction.”
The draft Strategy is available:
Online: http://www.bury.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=10583&p=0
A summary is available online: http://www.bury.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=10584&p=0
The questionnaire is available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/buryhwb
A hard copy of the draft Strategy, summary and survey can be requested by calling 0161 253 6790.
Ends
Date: 3rd December 2012
FOR PRESS & MEDIA ENQUIRIES: contact Caroline Dearden, Corporate Communications Manager on 0161 762 3106 or email bur-pct.communications@nhs.net
Notes to Editor:
The Health and Wellbeing Board is a forum where key leaders from health and social care together with elected members and patient networks work together to improve the health and wellbeing of local people and reduce health inequalities. As a result patients and the public should experience more co-ordinated services in the future.
The NHS Bury Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), is the new organisation led by local doctors, nurses and other health professionals that will be taking over the leadership of the local NHS. Its role will be to buy and develop high quality services in partnership with patients to meet the health and wellbeing needs of the people of Bury within the available resources.
