Amidst the six-day resident (formerly junior) doctors strike, NHS Greater Manchester is urging people to help ease the pressure on busy hospitals this weekend by only attending A&E for emergencies and to know where to go for health advice. So far during the strike action, (running from 7am, Tuesday 7th to 7am, Monday 13th April), the health and care teams at the hospitals have managed to keep as many services running as possible. That's why NHS Greater Manchester is asking people to only call 999 or go to A&E for life-threatening conditions such as chest pain, severe bleeding, difficulty breathing, or symptoms of stroke. The public should still get non-emergency help from the following resou
Oldham Athletic owner Frank Rothwell spoke at First Choice Homes Oldham's Union Street offices last Thursday about his 15-year prostate cancer survival. He urged men with symptoms or family history to request PSA tests from doctors. The event, held during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, was organized by FCHO to educate staff about the disease, which affects around 64,000 UK men annually. Rothwell's charity work has raised £1.5 million. He was joined by Prostate Cancer Support chairman Phil Ormesher and volunteers Eric and Susan Richardson. FCHO chief executive Mark Gifford praised Rothwell's open and engaging discussion of this important health topic.
Critical care workers at Royal Oldham Hospital and Fairfield Hospital in Bury will strike for 24 hours on Tuesday, April 7, in their second walkout over overtime pay. The Northern Care Alliance Foundation Trust uses external agency NHS Professionals to manage overtime, resulting in lower pay and no pension contributions for staff. UNISON says workers are relying on food banks due to pay cuts of more than £10 per hour. The trust has refused to negotiate despite union requests. Striking staff include nurses, clinical support workers, and housekeepers. Similar strikes occurred on March 12, with pickets outside both hospitals.
On March 25, 2026, the government announced a new NHS Integrated Care Board Chair for Greater Manchester who will also serve as the Mayor's Health Commissioner. The role aims to strengthen integration between health and care services and wider public services across the city-region. The position builds on Greater Manchester's decade-long health devolution journey and its status as England's first Prevention Demonstrator. Mayor Andy Burnham stated that a 2022 Lancet study found healthy life expectancy rose faster in Greater Manchester than other areas following health and care devolution. Louise Shepherd, Regional Director for NHS England in the North West, said the role will support closer collaboration across organisations to improve health services.
Radcliffe Primary Care Centre in Bury has been selected as one of 27 sites nationwide to become a neighbourhood health centre, receiving £2.74 million in government funding. The transformation will create a one-stop-shop health service offering extended hours and a wide range of health and community support services under one roof. The centre will address both health issues and wider causes of health problems, with services including urgent treatment, GP and pharmacy services, debt advice, housing and social support, employment advice, and family support. The project aims to reduce pressure on hospitals, improve care quality, and make healthcare more accessible. The centre is expected to be completed by 2027 and is part of a government plan to open 250 centres across the country by 2036.
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, which provides mental health, learning disability and autism services to Oldham residents, has been rated 'requires improvement' for community-based mental health services for adults of working age. The Care Quality Commission inspection found issues with staffing levels, training compliance, and building safety. While staff were praised for compassion and professionalism, the trust must address gaps in pharmacy oversight, high vacancy rates, and unfilled shifts. The trust is already implementing improvements through its community transformation programme.
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust has issued an alert stating that A&E departments at Royal Oldham Hospital and three other hospitals it manages are experiencing extremely high demand. The trust warns patients may face longer wait times but emphasises patient safety remains the top priority. The alert, first published earlier this month and confirmed on March 25, advises A&E should only be used for major life-threatening illnesses and injuries. Patients with less urgent issues are directed to use NHS 111, local pharmacies, GPs, or walk-in centres instead. The trust is working with health and social care partners to maintain safe services amid growing demand.
She said her situation shows the lack of education even within the medical community of endometriosis. Sharing her story as part of her role, she said: "Lately, when I ovulate and am due my period, I get horrific chest and rib pain. Lucy Bowker, ambassador for Endometriosis Awareness North (Image: EAN) Describing the impact on her health, Lucy said: "The horror doesn't stop [with pain], sadly. I have received as much as 19 litres of oxygen in the emergency department, and am taken to the Intensive Care Unit until my symptoms improve." Lucy explained that at one point, she was being admitted to the hospital for as long as seven days every other week. In September last year, Lucy wrote a blog
Oldham residents are advised to order repeat prescriptions at least one week before Easter to avoid running out over the long weekend. NHS 111 offers 24/7 medical advice online or by phone, including for children under 5 and those needing interpreters. Pharmacies may have varied opening hours over Easter, with Pharmacy First services available for common conditions like UTIs and sore throats. Urgent dental care is available via the Greater Manchester Dental Helpline, and free NHS urgent eye care is provided through the Urgent Eyecare Service. Mental health support remains open throughout the bank holiday, with NHS 111 Option 2 for urgent help. Dr Manisha Kumar, chief clinical officer at NHS Greater Manchester, urges residents to use the most appropriate service to keep emergency care available for those who need it most.
The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, which manages Royal Oldham Hospital, has shared NHS meningitis symptom warnings on Facebook amid a major outbreak in Kent. The outbreak has affected young adults and students, with 20 cases reported to UK Health Security Agency, including 6 confirmed as meningitis B strain. Two people have died in the Kent outbreak. GPs nationwide have been instructed to prescribe antibiotics to anyone who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury between March 5-7, plus University of Kent students. The trust emphasized that meningitis symptoms can include high temperature, headache, stiff neck, and rash that doesn't fade under glass pressure, warning that symptoms develop suddenly and require immediate 999 calls if suspected.
NHS Greater Manchester has issued a meningitis alert urging parents to check their children's vaccination status as cases continue to be reported. The MenB vaccine, introduced in 2015 for babies under two, and the MenACWY vaccine, given to Year 9 students aged 13-14, are available to protect against different meningitis strains. Parents are advised to check their child's red book or contact their GP practice if unsure about vaccination status. Recent cases in Kent involve the MenB type, which most teenagers haven't received. Early symptoms include a rash that doesn't fade when pressed, and parents are urged to seek immediate medical help if concerned. Dr Helen Wall, clinical director for population health at NHS Greater Manchester, emphasized the importance of checking vaccination status and being alert to meningitis signs.
Dr Gaity Ahmad, clinical director of obstetrics and gynaecology at Royal Oldham Hospital and Rochdale Infirmary, has highlighted that March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. In a video posted by Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Ahmad stated that endometriosis is widely under-recognised and often misunderstood, taking up to nine to 11 years to diagnose. She leads the Pennine Endometriosis Centre based at Royal Oldham Hospital and is regarded as an expert by Endometriosis Awareness North (EAN), a charity founded by Dr Anita Sharma. Endometriosis lesions can appear in the pelvic area including ovaries, fallopian tubes, and bowel, but have also been found in the brain, kidneys, liver, lungs, and scar tissue.
Around 157,000 people in the North West successfully quit smoking in 2025, according to new figures released for National No Smoking Day. Separate YouGov polling for ASH reveals 55% of smokers in Greater Manchester want to quit, while 82% started before age 18. The data comes as momentum builds around the Government's Tobacco and Vapes Bill and follows Greater Manchester's 'What Will You Miss?' stop smoking campaign. The initiative forms part of Greater Manchester's ambition to become a smokefree city region by 2030. Phil, a retired teacher from Greater Manchester, shares his story of being diagnosed with COPD and later lung cancer after decades of smoking, highlighting that it's never too late to quit. Dr Rebecca Fletcher, Director of Public Health at Oldham Council, emphasizes that smokers are up to three times more likely to quit successfully with help than going it alone.
Retired Oldham nurse Rosemary Andrew, from Hollinwood, has been living with renal cell cancer since June 2022. She initially received intravenous immunotherapy drugs ipilimumab and nivolumab, then maintenance therapy with nivolumab delivered as hour-long infusions at The Christie in Withington. Since November 2025, she has received the same drug as a quick under-the-skin injection at Dr Kershaw's Hospice in Royton, reducing treatment visits to around 10 minutes. Her most recent scan in January 2026 showed no measurable disease. The Christie's lead nurse for systemic anti-cancer treatments, Gemma Jones, described the injectable nivolumab as a 'game-changer' for patients who rely on this drug.
Royal Oldham Hospital staff will wear body cameras to improve safety following a stabbing attack on a nurse. The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust implemented the cameras after a successful trial at Fairfield Hospital in Bury. The cameras will be worn by designated clinical staff and only activate when staff feel threatened, recording both video and audio. The trust hopes the cameras will create a safer environment and provide evidence for criminal or civil court action. The cameras have been introduced across all four trust hospitals in Bury, Rochdale, Salford, and Oldham.
Amber Owens, 32, from Royton, Oldham, suffered months of migraines before an optician discovered swollen optic nerves indicating a brain blood clot. Optometrist Tahira Rahman at Specsavers Royton identified the swelling as 'textbook' case of serious brain issue. Amber was diagnosed with blood clot and underwent six weeks of treatment at Salford Royal Hospital, including brain surgeries and procedures. She now has a permanent shunt in her brain and has lost senses of taste and smell. The former child carer can no longer work due to her health problems.
Walton Grove care home in Failsworth, Oldham, has officially opened after a major refurbishment by Exemplar Health Care. The specialist facility supports adults with complex mental health needs, dementia, neuro-disabilities, and physical disabilities. Mayor of Oldham Councillor Eddie Moores opened the home and praised the care team's dedication. The refurbishment created 60 new healthcare jobs, with recruitment ongoing for nurses, healthcare assistants, and nurse unit managers. The home features 40 bedrooms with ensuite wet rooms, two apartments, communal spaces, therapy facilities, and three accessible gardens.
A charity campaign led by Dr Anita Sharma from Chadderton has significantly raised awareness of endometriosis, a condition affecting one in 10 women. The charity, Endometriosis Awareness North, founded in 2021, has inspired books, pop records, and the BAFTA-winning short film 'This is Endometriosis'. Despite progress, diagnosis times have increased to nearly a decade, and Dr Sharma is calling for specialist treatment, research, and education about the condition.
Saddleworth councillors Helen Bishop and Sam Al-Hamdani are pushing for a new health centre in the area, meeting with local NHS teams to advance plans. The councillors are lobbying for completion of a promised business case that would enable funding identification for construction. The next critical step is RIBA stage 3, which will transform concepts into formal designs with cost assessments. Cllr Bishop emphasized the need for accessible services like blood testing locally rather than requiring residents to travel to Chadderton or Failsworth. Cllr Al-Hamdani noted that until costs are known, site feasibility cannot be determined, though the former Saddleworth School site remains a potential option. Both councillors stressed their commitment to bringing health services to the heart of Saddleworth as quickly as possible.
New FOI data shows Northern Care Alliance NHS Trust, which runs Royal Oldham Hospital, saw 9,608 patients wait 24 hours or more in A&E during 2025, up 25% from 7,651 the previous year. The longest wait was 146 hours (6.1 days). Councillor Howard Sykes, who requested the data, called the situation 'spiralling out of control' and urged government action, including a wait time guarantee. The trust declined to comment. Nationally, only Liverpool's University Hospital trust had worse figures. The Department of Health said winter preparations have improved most A&E times but acknowledged 'a long way to go' to cut the longest waits.