Five minutes with…

Neil Thwaite, Director of Development and Performance/Deputy Chief Executive, GMW Integrated Care Organisation – the benefits for mental health Neil Thwaite cropped1

Developments like the ICO are considered to be an innovative way of providing the best outcomes for people and an improved experience of care with a more efficient use of resources.

Partnership working is one of the primary principles for Greater Manchester devolution and our plans fully support the devolution strategy to bring the fastest and biggest improvement in health and wellbeing across the GM communities over the next five years.

Ultimately, we want to ensure a joined-up delivery of health and social care services across Salford.

Part of the Integrated Care Programme of work is moving the commissioning of mental health services from Salford CCG to Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, who will sub-contract services to Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.

We have a long history of working closely with partners, particularly with older people and urgent care services. The CQC recently inspected GMW services and commented on our excellent working relationships with external bodies and stakeholders. We were rated us as ‘Good’ overall, which is the highest rating awarded to any Mental Health Trust in England. We are the only Trust within our geographical footprint of Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria which has been inspected to achieve this.

We hope the ICO helps us to build on this success and ensure:

  • Strengthened expertise and a personalised, community focus
  • Earlier intervention which supports and enables individuals
  • Clear pathways and a reduction in institutional care
  • Integrated care records

Whilst the terms and conditions of employment for all GMW staff are unchanged, the ICO should help improve communication between staff working within these teams, ensuring more co-ordinated care.

As multi-disciplinary groups are locality based, shared local knowledge and care planning will assist decision making and make things feel more co-ordinated from a patient perspective, ultimately improving patient outcomes.