The Health Scrutiny Committee of Manchester City Council met on Thursday 10 September 2026 to discuss winter planning, the adult social care strategy for unpaid carers, and vaccination and immunisation programmes. Key decisions included endorsing the Unpaid Carers Strategy and noting reports on winter preparedness and the Care Quality Commission's assessment of Adult Social Care.

Planning for Winter 2026/27

The committee received an update on the comprehensive planning underway for the winter period, involving collaboration between various health and care partners across Manchester and Greater Manchester. The report detailed expectations for urgent care, including the development of a Locality System Winter Plan and the upcoming Exercise Aegis 2026 designed to test system resilience. The Greater Manchester Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) Capacity Fund was highlighted as a means to enhance capacity and resilience.

Discussions from the committee included queries about the response to a critical incident declaration, the ambition to eliminate corridor care rather than just reduce it, and the differing flu vaccination uptake targets for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) staff. Councillor Thomas Robinson, Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care, assured the committee that the system-wide approach to winter planning provided assurance, and that no critical incident had been declared in Manchester. The Interim Joint Chief Medical Officer for MFT explained that a critical incident would trigger mutual aid across partners, with patient safety as the priority. The Director of Operations and Performance for Manchester Local Care Organisation noted that the Operational Pressures Escalation Levels (OPEL) framework allowed for real-time monitoring of pressures across all sectors. The committee was informed that the issue of homeless individuals would be considered within the thematic review of the Urgent Care Collaborative. The Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care thanked partners for their commitment and trust in planning for winter pressures, with an update report promised for February.

Adult Social Care - Unpaid Carers Strategy 2026–2029

The committee considered the Unpaid Carers Strategy 2026-2029, which was developed through extensive engagement with over 250 unpaid carers and partner organisations. The strategy aims to recognise, support, and value unpaid carers, addressing key themes such as identity and recognition, emotional wellbeing, access to support, respite, financial support, systemic change, peer support, and future planning.

Lauren Edwards from Gaddum highlighted that the strategy and its action plan were shaped by carers' lived experiences, focusing on tangible improvements like a centralised carer support hub, enhanced outreach, improved access to information and advice, and flexible respite options. The plan also includes actions to improve mental health support, strengthen referral pathways, and support young adult carer transitions. Ina Vogelsang, a carer, spoke about her personal experience and the importance of co-production in developing the strategy. Councillor Thomas Robinson emphasised the strategy's significance and announced plans for a dedicated communications campaign to raise awareness and encourage self-identification as a carer. The Assessment Team Manager reported that approximately 4000 carer assessments are undertaken annually, with a current waiting list due to demand. The committee endorsed the Unpaid Carers Strategy 2026–2029.

Adult Social Care CQC Assessment Findings and Directorate Response

The committee reviewed the findings of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessment of Adult Social Care services in Manchester, which resulted in an overall rating of Good with a score of 73%, making it the highest-rated Core City authority in England. The assessment highlighted strengths in leadership, partnership working, person-centred practice, prevention, reablement, and a commitment to reducing inequalities.

The report noted that while the outcome was positive, the CQC also identified areas for further improvement. In response, the Directorate has refreshed its Achieving Better Outcomes Together (ABOT) programme to focus on continuous improvement and progression towards an Outstanding rating. Key improvement priorities include strengthening the personalisation offer, expanding support for unpaid carers, enhancing the commissioned Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) prevention offer, and improving data quality and capture. The committee recognised this as a significant achievement, particularly given the challenges faced in Manchester, and paid tribute to the staff involved, including Bernadette Enright, former Executive Director of Adult Social Services. The committee noted the report.

Vaccination and Immunisation Update

The committee received an update on vaccination and immunisation programmes across the city, covering national and local contexts, programme performance, and communications strategies. The report highlighted declining vaccination coverage for several programmes nationally and locally, with a particular focus on improving uptake for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMRV), Human Papillomavirus (HPV), and winter vaccinations.

Discussions from the committee included the importance of communication campaigns, especially for older residents, and the significance of the HPV vaccination for both young people and men. Concerns were raised about countering misinformation, structural changes in vaccination delivery, and the potential for delivering multiple vaccinations simultaneously. The committee also discussed how homeless individuals and those with addiction were identified as priority groups, the approach to vaccinating the student population, and flu vaccination for young people. Councillor Sian Astley, Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People, stressed the need to challenge misinformation and encouraged GPs to proactively promote vaccinations. The Director of Public Health confirmed that a two-dose varicella vaccine is now combined with the MMR vaccine as MMRV and advised that shingles vaccination for young people would be clarified based on clinical guidance. The Assistant Director, Population Health and Integration, referred to the Urban Village Medical Practice as a specialist GP surgery providing healthcare for homeless individuals, including vaccinations. The committee resolved to call on all political parties to promote vaccination uptake and condemn the promotion of misinformation.

Overview Report

The committee received the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit's overview report, which included a recommendations monitor, key decisions, items for information, and the committee's work programme. It was noted that there were no outstanding recommendations from previous meetings. An additional item, Adult Social Care Commissioning Intentions 2027-2028, was agreed for inclusion in the 8 October 2026 meeting. The committee noted the report and agreed the work programme.

The committee also received information on recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection reports for various health and social care providers in Manchester. Notable among these was the Good rating for Manchester City Council's local authority assessment.

The committee's work programme for upcoming meetings was also presented, outlining topics such as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Extra Care/Enabling Independence Accommodation, and budget proposals.