The Health Scrutiny Committee of Manchester City Council met on Thursday 4 June 2026 to review the council's work on public health campaigns, sexual health services, and tobacco control. The committee also discussed the Public Health Annual Report and agreed on its future work programme.

Public Health Campaigns and Reducing Health Harms

The committee reviewed a report detailing the joint approach by the Department of Public Health and the Communications Team in delivering campaigns to reduce health harms. Key discussion points included how the impact and outcomes of these campaigns are measured, the importance of reaching vulnerable communities, and the significant role public health campaigns play in reducing pressure on primary and secondary care services.

Councillor T. Robinson, Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care, highlighted the importance of childhood immunisation and praised the Communications Team's Family Friend booklet for providing accessible information to parents. The Head of Communications for Health, Equity and External Partnerships, Penny Shannon, discussed the intelligence-led approach to developing the prostate cancer awareness campaign, which was designed in full consultation with Tony Collier, an ambassador and advocate for Prostate Cancer UK. The campaign aims to increase awareness and encourage early testing, particularly in hard-to-reach communities. Impact will be measured through website visits to the Prostate Cancer UK risk-checker and feedback from GPs.

Tony Collier spoke about the campaign's community focus and the importance of early testing, noting the absence of a national screening campaign. He emphasised the value of a counselling toolkit to support men in their decision-making regarding PSA tests. The Director of Public Health, Bernadette Enright, explained that campaign impact is assessed using various metrics, including the Public Health Outcomes Framework, and that campaigns are tailored to specific audiences. She also referred to the Making Manchester Fairer programme for work with vulnerable communities.

The committee noted the report, with the Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care concluding that the contributions of Penny Shannon and Tony Collier had significantly added value to the prostate cancer campaign.

Public Health Annual Report 2026: 'Our Right to Health'

The committee considered the Director of Public Health's annual report, which focused on the health and wellbeing of young people in Manchester, with an emphasis on their 'right to health' as outlined in Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). This aligns with Manchester's ambition to become a UNICEF Child Friendly City by 2026.

Key discussion points included the continuation of coproduction in delivering the report's recommendations, how the impact of deprivation on health outcomes would be prioritised, and how progress would be monitored. The Director of Public Health stated that coproduction had influenced the report's content and recommendations, and this approach would continue. She also noted that the implications of deprivation were fully understood and that intensive work could be delivered in areas most in need.

Young Manchester Youth representatives, Tabitha Reid and Zainab Aamer, shared their positive involvement in the report's production, stressing the importance of listening to and meaningfully responding to the voices of young people. Councillor R. Bell, Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People, highlighted that health was identified as a top three area young people wished to change and emphasised the broader determinants of health, including green spaces, food security, clean air, and mental health. She also confirmed that progress towards becoming a Child Friendly City was ongoing.

The committee noted the report, with the Director of Public Health paying tribute to the team involved and highlighting that the report would be made available online with audio and video content.

Sexual Health Services Update

The committee received an update on the sexual and reproductive health of Manchester residents and the commissioning of related services. Discussions focused on the demand and access to services, and the work being done with young people.

The Deputy Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care provided an update on HIV stigma awareness training and efforts to make Manchester a Fast Track City for HIV prevention and treatment. The Sexual Health Commissioning Manager acknowledged the increasing demand for services, noting that people from outside Manchester also access these services. The Deputy Director of Public Health mentioned a business case being developed to invest in early testing and treatment services for STIs.

The committee noted the report, with the Chair expressing confidence that the described work would address the rise in new sexually transmitted infections.

Tobacco Control and Smoking Cessation

The committee reviewed an update on Manchester City Council's Tobacco Control and Vaping Management Programme, focusing on reducing tobacco-related harm and addressing youth vaping. Discussions centred on the issue of children and young people vaping, the sale of counterfeit vapes, and the targeting of smoking cessation services.

The Deputy Director of Public Health highlighted the significance of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in achieving Greater Manchester's ambition for a smoke-free city-region. Chris Henniker from Eclypse Manchester (CGL) described proactive engagement with young people on vaping, including awareness sessions and an online portal. Charlotte Brien from Be Smoke Free Manchester (CGL) discussed the varied approaches used to engage different groups in smoking cessation.

The committee noted the report.

Overview Report and Work Programme

The committee considered the Overview Report from the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit, which included a recommendations monitor, key decisions, and items for information. Members also discussed and agreed the committee's future work programme in a private session following the formal meeting.

The Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care offered support for the work programming session. The committee also noted the departure of Councillor Judge and paid tribute to his service, as well as acknowledging the final meeting attended by Helena Vesty, health and social care correspondent at the Manchester Evening News.

The committee noted the report and agreed the work programme.

The Health Scrutiny Committee has responsibility for reviewing how the Council and its partners in the NHS deliver health and social care services to improve the health and wellbeing of Manchester residents. Scrutiny Committees do not make decisions but can make recommendations to decision-makers.