Long standing plans to support improvements to health and care in Sefton have reached an important milestone with the establishment of Sefton Partnership â a collaboration between the NHS, Sefton Council, Sefton CVS, Healthwatch and other local organisations.
On 1 July, Sefton Partnership was formally established for the borough, as one of nine local area partnerships within the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System. These partnerships will lead on shaping health and care in their areas, and for Sefton means a continuation of long standing work to bring health and care closer together, to improve and shape services around the needs of local people.
Deborah Butcher, place director for Sefton Partnership, said: âItâs the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for health and care. We will enhance and accelerate the ambition for Sefton Partnership, whilst ensuring we continue what the NHS, the Council and other local partners have been working to deliver for some time. The new changes brought about by legislation will give us the mandate to remove some of the barriers between organisations, to help them provide a more seamless service, focused on the individual, to better provide for their health and care needs.â
After nearly a decade of proudly supporting, coordinating and commissioning care for the health needs of Sefton, NHS Southport and Formby and NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) will be replaced by NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board, which is the new statutory NHS organisation.
The CCGsâ services and staff will transfer to NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, though they will continue their work on improving outcomes for Sefton residents by supporting the work of Sefton Partnership in the borough. The CCGâs websites and social media accounts will be reshaped to support Sefton Partnership. A new management structure, drawing from the expertise and talents at the CCG and Sefton Council, is being established for the Partnership and plans for how it will support the needs of the borough are being finalised.
Fiona Taylor, chief officer of the CCGs, said âIâm immensely proud of the achievements that the CCGs and partners have made over the last nine years. Not only have they enabled progress towards improving the health and wellbeing of people in the borough, they have helped to lay firm foundations for collaborative working and high standards of care that Sefton Partnership can build upon.â
âIâve been working closely with the place director Deborah Butcher, to facilicate an effective transfer and help Sefton Partnership hit the ground running. I wish Deborah and my colleagues in the NHS, Sefton Council and our partner organisations all the very best, as they take health and care in Sefton into this new era.â
Deborah Butcher, place director for Sefton Partnership, said: âOn behalf of everyone in Sefton Partnership, Iâd like to thank Fiona for her dedication to Sefton, her contribution to improving health care, for all that she and her team have achieved and for her tireless dedication to improving the lives of people in the borough.â
Dwayne Johnson, Chief Executive of Sefton Council, said:
âWe are all sad to see Fiona leave but we will all remember her passion and commitment to residents of Sefton. Fiona has been a loyal and dedicated NHS employee and worked in partnership with the Council for a very long time. We will miss her positive personality and her open and honest approach, but wish her every success in her future.â
For more information follow us on Twitter @SeftonPartners or go to:
Funded by Linacre Ward elected members, the event is being sponsored by Liverpool John Moores University, The Printroom UK and Service Electrical Distributors Ltd, and is receiving extensive support from Southport Ecocentre.
Sefton Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, Cllr Marion Atkinson, commented: âSefton Council have declared a climate emergency and a big part of our commitment is supporting grassroots activity like this.
