PEOPLE living with learning disabilities will now be seen by a new provider after a switch.
But the move will not mean a change of base – it will still be at Hollingworth Clinic.
Tameside’s community-based services for adults, children and young people and the autism diagnosis service have transferred to mental health and learning disability provider Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust.
Previously, they were provided by Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust.
And the move to take the borough’s services into Pennine Care’s learning disability hub will allow relationships to be strengthened and learning to be shared.
It also means that Tameside and Glossop staff, patients and carers can be at the forefront of Pennine Care’s plans to transform care, so it can continue to meet local people’s needs.
Tracy Carr, lead nurse for the Tameside and Glossop adult community learning disability team, said: “We’re feeling really positive about being part of a specialist learning disability hub and have heard really good things about Pennine Care.
“We can learn from our new colleagues, share what works well for us and play a key role in developing future services, so local people continue to receive the high-quality care they deserve.”
Pennine Care has provided learning disability services for many years in Bury, Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, Oldham, and Stockport.
The team can also support parents, carers and professionals who work with a young person with a severe learning disability and challenging behaviour.
It also provided some psychological and psychiatric input into the Tameside and Glossop teams.
And Holly Pye, Pennine Care’s head of quality for learning disabilities, believes the move can mean better care.
She said “We’re delighted to welcome the teams into our learning disability family.
“The move is part of our service transformation programme. We have lots of other exciting developments planned, which will help ensure people with a learning disability or autism can lead meaningful and fulfilling lives.”
Peter Weller, executive director of nursing and integrated governance at Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care, said: “We’d like to thank the learning disability teams for being part of our family and providing excellent services to local patients and families.
“Looking ahead, patients will benefit from a specialist learning disability hub, as well as sharing specialist knowledge and skills. All of this will be of great benefit to patients and a continuation of the excellent care they’ve received to date.”