NHS Greater Manchester

NHS Greater Manchester
Name	NHS Greater Manchester
Formation	2016
Headquarters	Manchester
Region served	Greater Manchester
Leader title	Chair
Leader name	Sir Richard Leese

NHS Greater Manchester is a regional health commissioning and planning body covering the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester including the cities of Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan. It coordinates services across multiple acute providers such as Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, and specialised tertiary centres including Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and Manchester Royal Infirmary. The organisation interacts with regional actors like Greater Manchester Combined Authority, NHS England, and local authorities including Manchester City Council and Trafford Council to deliver integrated care pathways across urban and suburban populations.

History

The formation followed devolution accords negotiated with the UK Government and leaders including Andy Burnham and involved frameworks comparable to reforms in NHS England and precedents from Integrated Care Systems. Its establishment drew on models tested in trusts such as Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and initiatives linked to the Five Year Forward View. Early governance built on relationships with bodies like Health and Social Care Act 2012 implementers, and programmes connected to regional institutions including The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust. The organisational history intersects with policy debates in House of Commons health committees and reports by organisations such as King's Fund and Nuffield Trust. Key milestones included consolidation of commissioning footprints, collaboration agreements with Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and system-wide plans influenced by events like the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom and prior public health emergencies.

Organisation and governance

Governance structures align chairs and accountabilities across statutory bodies including Clinical Commissioning Group successors, local authorities (for example Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council), and major providers such as Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust. Leadership roles have been occupied by figures linked to the Labour Party and civic leadership in organisations like Manchester City Council; board membership typically includes appointees from NHS England and directors formerly from trusts including Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust and Wythenshawe Hospital. The system uses commissioning arrangements derived from regulations introduced under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and operational guidance from Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. Accountability mechanisms involve scrutiny from bodies such as the Care Quality Commission and parliamentary overseers including committees of the House of Commons.

Services and facilities

Services span acute care at providers such as Manchester Royal Infirmary, specialised cancer care at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, paediatric services at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, mental health services at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, community services operated by trusts like Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, and ambulance provision linked to North West Ambulance Service. Facilities incorporate major hospitals including Wythenshawe Hospital, trauma services associated with regional centres of excellence and elective care hubs modelled on projects in England. The network integrates with primary care practices across constituencies such as Manchester Central and Bolton South East, links to tertiary referral pathways involving Royal Preston Hospital and cross-border arrangements with services in Cheshire and Lancashire. Public health programmes coordinate with regional agencies and institutions like Public Health England predecessors and local directors of public health.

Finance and commissioning

Financial frameworks are shaped by allocations from NHS England and budget oversight from the Treasury, employing commissioning mechanisms evolved from Clinical Commissioning Groups to system-level contracting with major providers including Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. Capital projects have required approvals similar to those for schemes at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust and have been influenced by austerity-era fiscal settlements debated in the House of Commons and by analyses from think tanks such as Institute for Fiscal Studies. Commissioning priorities reflect population health needs in boroughs like Oldham and Rochdale, aligning elective care, diagnostics investment, and community health budgets with national programmes such as the NHS Long Term Plan.

Performance and outcomes

Performance monitoring utilises metrics reported to NHS England and inspected by the Care Quality Commission; outcomes for emergency care, elective waits, and cancer pathways are benchmarked against trusts including Royal Albert Edward Infirmary and national averages. The system's response to pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom affected metrics for accident and emergency waiting times and elective backlogs, prompting interventions similar to recovery plans seen in regions such as London and Wales. Quality improvement initiatives have drawn on research from institutions like University of Manchester and collaborations with Nuffield Trust and King's Fund to target reductions in health inequalities in areas such as Salford and Wigan.

Partnerships and strategic initiatives

Strategic collaborations include partnerships with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, academic links with University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, and integrated arrangements with social care services under local authorities such as Trafford Council and Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council. Initiatives mirror national strategies in the NHS Long Term Plan and involve joint programmes with charities and research bodies including Cancer Research UK, Wellcome Trust, and Health Innovation Manchester. Cross-sector projects have engaged transportation and housing stakeholders like Transport for Greater Manchester and regeneration programmes associated with MediaCityUK and the Northern Powerhouse agenda. The region also participates in collaborative networks with other NHS regions and international partners through exchanges with systems in Scotland, Wales, and European health partnerships predating Brexit.

Category:Health in Greater Manchester