PREVENTION is better than cure is the message behind a merger of health and town hall services.

Trafford Council and Trafford Clinical Commissioning Group merged at the start of the month and it is hoped that combining social care and health expertise will benefit residents.

Known as Trafford Together for Health and Social Care, the organisations will work through an integrated single management team and single strategic commissioning function.

The new organisation model will focus on early help and prevention to ensure the health and wellbeing of Trafford’s residents is the best it can be.

The integration involves aligning and integrating corporate support services such as finance, property management, ICT, governance and human resources.

It is hoped that the financial benefits will include greater efficiency in the commissioning of services and reducing complexity and waste in the current system.

Theresa Grant, chief executive at Trafford Council, has assumed the role of accountable officer at the CCG, heading up a joint executive structure that will lead on the commissioning and delivery of all health and social care services in Trafford.

She said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to bring together two organisations to enable us to deliver better and more joined up services for all of our residents.

"We will design new models of care that focus on both individuals and family wellbeing, while at the same time supporting our fantastic health and social care professionals to be the best they can be.

“The general public, patients and service users will not see major changes following the merger, but we believe by having a more joined-up approach to the health and wellbeing of every individual in the borough we will fulfil the aims of the Trafford Vision 2031 pledge of 'no one held back and no one left behind'.”