Working together can make our care better than ever
ST Ann’s took part in an important event at the end of January which was about the future of end-of-life and palliative care in Greater Manchester, and how it can be even better than it is now.
We also shared best practice and celebrated all the amazing work which is happening across the region and how co-production and collaboration is key to our success.
It included representatives from Greater Manchester’s seven adult hospices along with children’s hospice Francis House, East Cheshire Hospice and Derian House children’s hospice in Chorley were there too due to their proximity.
Together, we are part of what is known as the GM Hospices Provider Collaborative that work together with partners at all levels of the GM Integrated Care System (ICS) and beyond to deliver the standards for high quality and equitable specialist palliative and end of life care for future generations in Greater Manchester.
There was positive support from our colleagues who make up the newly formed Integrated Care Board and colleagues from other health and care settings.
Our Consultant in Palliative Medicine and Medical Director Dr David Waterman opened the event.
Dr Waterman is also the Palliative and End of Life Care Clinical Lead for Greater Manchester as a whole.
If this sounds like an important job that’s because it is!
Dr Waterman helps to set the strategic direction for end-of-life care across the whole of our region and beyond for palliative and end of life care.
So, if you or a member of your family come across him as one of our patients you are in very good hands!
We were really pleased that Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham attended this important event.
Andy was able to hear first-hand from some of the hospices in the room about our current financial challenges due to the national situation and how that is directly impacting us.
As I’ve said recently in radio interviews this is something that keeps me awake at night.
Unlike hospitals and other parts of the NHS, hospices have to raise most of the money they need to enable them to deliver specialist patient care.
But at a time when household budgets are stretched and people have less money to give to charity, this way of funding hospice care comes with real and growing challenges.
It’s harder to make plans for the future when you are not sure how much money your hospice will have and your income is not guaranteed.
Most hospices rely on the generous support of the public who donate what they can, who take part in fundraising events, who are customers in our shops and who play our lottery.
Right now it’s a hard reality that the contribution we receive from the NHS is just not enough but we also know that they too are facing significant challenges, we hear about it every day in the news.
The challenges for hospices was something that Andy Burnham is aware of and heard loud and clear from the people in the room on the day including our Director of Clinical Services Emma Dixon.
It was a really good day with a lot of positivity in the room despite our current challenges.
What was noticeable was that together we are stronger and all want to work in collaboration with our partners.
Andy Burnham along with our colleagues on the integrated Care Board for Greater Manchester really understand those challenges we are all facing and it really felt like we are all facing the same direction together, ready to take action together and truly make a difference.
As a hospice partnership we said how we can help the wider health and care system in Greater Manchester, that we have solutions and are ready and eager for doing even more to provide great care.
I’m pleased that we got across our message loud and clear that hospice funding really needs looking at.
We are an essential part of the health and care system and not just a nice-to-have and funding us properly should be seen the same way and is essential for our survival so we can continue to deliver the much need care that people deserve.
Remember - if you have feedback about the care you have received from St Ann’s good or bad you can let us know.
Please email me directly at rmcmillan@ sah.org.uk or use the feedback form on our website.
You can also write to me at: Rachel McMillan, St Ann’s Hospice, St Ann’s Road North, Heald Green, Cheadle, SK8 3SZ.