Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence are listed above.

Members of Health Scrutiny Committee are asked to consider whether they have an interest in any of the matters on the agenda and if so, to formally declare that interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes from the meeting held on 25^th September 2025 are attached for approval.

The minutes of the meeting held on 25^th September 2025 were agreed as an accurate record.

Matters arising: At the previous meeting, the Committee supported the inclusion of health outcomes within the Local Plan through the Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). Members may recall that similar references were made in the Licensing document considered by Full Council. The SPD will be circulated in (January) for review. Members are asked to confirm whether formal agreement is required at the next meeting or if endorsement can be provided via circulation.

Questions are invited from members of the public present at the meeting on any matters for which this Committee is responsible.

A member of the public attended to ask a question in which they raised concerns regarding the adequacy of care provided to her mother by Bury Council

Cllr Tariq expressed apologies that the matter had come to a public forum and assured that the issue will be addressed by Adult Social Care. He emphasised that all care should meet high standards and confirmed that safeguarding and quality assurance processes will be reviewed to ensure this does not happen again.

Following the meeting the issues were resolved the very next day.

A period of up to 15 minutes will be allocated for questions and supplementary questions from members of the Council who are not members of the committee.

There were no member questions.

Stuart Richardson CEO Bury Hospice in attendance to support this item

The Chair invited Stuart Richardson, Chief Executive of Bury Hospice, to present his update. Stuart provided a detailed overview of the progress achieved over the past 18 months, noting significant improvements in service delivery, the development of a clearer long?term vision, and a continued commitment to timely and effective person?centred care. He noted that recent performance data demonstrates Bury has the second?lowest proportion of patients dying in hospital, indicating improved access to community?based and hospice care. Stuart also highlighted recent quarterly data showing that increasing numbers of people are receiving support in their preferred place of care, with Salford currently performing slightly ahead but Bury showing sustained progress.

Stuart described the refreshed end?of?life strategy, which aligns with NHS England guidance and the Northwest phase?of?care model. The strategy emphasises personalised care throughout the final years of life, improved use of digital information?sharing via EPACs, and closer integration with social care to create stronger pathways across the borough. He also outlined the substantial financial challenge faced by the Hospice, which must raise £4 million annually through community fundraising and charitable income. Operating all 12 inpatient beds would require an additional £2 million per year. Stuart noted ongoing pressures relating to seven?day specialist palliative provision and gaps in IT infrastructure, while emphasising the strong partnership relationships across Bury that support progress.

Members raised a range of questions. Cllr Frith sought clarity on funding required to bring all beds into use. Cllr Simpson queried the basis of the “second?lowest” ranking, with Stuart and Will Blandamer confirming this relates to the proportion of Bury patients who die in hospital compared to other localities. Will thanked Stuart for his leadership and highlighted Bury’s strong position within GM regarding hospital admissions and preferred place of death. Cllr Tariq also thanked the Hospice for its work and emphasised its value as a community institution, stressing the need for system?wide support, alignment with the NHS 10?year plan, and continued investment through fundraising, charity shops and estate maintenance.

In response to Cllr Rubinstein’s questions about bed capacity and supporting diverse communities, Stuart outlined the work of the bereavement team, which supports over 700 individuals despite only having two staff. He described the Sunflower Group for bereaved children and stressed that the Hospice offers person?centred counselling to people of all faiths and backgrounds. Cllr Boles raised issues around primary care capacity, and Stuart acknowledged the pressures on general practice but noted the opportunities created by supporting people to remain well at home.

Dr Cathy Fines added that end?of?life care requires integrated working between GPs, district nurses and specialist teams, and emphasised the importance of timely, efficient processes that respect patients’ preferred place of death.

Will Blandamer expanded on the system?wide pressures, explaining that growth in demand for palliative care will require "right?sizing" of services and a shift toward community provision in line with the NHS 10?year plan. Cllr FitzGerald asked whether resource  ...  view the full minutes text for item HSC.92

Update from Will Blandamer Executive Director Executive Director (Health and Adult Care)

Will Blandamer Executive Director for Health and Adult Care provided an overview of the long-standing ambition to build integrated neighbourhood teams, bringing together staff from different services with a shared goal of improving the quality of care and outcomes. He emphasised the importance of prevention and early intervention to reduce reliance on reactive services and urgent care, supporting people to remain well and independent. Integrated neighbourhood teams have been in place since 2019 and include Northern Care Alliance staff and GPs at the core, with consultants working outside hospitals. He explained that the Public Service Leadership Team connects services beyond health, addressing wider issues such as school readiness, housing conditions and knife crime, and that this work is supported by strong practice and investment, including through the VCFA.

Will also outlined the development of Family Hubs and integration with children’s services as part of a joined-up approach, alongside the introduction of the Live Well model launched by the GM Mayor. This model aims to create Live Well Centres in each of the five neighbourhoods by 2030, with the first centre planned for Whitefield. This development is supported by GM funding, part of which has been allocated to the VCFE, and will provide a base for integrated neighbourhood teams as well as family hub services. He noted that this work aligns with the “Let’s Do It” strategy and requires a comprehensive estates framework to ensure neighbourhood assets are utilised effectively.

During discussion, Councillor Boles queried potential delays in the rollout of Family Hubs and whether any work had been undertaken on asset management and reconfiguration. Will Blandamer confirmed that work is progressing with children’s services and that an estates framework is being developed to support delivery. Councillor Tariq highlighted the importance of public service reform and expressed optimism about the progress being made, noting that this approach is integral to the operation of health and care services in the borough.

Under the Radcliffe Communities of People Plan, it was noted that Gorsefield Primary School now hosts a Live Well area within the school, enabling engagement with the most vulnerable residents. Members expressed hope that this initiative will lead to improvements and make a real difference to the lives of residents, with advice given to maintain strong oversight of this agenda. Concerns were raised about national and local challenges, and members were encouraged to continue discussions on progress with the Live Well agenda, with a suggestion to invite Lynne Ridsdale to a future meeting.

An update was provided on Greater Manchester’s Live Well programme, which was highlighted as an exemplar in Bury within the Team Bury report and at partnership level. There was optimism that Bury can progress ahead of schedule, with strong foundations already in place. The VCFA was noted as receiving £350,000 for future sustainability work in the Besses area, which was described as an important and exciting development within the Public Service Leadership agenda. Issues such as cuckooing in Whitefield were also referenced as part of wider community concerns.  ...  view the full minutes text for item HSC.93

Update from the Chair Councillor E FitzGerald to report on Greater Manchester Meetings

The Chair Porivded an update following the recent Scrutiny Sub-Group meeting, which examined the structural review and service changes at NHS Greater Manchester. It was noted that there is overlap with the current report, and updates from the subgroup will be provided at relevant points once the minutes are available.

The 10-Year Health Plan and Strategy was discussed, reiterating priorities around hospital-to-community care, analogue-to-digital transformation, and shifting from sickness to prevention. Members noted that a briefing on the Live Well programme had been provided earlier in the meeting. It was also reported that Andy Burnham has written to government regarding the closure of Healthwatch, stressing the importance of maintaining an independent patient voice.

The Committee considered NHS GM’s Operating Model in response to national ICB reforms. Previous meetings highlighted uncertainty for staff, and letters were sent to staff and government about the impact of delays. A model framework has since been shared, and government announcements confirmed a requirement to reduce the workforce by 39% by 2026/27, with voluntary redundancy schemes already underway in Bury. Will Blandamer confirmed that the first wave of VR will conclude before Christmas, after which compulsory redundancies may be considered. The Committee agreed to monitor the impact of these changes on Bury residents and receive an update at the March meeting when the position is clearer.

Service reconfigurations were also reviewed. Members discussed the proposed changes to ADHD services following public consultation, which supported a triage-based system to prioritise clinical care for those most in need. Clinicians will return in June/July to report on the impact of the new pathway. It was agreed that this topic will come to Health Scrutiny for a joint meeting with Children’s Scrutiny in January, which will also cover maternity services. Additional engagement exercises were noted, including Ophthalmology, Interpretation and Translation, and ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Long Covid.

Finally, the Committee received a deep dive report on cardiovascular disease prevention and diabetes, highlighting ongoing trials and the relationship between deprivation and health outcomes, including the contrasting trends for diabetes and hypertension.

It Was Agreed:

·       The update be noted

Feedback from Sub Group Discussion from the 24^th November which will cover the NHS Operating model, minutes will be circulated prior to the meeting for discussion

This items minutes were covered in the chairs standing item.

Verbal Update regarding the recent CQC inspection

The Committee was informed that there have been three recent visits from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to adult services. Falcon and Griffin services in Bury were inspected and received a rating of “Good” in all domains, and congratulations were extended to the teams involved. A CQC visit to Killalea base for intermediate care provision has taken place, and the judgement is awaited, with an outcome expected around Christmas. A full CQC inspection of adult services was also carried out by a team of seven inspectors, and the outcome is not yet known, with results anticipated in late January at the earliest.

Councillor Tariq took the opportunity to thank all staff for their hard work and reflected on the progress made since the LGA peer review in spring. He explained that the CQC process involves early engagement followed by an on-site presence several months later, which in Bury included extra care schemes and intermediate care provision. This inspection was seen as a valuable opportunity to showcase partnership working and the quality of services. The Committee noted that the formal assessment is expected in early 2026 and expressed hope that this will provide further recognition of staff efforts to support vulnerable residents. At a Greater Manchester level, a benchmarking event is planned for March or April.

It was Agreed:

·         Update be noted

Any other business which by reason of special circumstances the Chair agrees may be considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chair raised the recent planning application for Fairfield Hospital and asked whether Will Blandamer could provide a short update or advise if this should be covered in a separate meeting or circulated to councillors. It was agreed that information on the Fairfield General expansion will be circulated to all councillors via the newsletter. Will Blandamer provided a brief overview of the planned additions to Fairfield as part of the expansion.

The Chair reminded members that the next meeting in January will be a partially joint meeting with Children’s Scrutiny. This will include two reports before moving to the rest of the agenda: Adults and Children’s ADHD pathways and Maternity Services. The latter will also allow questions regarding the recent coroner’s inquest into the deaths of Jennifer Cahill and Agnes Lily in Prestwich.

Actions

• Circulate details of the Fairfield Hospital planning application and expansion to all councillors via the newsletter.
• Invite all Children’s Scrutiny members to the January Health Scrutiny meeting for joint discussion on ADHD pathways and Maternity Services.