Summary
Event hailed a success as GMPCB marks its 10-year anniversary and sets the vision for the future of health in Greater Manchester.
Over 200 colleagues from dentistry, optometry, community pharmacy and general practice, along with representatives from the wider system and the Voluntary Community Faith and Social Enterprise sector (VCFSE) came together for the event on Wednesday 8 October.
Bringing together serious discussion and celebration, the event explored key themes such as the NHS 10-Year Health plan, prevention and neighbourhood working.
It was also an opportunity to mark the 10-year anniversary of Greater Manchester Primary Care Provider Board (GMPCB).
Attendees were able to take part in interactive sessions and hear some lively debate, creating a sense of energy and excitement throughout the day.
The day began with networking over lunch, before an opening address from Dr Tracey Vell MBE, Chief Officer of Greater Manchester Primary Care Provider Board (GMPCB) and GMPCB Chair, Luvjit Kandula.
Attendees then enjoyed a premiere viewing of GMPCB’s 10-year anniversary celebration video which captures reflections from each of the GMPCB Board Chairs and primary care colleagues who have benefited from some of the 50 GMPCB programmes delivered over the last year.
Next on the agenda was an introduction to the vision of primary care over the next 10 years from GMPCB Chair, Luvjit Kandula.
Luvjit, said: “In Greater Manchester we’re ahead of many other parts of the country with our united voice for primary care.
“10 years of collaboration has enabled us to build strong relationships with commissioners, the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board and wider system partners.
“This puts us in a strong position to be able to deliver on the NHS 10-Year Health Plan. We can shape strategy from the ground up, drive transformation and work within the context of the new NHS.
“Our aim is to be at the forefront of left-shift and transformation, supporting prevention and long-term condition management. We encourage you to continue building relationships to enable us to do this.”
Delegates then took part in a group discussion on the NHS 10-Year Health Plan exploring what excites them, what worries them and what they feel is missing.
After a short break and further networking, Anna Race, Director of Health System Engagement and Partnership at Boehringer Ingleheim, hosted a ‘fireside chat’ on prevention, inviting a panel of health leaders from across GM to share their views on topics such as prevention and system reform, building integrated care and life science and innovation.
The panel consisted of Mark Fisher, Chief Executive, NHS GM, Warren Heppolette, Chief Officer for Strategy, Innovation and Population Health, NHS GM and Viren Mehta, Vice Chair, Greater Manchester General Practice Provider Board (GPB) and GP Federation lead.
For the penultimate session of the day, Keynote speaker Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, attended the event to talk about The Prevention Demonstrator – his vision for the future health of Greater Manchester.
Before launching into his speech, Andy acknowledged the significance of the occasion, marking 10 years of partnership across the four primary care disciplines of dentistry, community pharmacy, general practice and optometry. He also reflected on the milestone of a decade since devolution in Greater Manchester.
Andy, said: “The next decade is our chance to make prevention a reality in Greater Manchester and become the UK’s first true prevention demonstrator.
“The foundations are already in place. We’ve led groundbreaking work tackling issues such as homelessness, and our population health initiatives have shown that we can increase life expectancy.
“The GM Live Well initiative will play a huge role in the prevention demonstrator, alongside addressing issues around housing, work, education and crime which all have an impact on health.
“Live Well gives us a joint opportunity to re-think how support is currently delivered, bringing services as close to people’s front doors as possible, and allowing them to get support as instantly as getting a prescription.
“By working together across all sectors, and backing ourselves to be the country’s first prevention demonstrator, we can make primary care more sustainable and improve the lives of residents across Greater Manchester.”
Before closing, attendees joined a final group discussion on neighbourhood working, followed by closing remarks from GMPCB Chief Officer, Dr Tracey Vell MBE, who thanked everyone for their continued commitment and collaboration.
Tracey, said: “Thank you to everyone who attended today – your contribution really does make a difference.
“The feedback and insights shared today will play a vital role in shaping how we deliver the NHS 10-Year Health Plan here in Greater Manchester.
“We know there are challenges ahead, but as the most mature collaborative in the country, we’re in a strong position to drive transformation and make a real difference to our communities.”
Further updates on key themes and insight gathered from the day will be reviewed and fed back soon via GMPCB channels.
