Hospices to create unique new partnership

New Project Manager Martin Foster

Hospices across Greater Manchester are leading the way with a unique partnership to help influence the future provision of specialist palliative and end of life care for local people.

The GM Hospices initiative, which is the first of its kind in the UK, sees Greater Manchester’s seven adult hospices (Dr Kershaw’s, Bolton, Bury, Springhill, St Ann’s, Wigan and Leigh and Willow Wood) working together to promote the inclusion, assimilation and commissioning of specialist palliative and end of life care provided in the area.

Eamonn O’Neal, Chief Executive of St Ann’s, explained: “The health and social care landscape in Greater Manchester is incredibly complex, and as experts in delivery of specialist palliative and end of life care, hospices know that they need to ensure they are shouting loudly with one voice to help influence care decisions for local people.

“This isn’t about hospices losing their own individual identities, as we are firmly rooted within the communities we serve and we know that’s incredibly important to our patients. 

"However, as experts who have been delivering care for hundreds of years between us, we are also keen to come together to offer solutions to the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership around end of life and palliative care, and to support them even further in its delivery.”

The first stage of the joint partnership work is the engagement of a Project Manager who will work strategically to inform the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, and encourage and develop collaborative working between the organisations.

The group has appointed Manchester-born Martin Foster, who will be relocating back to the area from his current London-based role as Senior Manager, Strategic Finance, for NHS Improvement.

Foster, aged 35, will begin his new role as GM Hospices Project Manager in July. 

He said: “I’m incredibly excited to be taking on this brand new role, and can’t wait to get started. 

"Modern hospices are incredibly complex, innovative organisations, and there are so many opportunities for me to work with the seven teams to really cement their collaborative ways of working and help to influence and shape care for people across Greater Manchester.”