NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board

NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Name	NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Type	Integrated care board
Region	Greater Manchester, England
Established	2022
Parent organisation	NHS England

NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board is the statutory integrated care board responsible for planning and commissioning health services across Greater Manchester, England, coordinating with local authorities, hospitals and community providers to deliver population health improvements and service integration. The board operates within the legislative framework established by the Health and Social Care Act 2022 and works alongside regional NHS bodies, local councils and academic partners to align resources, workforce and strategic priorities.

History and formation

The organisation was created following national reforms in England articulated in the Health and Social Care Act 2022, which reconfigured NHS England structures and established integrated care systems such as the one covering Greater Manchester (county), succeeding collaborative arrangements like the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership and the devolution-related agreements negotiated with the UK Government and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Its formation drew on precedents including the Manchester Devolution Deal and the partnership model used in Salford and Oldham, influenced by earlier initiatives involving NHS Digital, Healthwatch England, and commissioning consortia formerly organised as Clinical commissioning group entities across Bury, Bolton, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, Rochdale, Manchester, Oldham, and Salford. The governance model incorporated lessons from national reviews such as the Five Year Forward View and policy documents from Department of Health and Social Care and drew stakeholder input from organisations including University of Manchester, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, and local voluntary sector bodies like Age UK and Citizens Advice.

Governance and structure

The board's governance framework aligns with statutory duties set by NHS England and statutory partner obligations under the Health and Social Care Act 2022, integrating representation from local authorities within the Greater Manchester Combined Authority area, clinical leaders from acute trusts such as University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust-adjacent organisations, mental health providers such as Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, community providers, and patient groups including Healthwatch Manchester and Healthwatch Salford. Executive leadership typically includes a chief executive and directors with portfolios influenced by frameworks from NHS Improvement and reporting relationships with the Care Quality Commission, while board assurance mechanisms reference standards exemplified by guidance from National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and audit practices used by Audit Commission-style bodies. Committees addressing finance, quality, workforce and patient safety reflect models used by integrated care boards across Northeast England and South Yorkshire, and strategic planning links to transport and housing partners like Transport for Greater Manchester and the Homes England agenda.

Geography and population served

The ICB's footprint covers the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester (county), encompassing metropolitan boroughs including Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Bury, Rochdale, Oldham, Stockport, Tameside and Glossop, Trafford, and Wigan. The population served mirrors demographic patterns documented by the Office for National Statistics with urban centres such as Manchester city centre and suburban towns like Stockport and Bury, alongside peri-urban areas bordering Cheshire and Lancashire. Diverse communities include ethnic and cultural groups represented in wards with profiles studied by academic partners at The University of Manchester and public health analyses performed by Public Health England-successor bodies, while socioeconomic indicators reference indices from Index of Multiple Deprivation datasets.

Services and commissioning

Commissioning responsibilities cover hospital services provided by trusts such as Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, community health services delivered by providers including Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, mental health services from Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, and specialist services coordinated with tertiary centres like Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and cancer centres linked to Christie Hospital. The ICB commissions primary care networks involving GP practices affiliated to organisations such as the Royal College of General Practitioners, dental services, community pharmacy services coordinated with Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee-aligned contractors, and public health initiatives developed with local authorities and partners like NHS Blood and Transplant. Commissioning strategies incorporate population health management techniques referenced in NHS Long Term Plan and employ contracting approaches similar to those used in Integrated care systems across England.

Performance and accountability

Performance monitoring uses indicators applied by the Care Quality Commission and national metrics from NHS England including waiting times, elective activity, urgent and emergency care flow, and outcomes reported in datasets curated by NHS Digital. Accountability to elected local leaders involves scrutiny by local councils within the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and public engagement through Healthwatch organisations. Financial control and audit processes reflect standards applied by National Audit Office-informed practices and grant arrangements influenced by allocations from NHS England and central Treasury frameworks, while quality improvement draws on methodologies seen in Institute for Healthcare Improvement collaborations and regional patient safety programmes.

Partnerships and integrated care initiatives

The ICB leads multi-agency partnerships with acute trusts like Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, mental health providers such as Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, ambulance services exemplified by North West Ambulance Service, local authorities within the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, academic partners including The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, and voluntary sector organisations such as British Red Cross and Age UK. Integrated care initiatives include neighbourhood models akin to examples in Salford, population health management pilots informed by NHS England innovation frameworks, collaborative workforce programmes with Health Education England, and service transformation projects linked to national drives like the NHS Long Term Plan and digital integration efforts referencing platforms from NHS Digital.

Category:National Health Service (England) healthcare organisations