Local NHS gets a health check

Date published: 15 October 2009

NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale (NHS HMR) has shown a steady performance in its Overall Performance Rating for 2008/09, as conducted by the Care Quality Commission.

It is the first time the Care Quality Commission has carried out such an assessment since it was formed in April this year.

The Trust achieved ‘good’ for its financial management and ‘fair’ for quality of commissioning, which looks at how the organisation performs against national standards, achieves targets and meets its commitments.

NHS HMR also met all of the Department of Health’s 44 core standards covering safety, clinical and cost effectiveness, governance, patient focus, accessible and responsive care, care environment and amenities and public health.

John Pierce, Chair at NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, said: “Despite facing significant challenges over the past 12 months such as swine flu, a surge in people attending Accident and Emergency and increased referrals, we have performed steadily in the Overall Performance Rating. This demonstrates that we are a robust organisation capable of delivering quality services, even when the pressure is really on.

“We have delivered a number of service improvements, notably our state-of-the-art health centres; Nye Bevan House in Rochdale, Alkrington Health Centre, the soon to be opened Phoenix Centre in Heywood and a further centre in Hamer and Wardleworth. We have also opened a new GP practice in Smallbridge and will have opened a further four by the end of the year, as well as secured an additional eight NHS dentists."

Director of Performance, Chris Simms, added: “We expect the coming winter months to put additional pressure on our services and are stepping up local urgent care and pandemic flu plans to meet increased demand. The financial climate is very different now to what it was 12 months ago for the NHS and we are working to make sure that all of our services deliver both quality and value for money.”