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Will Osborne’s Manchester 'devolution' fall flat on its face?

Today, Manchester becomes the first English region to “take control of its health spending”, supposedly. But what do patients, NHS campaigners and junior doctors think?

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P1140129Petitioners in Wilmslow 12 March 2016.jpg
P1140129Petitioners in Wilmslow 12 March 2016.jpg

Image: KONP campaigners and junior doctors in George Osborne's Wilmslow constituency

To my relief, last month brought longer days and - even ‘up north’ - often sunny ones. There’s wasn’t much else to cheer me up, as I attended meetings up and down the country to try to figure out what's really going on with Manchester's 'devolution' of its health and social care.

Today, 1 April, Devo Manc is rolled out. But who’s really in charge and what the proposed changes are, are shrouded in secrecy and bizarre – sometimes militaristic - terminology. Of which more in a moment.