The Health Scrutiny Committee met to discuss Trafford's whole-system approach to falls prevention, occupational therapy, and equipment services, and to review a member-led report on the prevention of birth trauma and support for women and parents. The committee received updates on falls prevention initiatives, noting a reduction in occupational therapy waiting times and endorsing priorities for the next two years. They also discussed recommendations for improving maternity care and reducing birth trauma, agreeing to submit the report to the Executive with minor amendments.

Trafford's Whole-System Approach to Falls Prevention, Occupational Therapy and Equipment Services

The committee received a comprehensive report detailing Trafford's strategy for preventing falls among older residents. The report highlighted that while falls rates have seen some improvement, there is a continuing need for sustained prevention efforts, particularly given Trafford's ageing population. Data presented showed 921 hospital admissions and 1,667 ambulance call-outs related to falls in those aged 65 and over during 2025/26. Analysis indicated that falls activity is concentrated in areas with higher deprivation and a greater number of care homes, with Trafford West PCN experiencing the highest rates of admissions and ambulance call-outs. Women account for the majority of falls-related hospital admissions.

Significant progress has been made in the Occupational Therapy Assessment Team's (OTAT) improvement programme, with a 68% reduction in waiting times over the previous nine months, bringing the average wait to approximately 10 weeks. This improvement has been attributed to actions such as appointing a dedicated service lead, reviewing triage processes, increasing capacity, and mutual aid from Manchester and Trafford LCO Services. The report also detailed the timely provision of equipment and adaptations through the Manchester Equipment and Adaptations Partnership (MEAP), with 98% of items delivered within seven days in 2025/26, and 99.7% so far in 2026.

Despite these achievements, ongoing challenges include rising demand, increasing ambulance call-outs, and the projected growth of Trafford's older population. Priorities for 2026-2028 include improving awareness of falls prevention pathways, embedding prevention within the Live Well approach, strengthening workforce confidence, earlier identification of residents at risk, addressing inequalities, and continuing to develop integrated pathways and improve data sharing. The committee endorsed these priorities and supported the continued delivery of the OT improvement programme.

Member Review: Prevention of Birth Trauma and Care for Trafford Women and Parents

The committee reviewed a member-led report on the prevention of birth trauma and the care available to support Trafford women and parents. The report highlighted that approximately one in three women in the UK experience birth trauma, with 4-5% developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) annually. The review identified that a lack of control, feeling uninformed, and a perceived imbalance towards medical intervention can contribute to traumatic birth experiences.

Key recommendations from the report include:

• Supporting informed choices: Developing accessible antenatal education, working with Manchester Foundation Trust (MFT) and Family Hub Networks to communicate birth options, and raising awareness of midwife-led units, home births, and the Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP).
• Raising awareness of birth trauma: Embedding consideration of birth trauma into mental health strategies at regional and local levels, expanding trauma-informed practice, and ensuring MNVP is linked with operational and strategic groups in Trafford.
• Improving immediate support: Ensuring all women know how to access birth debriefs, monitoring the Birth Reflection Service, integrating support through Family Hubs and Live Well spaces, and improving access to mental health support.
• Encouraging continuity of care: Lobbying for enhanced continuity of carer for all women, supporting the introduction of Pregnancy Circles, and ensuring women who have experienced traumatic births are offered targeted continuity of care in subsequent pregnancies.
• Raising the profile of Trafford women and parents: Advocating for improved data transparency and granularity for Trafford residents within MFT, reviewing funding calculations for MNVP, and establishing roles for connectivity between maternity services and local authorities.
• Supporting breastfeeding: Continuing to work on improving Trafford's breastfeeding rates, developing the breastfeeding peer support service, assessing the need for an additional lactation consultant, and exploring integration of breastfeeding support within Family Hubs.

During the discussion, members raised points about the definition of birth trauma, the balance between intervention and natural birth, the role of home births, and the need for robust consent processes. The report was approved for submission to the Executive, with the understanding that minor amendments could be made based on the committee's feedback. The committee also noted that while they do not commission antenatal classes, they can influence provision through partnership working and by raising issues with the Locality Board.

Committee Work Programme 2026/27

The committee noted the items within the work programme for the 2026/27 Municipal Year. The next meeting on 23 September 2026 would include the report on falls prevention and occupational therapy, and the member review on birth trauma. Future items include a deep dive into neighbourhood work, a review of the Adults Social Care CQC Assurance and Action Plan, and reports on sexual health and the Section 75 transition for mental health services.