AN innovative way of delivering healthcare is coming to Bury.

Health bosses are setting out plans to reform the way care is delivered to homes, GP practices and the borough’s hospitals.

NHS Bury Clinical Commissioning Group is leading the changes through the Locality Plan, which focusses on encouraging residents to take care of their own health.

This includes moving services out of hospitals into homes and lifting demand on GPs by improving facilities for patients leaving hospital.

Mike Owen, Bury Council’s chief executive, spoke about the plans at a health scrutiny committee meeting last Thursday, December 8, alongside Stuart North, chief officer of Bury Clinical Commissioning Group.

The plans include Bury Council working closer with Bury CCG to improve health standards across the borough, creating the One Commissioning Organisation (OCO).

Mr North said: “We want to operate as one integrated commissioner.

“It will be about overseeing the flow of resources in and out of the borough.

“We are trying to create a resilient system with good nursing homes, GP practices and hospitals. We are focussing on keeping people well.”

Mr Owen added: “The CCG and the council are coming together to reduce the cost to the public purse and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of public services.

“We hope that individuals will have greater responsibility, ownership and control of their own health and wellbeing including their environment within the community.

“This will mean that the next generation will be a much healthier one.”

Mr Owen confirmed the plans, which are funded by the Greater Manchester transformation fund, are already being rolled out.

He said: “Our main aim to help people take better care of themselves and stay healthy, to reduce the amount of hospital submissions and GP visits in the borough.”