Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership

Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership
Name	Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership
Formation	2016
Type	Integrated care partnership
Headquarters	Manchester
Region served	Greater Manchester
Leader title	Chair
Leader name	Sir Richard Leese

Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership The Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership is an integrated care collaboration formed to devolve health and social care responsibilities to the city-region of Greater Manchester. It coordinates services across the ten boroughs including Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Trafford and Oldham, linking NHS England, local authorities, Clinical Commissioning Groups and NHS Trusts to align commissioning and delivery. The Partnership aims to improve population health, reduce hospital admissions and integrate services across primary care, community care and social services.

History

The initiative originated from the 2014 devolution deal negotiated between the UK government and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, building on earlier regional plans such as the Manchester city-region devolution proposals and the Northern Powerhouse agenda. Key milestones include the 2015 pilot integrations with NHS England and the formal establishment in 2016 alongside the mayoralty of Andy Burnham. Early partners comprised NHS organisations like Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and councils including City of Manchester Council and Salford City Council. The arrangement echoed precedents set by the Torbay Care Trust and the Integration of health and social care in England debates, while responding to national policy instruments such as the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and the Five Year Forward View.

Structure and Governance

Governance is framed through the Greater Manchester Combined Authority structures, the elected Mayor of Greater Manchester and a cross-sector board including representatives from local authorities, NHS Commissioners, NHS Providers and voluntary organisations. Operational bodies include NHS Greater Manchester and the ten local health and care partnerships reflective of borough boundaries like Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council and Trafford Council. Clinical leadership involves chief executives and chairs from organisations such as Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust and primary care networks affiliated with the Royal College of General Practitioners. Accountability intersects with statutory regulators including NHS Improvement and the Care Quality Commission.

Services and Initiatives

Services span acute hospital care across provider trusts like Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, community care delivered by organisations akin to Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, mental health services, and adult social care managed by borough councils. Notable initiatives include the Greater Manchester devolution-wide model for integrated primary care, multi-agency frailty services influenced by models from King’s College Hospital pathways, and disease-specific programmes targeting conditions referenced in the NHS Long Term Plan such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Digital projects have collaborated with organisations like NHS Digital and technology partners reminiscent of EMIS Health deployments. Prevention and population health activities tie into campaigns such as those led by Public Health England and regional strategies aligned with Transport for Greater Manchester to address wider determinants.

Funding and Budgetary Arrangements

Funding arrangements derive from pooled budgets negotiated between local authorities and NHS commissioners, leveraging allocations from HM Treasury as framed by the devolution deal and fiscal frameworks established in concert with NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care. Budgetary mechanisms include section 75 partnerships, capitated funding pilots, and transformation funding analogous to the Better Care Fund. Financial oversight involves treasurers from borough councils like Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council and finance leads from acute trusts, with cost-control pressures shaped by national austerity measures and spending reviews such as the Spending Review 2015.

Performance and Outcomes

Performance monitoring uses metrics consistent with national frameworks from NHS England and inspection outcomes from the Care Quality Commission. Reported outcomes have included reductions in delayed transfers of care in certain boroughs, variations in emergency admission rates across providers such as Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, and mixed performance on targets like the four-hour emergency department standard. Population health indicators reflect broader trends reported by Public Health England and local public health teams, with initiatives seeking to reduce health inequalities noted in parliamentary inquiries and analyses by think tanks such as the Health Foundation.

Partnerships and Stakeholder Relations

The Partnership engages a wide network of stakeholders including clinical commissioners formerly organised as Clinical Commissioning Group consortia, NHS trusts, local councils, the voluntary sector including charities similar to Shelter (charity) and Age UK, academic partners like University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, and trade unions such as Unison (trade union). Cross-sector collaboration has involved housing associations, police services including Greater Manchester Police, and transport planners from Transport for Greater Manchester to address social determinants. Engagement processes have included public consultations aligned with statutory duties and joint strategic needs assessments with health scrutiny committees in borough councils.

Controversies and Criticism

Critiques have focused on financial sustainability, with commentators from organisations like the National Audit Office and the Kings Fund raising concerns about budgetary deficits and delivery risks. Tensions surfaced between central bodies such as NHS England and local leaders over decision-making authority, and between borough councils over resource allocation. Campaigners and trade unions, including Unison (trade union) and GMB (trade union), have contested proposals affecting staff terms and service reconfigurations in trusts like Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, while service user groups have challenged changes to adult social care provision amid austerity debates. Governance complexity and accountability lines have been highlighted in media coverage from outlets such as the BBC and analyses in parliamentary committees.

Category:Health in Greater Manchester