Working together across all organisations is also a great way to make the best use of the services we have and helps to avoid duplication.
Everyone wants to enjoy good health, but we know that many people in Bolton experience health and wellbeing problems. Some people live with multiple conditions.
We know that physical and emotional wellbeing is strongly linked to the communities we live in – so where and how we live will have an impact on our health.
People living in a wealthier area of town will live longer and enjoy better general health than someone living in different circumstances.
These differences across communities are what we call inequalities, and by working more closely together we have a better chance of tackling them and improving health and wellbeing for our residents.
Previously, the three main organisations responsible for the health and care of Bolton residents worked alongside each other but made separate decisions and had separate budgets to spend on what they thought was necessary. Working together across all organisations is also a great way to make the best use of the services we have and helps to avoid duplication.
In July 2018, we agreed to change the way we plan, buy and deliver services and we wanted to ensure Bolton people were at the heart of everything we do.
We can now make joint decisions in order to deliver the best and most appropriate services for residents and therefore achieve the best possible results for residents’ health.
But we recognise that health and care is not just about what services can be delivered by the hospital or the council, or commissioned by the CCG. With the help of our partners in the voluntary and community sector, and wider partners such as the police, housing organisations and residents themselves, we can look at the whole picture and identify what else can influence our health and wellbeing.
As well as working together to tackle these issues, we will encourage residents to become more involved in their wellbeing. There will be more emphasis on trying to prevent ill health and intervening earlier, than treating a condition once it has developed.
Of course, people with long-term and serious conditions will continue to receive expert care from the NHS. But our aim is to help people to live healthier and for longer, and reduce the need to be admitted to hospital.
