Given the choice, most people would prefer to get better at home, rather than in a hospital – and now, a new service from the Bury Local Care Organisation (Bury LCO) is set to make this happen for more patients.

For the first time in the borough, many patients who previously would have needed to be in hospital or a short stay facility, will be able to get healthier and stronger in their house as a team of professionals visits them to help their recovery.

Occupational therapists, physiotherapists and therapy instructors, as well as nurses, support workers, pharmacists and social workers will rally around to help them get back on their feet.

The aim of the service is to promote self-care and increase someone’s independence and confidence with daily living activities, enabling a person to continue to, or return to, living at home as safely and as well as possible. Research has shown that people are more likely to get better, faster at home, rather than in hospital.

Called ‘IMC at Home’ (IMC is an abbreviation for ‘intermediate care’, where someone is not ill enough to be in hospital, but not well enough to recover on their own at home), it will also relieve pressure on busy hospitals and short stay care facilities. People can receive the service for up to six weeks.

Fauve Syers, Bury LCO intermediate tier therapy lead, said: “IMC at Home is needed because many people don’t actually need to be admitted into a short stay facility or hospital, but they do require some health and social care support due to a change in their needs.

“IMC at Home will now enable many people to stay at home, but do so safely, as they will be supported by a variety of professionals who will work with them for a short period of time to improve their independence and safety to remain at home long term.”

The team will visit the person in their home and identify areas of need that the person is concerned about and wants to improve. Together they will agree goals that are important to the person, but also that the team know will improve independence, confidence and overall health and wellbeing.

Adrian Crook, assistant director for adult social care at Bury LCO, said: “By providing more support and care for people in their homes, we are doing the best thing for Bury residents and patients who would almost always prefer to recover at home.

“At the same time, this will ease the pressure at hospitals and care facilities, so that people who need a bed the most have access to one.”

What would the perfect Bury look like in 2030 for you and your family?

What could, and would, you do to help achieve this?

These are the big questions Bury Council – a Bury Local Care Organisation partner – is asking residents, business and community groups in a ‘Big Conversation’, aimed at influencing ambitious proposals for jobs, health, education and the environment for the next decade and beyond.

An online survey – click here – has been created, which runs until Monday, October 13, and a series of face-to-face meetings will be held across the borough for people to have their say in person.

People are urged to take ten minutes and fill out the online survey. The survey will include questions such as what you love about Bury and what could be improved and you can enter a prize draw to win £100.

It will also ask if you could play a role within the community to help get the improvements you want.

Cllr Tamoor Tariq, the first deputy leader of the Bury Council, said: “Our Bury Strategy is our promise to deliver the goals we agree. It brings together public, private, voluntary and community organisations who are committed to working even more closely towards a common vision – to help Bury’s residents access the opportunities they deserve and realise their aspirations.

“But public service reform can only be achieved by investing in communities and creating new relationships between our residents and public services. This strategy will set out how we will empower people and communities. We will have a different type of relationship where residents and businesses play their part too, against a backdrop of continuing reduction of public sector budgets and major changes created under devolution for Greater Manchester.”

The Bury Strategy will have three main themes:

Inclusive economy: We want Bury to become an inclusive economy leader where people and enterprise thrive because of regeneration, work and skills opportunities. Building on Greater Manchester’s Local Industrial Strategy, our plan will form a blueprint for good jobs, homes and economic growth for the whole borough.

Thriving communities:Building on the strengths of our people and community groups to tackle problems earlier. Our Locality Plan is the first step to help people stay well for longer, and reduce inequality across the borough.

A sustainable environment: Developing proposals to clean up our air, eradicate single-use plastics and ensure better transport connectivity is all part of our ambitious target to become carbon neutral by 2038, supporting Greater Manchester’s 5-Year Environment Plan.

Cllr Tariq added: “There’s lots to be proud of in Bury already, but we want to build on our achievements to ensure we can meet future challenges like climate change, housing affordability and demographic changes.

“We need to understand how people living, working and studying in Bury today, feel about the place and what their hopes for the future are.

“We’re all justifiably proud of Bury, and we all have a role to play in making Bury the place we want it be.”

Raising education standards across the borough is the aim of Councillor Tamoor Tariq, Bury Council’s new cabinet member for children and families.

He made his first official visit in his new role to Park View Primary School in Prestwich, where he was impressed with the range of facilities on offer.

Cllr Tariq said: “While school heads and governors are responsible for how each school is run, the local authority has a key role to play in driving forward school improvement and I will be working with schools and head teachers to ensure in Bury we are raising the aspirations and ambition of all our children.

“I was delighted to visit Park View Primary, which is an exemplar of good practice in ensuring children have the very best education. I am impressed with how headteacher Mr Stephens has led the school improvement efforts and how every teacher in the school is working to ensure every child is able to achieve.

“I was particularly impressed with the sensory room and the unique facility there is for young people with emotional and behavioural needs. I am looking forward to coming back to Park View in the near future.”

Headteacher David Stephens said: “It was a pleasure to receive a visit from the new cabinet member for children and families in Bury.

“Cllr Tariq attended our celebration assembly, followed by a tour of the school. He interacted with a number of children and staff and witnessed first-hand the hard work, dedication and commitment of our school team. He was particularly impressed with the positive behaviour of our children and the enjoyment they derive through exciting learning opportunities, which has a real impact in helping to raise standards.

“At Park View, we are committed to offering the best possible education to each and every child in order for them to achieve their full potential. Cllr Tariq regarded our sensory and therapeutic provision for those children with additional needs as a highly valuable resource that helps to remove barriers to learning and makes a real difference.”

Congratulations to all the girl guides who work so hard making up comfort bags for relatives staying with our end of life patients in our hospitals in Oldham, Bury, Rochdale and North Manchester.

The girl guides have won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award given to UK volunteer groups, equivalent to the MBE.

The idea for introducing the comfort bags at out hospitals was championed at the NCA by Assistant Director of Nursing Fiona Murphy MBE who worked closely with a team of volunteers and the girl guides on the idea.

Fiona said: “It is hugely important that we celebrate this award given to the girl guides for the comfort bags they make for us. What a fantastic achievement, and thoroughly deserved. The comfort bags make a massive difference to relatives who have a much-loved family member nearing the end of their life.”

The Swan model of end of life and bereavement care is used to support and guide the care of patients and their loved ones that we care for at the end of life and after they have died. Find out more on our website here: www.pat.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/swan-model-of-care.htm

Swan offers dedicated support to patients in the last days of life and to their families into bereavement and beyond.

The Swan scheme is a national scheme which is present in 47 Trusts up and down the country. It was set up by Assistant Director of Nursing, Fiona Murphy MBE.

Swan Comfort bags contain travel size toiletries and essentials for end of life patients, their relatives and those important to them.

Recognising that relatives and friends may not want to leave their loved one to freshen up, these bags are gifted as a gesture of compassion at this difficult time.

We are proud to have been involved in the development of a new Greater Manchester suicide prevention campaign, which launched on 1 May.

Shining a Light on Suicide aims to encourage people to start talking about suicide and to promote the support that’s available.

A new website has been launched for anyone affected by suicide, click the links below to find out more:

• Are you feeling suicidal?
• Are you concerned about someone?
• Are you bereaved by suicide?

Learn to save a life

This short training session could help you to save a life by learning to talk about suicide. Click here to find out more.​

Suicide – the facts

Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 49 and women aged between 20 and 34. More than 200 people a year take their own life in Greater Manchester.

For every suicide that occurs, there are up to 20 more suicide attempts and one in five of us have had suicidal thoughts.

Together we can help to prevent suicide.

Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 49 and women aged between 20 and 34. More than 200 people a year take their own life in Greater Manchester.

For every suicide that occurs, there are up to 20 more suicide attempts and one in five of us have had suicidal thoughts.

Together we can help to prevent suicide.

*A press release from our partner Pennine Care Foundation Trust.

Unpaid carers from across Bury are once again being invited to come and have their say on future services and support for them.

Defined as somebody who provides support or looks after a family member, partner or friend, there are around 3,000 ‘official’ unpaid carers in the Borough with many, many more performing the role on an unofficial basis.

Bury Council and NHS Bury Clinical Commissioning Group have been consulting with carers as they plan services for the future.

Now they are running a series of further sessions to let people know what’s happened so far, feedback on proposals and to hear again what carers themselves think.

The first session is this coming Tuesday in Prestwich, with two further sessions in the centre of Bury to follow.

A Bury Council and Bury CCG spokesperson said: “At the outset, we were keen to acquire a collective understanding of current carer services, what is currently available and what services and support carers feel there should be in Bury.

“This was to enable us to identify any gaps and give us the opportunity to develop commissioned and community services to meet the needs of carers in Bury.

“We will be undertaking a final round of engagement sessions to confirm what we know to date. Bury Council & Bury CCG are very much open to further ideas on how to deliver carers’ services and welcome thoughts on how we shape the future of carers service in Bury”

The sessions will be held at:

Tuesday 14th May, 2:00pm – 4:00pm Memorial Hall, the Longfield Suite, Prestwich Wednesday 15th May, 9:30am – 11:30am The Box studio, The Met Theatre, Market Street Bury Monday 20th May, 5:30pm – 7:30pm The Lancaster Room Elizabethan SuiteKnowsley Street, Bury BL9 0SW

If you would like to attend or require any further information, please book on to your preferred session by email: engagement@bury.gov.uk or ring 0161 253 5439.

Local residents and Trust members can find out how research improves diagnosis, care and treatment for patients in the NHS at a free talk at Fairfield General Hospital.

The event is one of a series of Medicine for Members sessions, which are aimed at giving an insight into key elements of the hospital’s daily work.

It will take place on Tuesday 21 May from 2-3pm in the Auditorium at Fairfield General Hospital’s Education Centre.

Among the speakers will be Professor Jimmy Limdi, Consultant Gastroenterologist at Fairfield General, who has an international reputation for his research to help improve the lives of people with inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. He will explain why research into these conditions is so essential and how it can make a huge difference to patients’ lives.

Research Nurse Dawn Johnstone will talk about her involvement in one specific trial and how the results from this trial have ultimately led to better treatments for patients with prostate cancer.

And Professor Steve Woby, Director of Research Operations, will explain how research is an everyday part of every NHS speciality and why he wants to see more patients involved.

The event is free and open to all, but we do ask you to reserve your place by emailing membership@pat.nhs.uk or calling 01706 517302. Please also let us know if you have any special requirements.

Notes for editors:

• The Northern Care Alliance is an NHS Group that incorporates Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust and The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and provides services for over 1 million people.
• Follow Northern Care Alliance Research & Innovation on Twitter and like us on Facebook
• The latest media videos are on our YouTube page
• Our website is NCAresearch.org.uk

Media enquiries to:
Claire Mooney
Communications Officer
Tel: 0161 206 5110
Email: claire.mooney@manchester.ac.uk