The Locality Board meeting scheduled for 7 September 2026 was set to cover a wide range of topics concerning health and care services in Bury. Key discussions were expected to focus on the refreshed Locality Plan for 2026-2029, which outlines strategic objectives for improving population health, prevention, and community care, and also serves as the Borough's Health and Wellbeing Strategy. Updates were also anticipated on the Northern Care Alliance's current position and improvement activities, alongside a review of the performance and quality report, including strategic risks.

Key Issues in Bury

Lynne Ridsdale, Place Based Lead for NHS Greater Manchester (Bury) and Chief Executive of Bury Council, was scheduled to provide an update on key issues within Bury's health and care system. This update was expected to cover significant developments such as the opening of the Bury Works neighbourhub and the Live Well Centre in Whitefield, as well as progress on the Radcliffe hub and investment in primary care facilities, including the Uplands GP practice. The report was also set to highlight advancements in neighbourhood working, the development of Place Partnership arrangements, and the proposed hosting arrangements for NHS GM place-based staff by the Northern Care Alliance (NCA). Additionally, information was expected regarding the We're in This Together - Bury Suicide Prevention Conference 2026, public consultations on specialist cardiac and vascular surgery services, the Healthwatch Bury Annual Report 2025/26, and the redevelopment of North Manchester Hospital. Finally, an update on the Bury Food Partnership's national and international recognition was anticipated.

VCFSE Focus – MotherZen

Tori Johnson from MotherZen was scheduled to present on the organisation's work. MotherZen aims to create a safe community hub for parents to combat isolation, offering low-cost sessions, a community living room, maternal wellbeing support, birth preparation, breastfeeding support, a sling library, and a baby bank. The presentation was expected to explore opportunities for MotherZen to collaborate with statutory partners to create a more connected, accessible, and preventative support system for families.

SEND Inspection Update and Adults CQC Inspection Update

An update on the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) inspection was scheduled, following a revisit by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to assess the effectiveness of actions taken in priority improvement areas. Separately, Adrian Crook, Director of Adult Social Services and Community Commissioning, was expected to provide an update on the CQC inspection of Adult Care Services at Bury Council, which had resulted in a Good rating.

Place Partnership Documentation

Will Blandamer, Deputy Place Based Lead and Executive Director of Health and Care, was scheduled to present an update on the Place Health and Care Partnership (PHCP) document suite. This documentation had been reviewed in draft form in previous months, with final sign-off anticipated later in the year. Feedback on the draft governance arrangements was expected to be discussed, particularly concerning the Better Care Fund and joint packages of care.

Implementation of INTs in Bury

Hannah Dixon was scheduled to present a neighbourhood video showcasing the impact of collaborative working across local partners in improving health and wellbeing outcomes for residents. The video was intended to highlight the neighbourhood approach in action, demonstrating integrated, person-centred support, strong partnership working, and community engagement.

Integrated Delivery Update

Will Blandamer was expected to provide the latest update on integrated delivery. This was anticipated to cover discussions from an Integrated Delivery Collaborative (IDC) development session on left shift principles, the development of neighbourhood plans, and the scoping of programmes of work with the NCA.

Better Care Fund Year End Report

Hannah Dixon was scheduled to present the Better Care Fund (BCF) End of Year report for 2025/26. The report was expected to confirm that delivery against nationally mandated performance metrics remained on track, with 100% of BCF funding fully utilised. The BCF plan is owned by the Health and Wellbeing Board and governed by a Section 75 agreement.

Bury Mental Health Strategy 2026-2030

Adrian Crook was scheduled to present the draft Bury Mental Health Strategy for 2026–2030. The strategy outlines a shared vision and delivery framework for improving mental health and wellbeing across the borough, developed in response to evidence from the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and national policy priorities. It adopts a prevention-led, community-based model of care and identifies six strategic priorities for delivery.

Northern Care Alliance (NCA): Current Position, Improvement Activity and System Response

Will Blandamer was scheduled to provide an update on the NCA's current position, improvement activities, and the system's response. This report was expected to address concerns relating to patient safety, quality governance, organisational culture, and leadership, as well as regulatory action taken by NHS England and the CQC. The report was intended to provide an overview of the situation, actions being taken by the NCA, NHS Greater Manchester, and NHS England North West, and the implications for services used by Bury residents.

Bury Locality Plan Refresh 2026-2029

Will Blandamer and Kath Wynne-Jones were scheduled to present the refreshed Bury Locality Plan for 2026/27. This plan, developed in the context of the Let's Do It! Strategy and the national Neighbourhood Health Framework, outlines strategic ambitions for the health and care system in Bury, focusing on population health, prevention, and community care. The document also serves as the Borough's Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

Locality Delivery Plan 2026-2029

Will Blandamer and Kath Wynne-Jones were also scheduled to present the associated Delivery Plan for 2026/27, detailing how the objectives of the Locality Plan and the Neighbourhood Health Framework will be achieved through various programmes of work.

Report from the Performance & Quality Meeting

Kath Wynne-Jones and Catherine Jackson were scheduled to provide an update from the Performance and Quality Group meeting. This report was expected to cover discussions on performance, Integrated Delivery Collaborative (IDC) work, quality, and the locality's strategic and programme risks.

Any Other Business

This item was scheduled for any other business raised by attendees.

Date and Time of Next Meeting

The date and time of the next Locality Board meeting was scheduled for Monday, 5 October 2026, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.