Health and social care challenges debated at University conference
Thursday 22 September 2016
The challenges facing health and social care were debated at a conference organised by the University of Salford.
The event, held at Salford City Reds’ AJ Bell Stadium near Eccles brought together leading figures from the NHS, charities and the private sector to discuss the sector’s future, following years of austerity and staffing shortages, as well as the added pressure created by plans for a seven day NHS.
The Health and Social Care Conference 2016 provided an opportunity to hear how policy makers and healthcare practitioners are meeting the challenges by integrating services, particularly in Greater Manchester where the region took control of its combined £6b health and social care budgets on April 1.
The event, chaired by Anthony Leon, non-executive director of Central Manchester University Hopitals, also provided an opportunity to discuss the implications of last year’s 2016 Health and Social Care Act and how the staffing crisis can be addressed in the face of increasing pressures around ageing populations, skills shortages and pay disputes.
The conference featured a keynote speech by Wendy Meredith, the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Devolution’s director of population health transformation, talking about how the regional strategy for improving health and preventing illness links to plans for growing the economy and creating more jobs.
Dr Ranjit Gill of Stockport Clinical Commissioning Group talked about key lessons learned from the health and social care integration project in Greater Manchester while George McNamara from the Alzheimer’s Society talked about how integrating the two areas provides a unique opportunity to future proof dementia care.
Margaret Rowe, Dean of the University of Salford’s School of Nursing, Midwifery, Social Work and Social Sciences, said: “The University of Salford is one of the biggest trainers of nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals in the North West and through our numerous links with a wide range of organisations within the NHS, charities and private companies we will be playing a crucial role in the devolution of health and social care across Greater Manchester over the next few years.
“This conference was an excellent opportunity for leading figures to come together, talk about the challenges facing health and social care and find out about some of the innovative ways those challenges are now being met head on as policy makers and practitioners adapt to the new landscape.”
Wendy Meredith, Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Devolution’s director of population health transformation, said: “The devolution of £6billion health and social care budgets and responsibilities to GM has given us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a substantial difference to the people of GM.
“We have already started to put in place plans in all areas of health and social care across our great city region and we are now looking to engage with our stakeholders and communities as we work together.”
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