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Oldham residents are now part of a single Greater Manchester-wide network that stitches GPs, hospitals, councils, fire crews, police, charities and neighbourhood groups into one team. The aim is to spot problems earlier and keep people out of hospital by offering help where it is needed, whether that is a medical check, a benefits form, or simply someone to talk to.

Instead of ringing round different offices, families can use one online portal to find late-night chemists, mental-health drop-ins or home-support teams. The same directory also hosts heart-health tips published for Valentine's Day and a new map of places that lift children's mood, released during Children's Mental Health Week.

A separate scheme called Pride in Practice is being rolled out to make sure LGBTQ+ people receive respectful treatment at every touchpoint, from the GP reception desk to the hospital ward.

From 9 to 15 February, every borough including Oldham is marking National HIV Testing Week. Free home-test kits and walk-in slots are on offer, with sexual-health staff promising results within the hour at some clinics. The wider goal is to drive new HIV transmissions down to zero across Greater Manchester by 2030.

The partnership covers all ten boroughs, but each neighbourhood keeps its own page on the shared website so residents see only the services that operate in their postcode. The next test will be whether the new links shorten waiting times and reduce the number of people who reach crisis before help arrives.