Update from the chair with regards to GM Health Scrutiny meetings
Minutes:
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 in how funding is utilised across local authorities and requested that updates be reported to local health scrutiny committees to enable greater understanding of local issues, identification of good practice and sharing of learning across Greater Manchester. Members also sought information regarding how the programme is being delivered within Bury and whether there is any overlap with the work undertaken by Healthwatch.
The Committee welcomed the progress made to date and noted the commitment being demonstrated by senior leaders across the system. It was agreed that a further progress update would be received in due course.
The Chair requested that future performance reports include Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) data for Fairfield General Hospital to provide Members with a more complete understanding of local service performance.
Resolved:
That the Chair's update be noted and that future performance
reporting include Fairfield General
Hospital SDEC data where available.