Councillor McGee said ‘Stockport faces some major challenges over the next few years, with decreasing resources to meet increasing demands, but there are also significant opportunities to transform health services across the borough.
‘Many people are already aware that I have committed to promote dementia and mental health services and to try and improve services for patients and carers.
‘At the Executive meeting I also outlined how I will focus on working with the Council’s partners across health and social care to better co-ordinate services, invest in vital preventative services, and reduce the health inequalities which local people experience.
‘My immediate priorities are planning for winter and encouraging as big a take-up of flu jabs this year amongst the over 65s as possible, and working with the NHS Foundation Trust to help reduce the high levels of emergency admissions in Stockport and allow more people to be treated in the community.’
The Government unexpectedly cut the Public Health Grant Stockport receives by £1.35 million in February and so making sure interventions across the borough deliver tangible health benefits for local people and investment is targeted where it is most needed has become even more important.
Councillor McGee added ‘There are a number of areas where improved outcomes are needed in Stockport, including a high level of alcohol-related hospital admissions and the growing instances of liver disease that goes with that.
‘Progress has been made on smoking in pregnancy in recent years, but there remain concentrated pockets in the borough where more needs to be done to minimise this.
‘Overall, as the Executive Councillor for Health I will focus my efforts of promoting the importance of healthier lifestyles to residents across Stockport.’
The Public Health Grant currently accounts for almost £7 in every £100 of revenue received by Stockport Council.