Back to top

Oldham residents can now tap into a single, joined-up network of health, council and voluntary services that stretches across all ten Greater Manchester boroughs. The shift, overseen by NHS Greater Manchester and the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership, means GPs, hospitals, councils, police, fire crews, charities and local firms are sharing information and budgets so help arrives sooner and stays in step as people age.

Instead of repeating referrals and paperwork, families will find one team tracking everything from a child's mental-health drop-in to an older neighbour's diabetes check. The partnership says this early, co-ordinated approach is designed to stop small problems becoming crises, and to free clinicians to focus on care rather than navigation.

Practical changes are already visible. Online tools now let residents check symptoms, locate evening and weekend NHS contacts, and download advice guides without leaving the house. During February, free HIV tests are on offer at sexual-health clinics to mark National HIV Testing Week, while Pride in Practice sessions are training local practices to meet LGBTQ+ patients' needs more sensitively.

A wider hunt is under way to map the parks, youth clubs and community rooms that best lift children's mood, with findings set to shape future council spending. Officials admit the new system is complex, but insist that pooling budgets and data should mean quicker help for Oldham households and less duplication for the professionals who serve them.