NHS GM New Model for Oldham from 2026

From 1 April, every GP visit, blood test and outpatient appointment in Oldham will be booked under a new NHS Greater Manchester rulebook designed to keep people out of hospital. The switch, signed off after months of staff and patient feedback, turns the local NHS into a 'strategic commissioner' that buys and co-ordinates care rather than simply running clinics.

The first change most families will notice is that more checks, scans and minor procedures will happen in neighbourhood hubs, church halls and even mobile units instead of the Royal Oldham site. Hospital beds will still be there for emergencies, but the plan expects doctors, nurses, pharmacists and social workers to pool their diaries so that a single visit can sort medication, physio and a benefits form in one go.

Behind the scenes, paper notes and faxed letters are being phased out. Consultants will view X-rays on secure tablets while patients are still in the room, and repeat prescriptions will be triggered automatically when digital dashboards spot a missed blood-pressure reading. The aim is to cut the time between test and treatment from weeks to days.

Prevention is the part that could feel invisible yet save the most money. Health visitors will be asked to spot early signs of diabetes in toddlers, libraries will host blood-pressure drop-ins, and schools can request mental-health coaches before problems spiral into A&E trips. Whether these extras arrive in full will depend on council budgets that have not yet been published.

Oldham's GPs were not given fresh cash figures, only a promise that money will 'follow the patient' away from hospital tariffs. If the sums do not add up, some fear the town could lose services rather than gain them. The first test will be this summer, when winter planning starts and residents see which community venues actually open their doors on time.