Agenda and draft minutes

Report of the Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Health and Public Service Reform is attached.

The chair gave the following rules for the meeting and would like to keep on record for following meetings

The following processes were put to the committee to follow going forward

 - Please speak through the chair.  Do not interject or ask extra questions and officers do not have to respond until I put it to them.  If a question isn't relevant or relates to a later item I will hold the question.  This is important to maintain the quality of the debate and identify actions rather than just having a general discussion.

 - Scrutiny is not about making extended statements either from members or officers.  This can hinder scrutiny because members hear officers say something and can think their questions has been answered when the issue may be better discussed rather than part of a 20 minute presentation.  Our agendas are busy so keep to questions and answers and if you repeat what someone else has said I will ask you to come to your point.

 - Please ensure your question is about the topic we are discussing.  If it relates to a different issue, I will hold it and we can check in the work plan if this would be covered in a future meeting.

 - You can ask one question at a time.  It is hard to respond or follow the proceedings if you ask more than one question.  This also allows more members to be involved rather than one person using up all the topics.  Your supplementary must relate to the question.  I will rule it out if you ask another questions.

 - Accusations must be evidence based not opinions.  They should also be relevant to the people here, i.e. so if something is happening at a higher level than the representative here we will perhaps write or contact them.

 - Please try to avoid general questions about feelings you have or asking officers to provide an opinion.

 - More positively, please ask for clarification where you don't know what something means (although in general we have the pre-meet for this) and there aren't any stupid questions.  The best scrutiny comes from progressing a strategy that may involve deeper work and follow up rather than gotchas.

 - Individual casework should not come up at this meeting.  For local councillor questions we should be using this if they think there is a fundamental issue and then we as a committee can take this away and consider if there is something more general.  As such going forward please can we pick up the answer and make this part of the minutes (noting GDPR) so the committee can decide if this is something to take forward.

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 new declaration of interests brought to the committee, just what has already been raised at the previous meeting.

The minutes from the meeting held on 24^th June 2026 are attached for approval.

The minutes of the meeting held on 24^th June 2026 were agreed as an accurate record, after discussion around agreed items was clarified but will be coming to a future meeting.

Matters arising: CQC at Fairfield general hospital will be brought to a future meeting

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

There were no public in attendance at the meeting, there was one public question submitted in advance of the meeting, the response to this question was sent out via email response

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.

Report from Andrew Griffiths Chief Operating Officer for Bury Healthwatch attached to present

The Committee considered the Healthwatch Bury Annual Report. Members were reminded that the report had been circulated in advance of the meeting and that Andrew Griffiths, Chief Operating Officer of Healthwatch Bury, was in attendance to provide an overview of the report's key findings.

Andrew Griffiths highlighted the work undertaken by Healthwatch Bury over the reporting period, including its role in gathering residents' experiences of health and care services, strengthening the patient voice, and influencing service improvement through partnership working. Particular reference was made to work relating to barriers within ADHD pathways, cancer services across Greater Manchester, and Healthwatch Bury's ongoing casework and engagement activity.

Andrew also outlined the uncertainty surrounding the future national arrangements for Healthwatch and the work taking place across Greater Manchester to consider future delivery models.

Before inviting questions from members, the Chair reminded the Committee that:

• An update on Healthwatch and its future functions had been requested at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Health Scrutiny Committee earlier that day.
• Healthwatch's role is to gather evidence, identify issues and represent the patient voice. It is not commissioned to directly resolve service issues or deliver improvements, which remain the responsibility of service providers and commissioners.
• Findings reported by Healthwatch may assist the Committee in identifying areas for future scrutiny and consideration within its work programme.

During discussion, Members raised the following:

Councillor Green asked whether Healthwatch worked closely with the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). Andrew Griffiths explained that Healthwatch and PALS are separate organisations with distinct functions, although there may be value in considering how patient experiences gathered by both organisations could help inform understanding of service issues. Councillor Green commented that there appeared to be opportunities to avoid silo working and make better use of shared intelligence.

Councillor FitzGerald commented on the importance of strengthening the patient voice within reports and understanding the wider health and care landscape.

Councillor Rubinstein welcomed the report and the positive outcomes achieved by Healthwatch Bury. He sought reassurance regarding the future of the organisation and requested that any significant developments be reported to the Committee.

Councillor Tariq provided an update on discussions taking place across Greater Manchester regarding the future of Healthwatch. He explained that Greater Manchester had adopted a strong position in support of maintaining an independent patient voice function despite uncertainty arising from national policy changes. Whilst discussions were ongoing, he emphasised the importance of retaining an effective mechanism for representing residents' experiences within the health and care system.

Councillor FitzGerald noted that the Combined Authority had expressed concerns regarding the future arrangements and highlighted the role of GMCA scrutiny in holding decision-makers to account.

In response, Andrew Griffiths advised that Healthwatch organisations across Greater Manchester were actively working together to explore future delivery options. He reported that Healthwatch Bury was currently supporting Stockport in developing future arrangements and that emerging proposals would be considered by Greater Manchester partnership bodies in due course.

Councillor Southworth thanked Healthwatch for its work within local communities and asked  ...  view the full minutes text for item HSC.137

Report of the Deputy Leader and Interim Cabinet Member for Children and Young People is attached.

The Chair reminded members that they were expected to have read the report in advance of the meeting. Noting the attendance of several officers and two political representatives due to the report spanning two Cabinet portfolios, the Chair advised that questions would be taken following the presentation. To ensure efficiency, responses could be considered before being brought back to the Committee by the most appropriate Cabinet Member or officer rather than multiple officers responding to each question.

Cllr Tom Pilkington, Deputy Cabinet Member for Health and Care, introduced the report. He highlighted the collaborative approach that had been taken across services and political groups and thanked councillors, officers, parents and carers for their contributions throughout the improvement journey. He acknowledged that SEND services are a highly emotive area and can cause significant anxiety for children, young people and families. He stated that the positive inspection outcome represented an important milestone but should be regarded as a snapshot in time rather than the completion of the improvement journey. Significant work remained to ensure improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

Cllr Zaman referred to the six priority areas identified through previous inspection activity and asked how these related to the summary contained within the report, seeking clarification on whether the actions taken had been effective in delivering the required improvements.

In response, Jeanette Richards explained that the inspection was a Local Area SEND Monitoring Inspection and should be viewed as part of a longer-term improvement journey. She advised that monitoring inspections assess the progress made since previous inspections and whether appropriate action has been taken to address identified areas for improvement.

However, she stressed that this did not mean the work was complete and recognised that further improvements were still required to ensure that children, young people, parents and carers received the support they needed.

Cllr FitzGerald sought clarification that inspectors had determined that effective action had been demonstrated within the 18-month improvement period. Cllr Zaman reiterated the importance of understanding precisely what inspectors had meant when reaching that conclusion.

Cllr Boles welcomed the positive progress reported but questioned how the proposed write-off of the High Needs Block deficit would contribute to improving outcomes for children and young people.

Jeanette Richards advised that, despite the positive inspection findings, there remained significant national uncertainty around SEND funding arrangements and future demand. She explained that a three-year SEND Reform Strategic Plan had been developed and submitted. Increasing demand for SEND services continued to present substantial challenges and the authority recognised that financial pressures and overspends were likely to continue. A Strategic Delivery Plan had been submitted as part of the conditions associated with the High Needs Block deficit arrangements.

Cllr Rubinstein commended officers and partners for the progress achieved to date but expressed concern regarding the wider national SEND funding position and the significant High Needs deficit being experienced across the country.

Referring to information contained within the report regarding lengthy assessment waiting times, Cllr Martin asked what actions were being  ...  view the full minutes text for item HSC.138

Report of the Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Health and Public Service Reform is attached.

The Chair invited Councillor Tariq, Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Health and Public Service Reform, to present the report.

Councillor Tariq advised that it was not often that an item followed two such positive inspection outcomes. He reported that Falcon and Griffin services had received a rating of Good from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), whilst Killalea had been rated Outstanding. Introducing the report, he explained that it outlined the outcome of Bury's Local Authority Adult Social Care CQC Assessment, which had resulted in an overall judgement of Good.

Members were advised that the assessment recognised a number of strengths across the partnership, including strong integration with NHS partners, effective co-production with residents and stakeholders, Bury's positive organisational culture, strengths-based approaches to practice, timely support for carers and a clear understanding of workforce challenges through existing workforce planning arrangements.

Councillor Tariq took the opportunity to thank staff, partners and colleagues for their contribution to the assessment outcome. He recognised the efforts of all those involved in driving improvement over recent years and paid particular tribute to Adrian Crook and Sue Massel for their leadership. He stated that significant improvements had been made across adult social care services and that Bury had successfully recruited and retained high-quality staff, which continued to be a major strength for the Council.

Councillor FitzGerald commented that Adrian Crook had consistently been open and transparent with members regarding areas for improvement and acknowledged the work that had been undertaken.

Councillor Martin thanked officers for the report and referred to the section relating to support during periods of crisis, particularly outside normal working hours. He asked how awareness of these services could be improved to ensure that residents and carers were aware of the support available.

In response, Councillor Tariq emphasised the importance of partnership working, particularly with Pennine Care and Integrated Neighbourhood Teams. He explained that services benefit from local knowledge and a detailed understanding of individual circumstances, which helps ensure appropriate support is provided. He described this joined-up approach as one of the strengths identified through the assessment process.

Adrian Crook added that feedback received during the assessment process included comments regarding the responsive and personalised support provided by teams, including the availability of in-house overnight sitting services where required.

Councillor Southworth congratulated officers on the assessment outcome. Drawing on experience of working with older people and intermediate care services, he commented that a great deal of good work was taking place that residents were often unaware of. He suggested that more should be done to communicate the positive support available. He also asked how residents could access information about digital services and support.

Councillor Tariq acknowledged the point and agreed that further work was required to improve awareness of adult social care services and support available to residents and carers. He noted the importance of communication, particularly for individuals who may feel isolated or disconnected from services. He advised that this issue would be considered further through ongoing work around the Carers Strategy and  ...  view the full minutes text for item HSC.139

Report of the Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Health and Public Service Reform is attached.

The Committee considered the Adult Social Care Performance Report. Members were reminded that the report had been circulated in advance and were expected to have reviewed its contents before the meeting.

Councillor Tariq, Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Health and Public Service Reform, introduced the report. Adrian Crook was invited to provide any additional comments and highlighted that Quarter Four had been a particularly positive period and represented the next cycle of the Council's Business Plan. It was noted that assessment completion rates had reduced and that further improvement was required, although performance remained at 96%.

Members also noted the outstanding CQC judgements relating to Killalea and the integration of Adult Social Care and NHS services.

Councillor Martin referred to the performance information on page 83 relating to occupational therapy assessments. Whilst the report indicated that assessments were generally being completed within six months, one case highlighted a waiting time of over 500 days. Councillor Martin sought assurance regarding the action being taken to address such delays.

In response, Adrian Crook advised that the target was to reduce waiting times to below 50 days. He explained that Occupational Therapy Disability Services were working to a specific action plan to address the issue. It was noted that all referrals were currently treated as being of the same level of complexity, and it was hoped that the actions being implemented would significantly reduce the median waiting time.

Councillor Zaman queried whether the data reflected unmet need or whether the service was successfully managing demand.

Adrian Crook responded that there was no evidence to suggest significant unmet need. He noted that the number of people progressing through the service remained high and that Bury was ranked as the 34th most effective authority in the country. Furthermore, issues relating to unmet need were not being identified through casework activity.

Members discussed the impact of extended waits for occupational therapy assessments and suggested that further information be included in future reports outlining what support was available to people facing longer waits, including practical adaptations such as additional bathroom facilities where appropriate.

Councillor Simpson raised concerns regarding social worker caseloads and asked how manageable workloads were across the workforce. Adrian Crook advised that caseloads were monitored closely, alongside staff wellbeing, recruitment and retention. He explained that it was important that staff felt workloads were fair and manageable and that one-to-one meetings and supervision arrangements were in place to identify and resolve workload issues. Workforce wellbeing and capacity remained a key area of focus.

Members requested that workforce issues and social worker caseloads continue to be considered through the Committee's work programme.

The Committee also received an update regarding engagement work undertaken with older residents. It was noted that discussions had taken place with the Bury Older People's Network and that progress was being made through a dedicated project examining issues affecting older people, including challenges facing those at risk of homelessness. Members heard that there remained a wide range of issues and challenges relating to social  ...  view the full minutes text for item HSC.140

Update from the chair with regards to GM Health Scrutiny meetings

The Chair provided an update on the Northern Care Alliance (NCA) Scrutiny Committee meeting held during the previous month and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Health Scrutiny Committee meeting held earlier that day.

The Chair reported that she attended the Northern Care Alliance (NCA) Scrutiny Committee meeting alongside Councillors Simpson and Hunt. Due to recent election changes and circumstances affecting Oldham's representation, she had been required to chair the meeting. Members noted the need for succession planning across the various Greater Manchester health scrutiny committees to ensure appropriate chairing arrangements in future.

The Committee reviewed operational and financial performance across the NCA and agreed a number of actions for inclusion within its work programme. These included ongoing monitoring of the NCA's budget challenges for 2026/27; clarification that there were no debtor issues relating to overpayments; measures to improve outcomes relating to sickness absence and workplace stress; plans to improve Referral to Treatment performance and achievement of future four-hour waiting time targets; challenges associated with waiting list management, particularly in light of planned industrial action; and plans to improve theatre utilisation and monitor associated risks. Members also discussed the potential impact of changes to overtime arrangements within Salford services.

The Committee considered the transition to clinically led leadership arrangements and noted that improvements may already be evident through reductions in complaints and PALS enquiries not dealt with within agreed timescales. A further update on progress was requested.

Members welcomed improvements within community services, particularly for children and young people, noting that waits of over 52 weeks had reduced significantly from more than 1,000 per month a year earlier to approximately 400 since October 2025. Positive feedback from carers regarding support services was also noted.

The Committee reviewed recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessments for individual hospitals and received an update on the ongoing CQC Well-Led assessment, covering leadership, culture, governance, staff engagement, equality, partnerships, innovation and environmental sustainability.

The Chair advised that the GMCA Health Scrutiny Committee

 meeting had been attended for the first time by the Committee's first non-voting VCSE representative.

Members received a report on the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership's Anti-Racism Programme. The Committee expressed concern regarding data presented, including a significant increase in reports relating to racism, high levels of reported racism experienced by migrant care staff, and increases in hate crime across Greater Manchester despite an overall reduction in recorded crime.

Members welcomed the actions being taken to address these issues and discussed hospital reporting processes, the practical implementation of active bystander training and the application of the programme within adult social care services delivered through independent providers. The Committee requested that local authorities provide further information on how the programme would be implemented within adult social care settings and a further update on progress be submitted in due course.

The Committee considered the NHS Greater Manchester VCSE Engagement Grant Funding Model, a two-year borough-based programme intended to engage communities that are traditionally harder to reach and support preventative and community-based interventions.

Members discussed variations  ...  view the full minutes text for item HSC.141

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

There was no urgent business