The Health Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to meet to discuss a range of topics, including an update from the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board, the Care Quality Commission's assessment of adult social services in Manchester, and a general overview report. The committee will also be reviewing its work programme.

Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board Update and NHS 10 Year Plan

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the NHS 10 Year Plan, NHS reforms, and the NHS Greater Manchester's (GM) response, including implications for the Manchester Health and Care system. The report pack includes information on the proposed NHS GM Operating Model, the role of Place Based Partnerships, and how these arrangements translate in Manchester. The report pack also includes an overview of the latest financial position in Greater Manchester and locally.

The report pack states that the NHS reforms are intended to deliver three core shifts to transform the NHS:

• Moving care from hospitals to the community
• Moving from analogue to digital
• Moving from sickness to prevention

The report pack notes that Greater Manchester was specifically referenced within the plan in the context of the UK's first Prevention Demonstrator, the main delivery vehicle of which will be GM's Live Programme.

The report pack also notes that NHS England launched the Planning Framework for the NHS in England in September 2025, which set out the planning expectations and indicative timetable for 2026/27 financial and operational plans.

The report pack states that the Manchester Partnership Board (MPB) has agreed to jointly develop a 'blueprint' for the next stage of neighbourhood health and care, 'Our Healthier Manchester 2.0' in line with a number of principles:

• Maintaining a focus on improving population health and addressing health inequalities
• Refreshing the Manchester Partnership Board
• Developing a single plan for Manchester
• Building on existing strengths, including the Integrated Neighbourhood Team (INT) model
• Expanding the Local Care Organisation (LCO) model to further integrate health and care delivery
• Aligning the INT model with other developing initiatives

The report pack states that the ICB set the 2025/26 budget for the Manchester locality at £189 million. It also notes that the Manchester locality team continues to work closely with the City Council to consider opportunities for joining up commissioning and market management activity through the Manchester Joint Commissioning Board.

The report pack states that running costs have always been a particular pressure for the locality, and that Manchester has been advocating for this imbalance to be addressed in any future operating model.

Care Quality Commission's Assessment of Adult Social Services in Manchester

The committee is scheduled to receive a report outlining the current inspection of Manchester City Council's Adult Social Care provision by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The report pack states that the CQC intends to conduct assessments of all adult social care authorities in England by December 2025. Manchester's assessment has already begun with the submission of a Self Assessment Report and Information Return on 1 August. The final phase includes a site visit by the CQC starting 8 December 2025, which will include discussions with senior political and Corporate Management Team colleagues, as well as staff, partners and other key stakeholders.

The report pack notes that Manchester previously participated in the preparations for CQC Assurance in England as a Test and Learn Pilot Site, achieving an indicative rating of Good.

The report pack states that the CQC's core objectives from the assurance process are:

• Documenting the challenges, risks, and impact on local populations.
• Supporting improvement by highlighting best practice and sharing learning and any innovative ways that systems are providing care and support to local people.
• Using evidence and independent voice to share learning, inform and influence wider system reforms.

The report pack states that the four themes of the Assurance process are:

• Assessing Needs
• Providing Support
• Ensuring Safety (and Safeguarding)
• Leadership and Transformation

The report pack includes a copy of Our Manchester Story self assessment narrative for Manchester and an Executive Summary of the self assessment.

The report pack states that the CQC will make early contact with key partners to seek their views on working with adult social care. Those partners are:

• Mike Wild at Manchester Alliance for Community Care (MACC)
• Ben Whalley at Gaddum
• Amanda Mills at Voiceability

The report pack states that the scoring for the assessment breaks down into: The Information Return and Self-Assessment (25%), Citizen's views (25%), Partner views (25%) and Staff views (25%).

The report pack includes a summary of how the contents of the report supports the delivery of the Our Manchester Strategy¹.

Overview Report

The committee is scheduled to consider the overview report from the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit. The report pack includes the recommendations monitor, relevant key decisions, the committee's work programme and items for information. The report pack also contains additional information including details of those organisations that have been inspected by the Care Quality Commission.