Healthcare in the City of Manchester would benefit from the creation of a single new NHS Trust is the conclusion of the Single Hospital Service Review undertaken by Sir Jonathan Michael and due to be considered by the Manchester Health and Wellbeing Board on June 8.
The review has found an "unacceptable level" of clinical outcomes for patients depending on exactly where they live and the part of the healthcare system they first attend. It also comments on the difficulties that all hospitals in the City are facing, including problems recruiting staff, financial pressures and efficiency requirements. Transformation of services is necessary.
Sir Jonathan Michael's covering letter to Sir Richard Leese, Chairman of the Manchester Health and Wellbeing Board says: "To maintain the status quo in the way hospitals work would result in a failure to deliver the Manchester Locality Plan, which clearly identifies that there needs to be a marked change to the way that healthcare is delivered within the City. I do not believe that you can expect the existing organisational arrangements to deliver this change."
The proposed new NHS Trust would take responsibility for the services currently provided by Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT), University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust (UHSM) and Pennine Acute Trust (PAT) operating from the North Manchester General Hospital (NMGH) site.
Sir Jonathan Michael believes this move would create a cohesive identity for hospital services in the City of Manchester and represents the best opportunity to ensure all services are raised to match the standard of the best. He acknowledges that the proposal is a major undertaking and is not without its difficulties and emphasises that this is not about change for the sake of change. "It is clinical transformation that will deliver the real benefits to the local population and the success of a Single Hospital Service will be judged by the impact it has on the quality and provision of clinical services across the City."
