National and regional health leaders visit South Sefton
Thursday, 27 February 2025
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and South Sefton Primary Care Network (PCN) welcomed senior leaders from the NHS England national and regional teams on 18th February 2025.
The health leaders were keen to find out more about the collaborative work which helped South Sefton win PCN of the Year at the national General Practice Awards.
Alex Morton, NHS England's national director for Primary Care and Community Services Delivery, was among a number of national and regional leaders who met representatives from NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, South Sefton PCN and Sefton Council.
The visit opened with an overview of Sefton Place and the PCN, including an introduction to the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) programme and the planned regeneration of Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle.
The next stop was Cambridge Family Wellbeing Centre to meet representatives from the voluntary sector, further education services and mental health services, before meeting some ACEs participants.
The final stop was the PCN’s business hub where they met Dr Craig Gillespie and other PCN staff members, including those who support the Acute Respiratory Hub, enhanced health at home and care home programmes, the women's health hub, the vaccination team and the learning disability health check programmes.
Alex Morton said:
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to connect with local teams and to see first-hand the great work that's happening. It was invaluable to hear about what’s working well, the challenges you face and the innovative ideas you’re putting into practice.
"A special thanks to the ACEs programme service users for sharing their powerful stories and to the PCN team for their insights. I’m leaving Sefton with a deep sense of trust, great relationships and community. Sefton is lucky to have such dedicated and passionate people making a real difference!”
Dr Craig Gillespie, Clinical Director of South Sefton PCN, said:
“We were delighted to welcome NHS England colleagues to South Sefton and share the fantastic collaborative work taking place across our network. It was a great opportunity to showcase the dedication of our colleagues and partners in delivering innovative, patient-centred neighbourhood health care.
“We also welcomed the opportunity to discuss the challenges facing General Practice and explore future opportunities for PCN innovation. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved so far and look forward to building on this progress.”