The Health Scrutiny Committee met to discuss a range of important health-related issues affecting Manchester residents. Key topics included an update on a prostate cancer awareness campaign, progress on healthcare-led regeneration projects, and an overview of general practice services across the city. The committee also received an update on the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board and the NHS 10-Year Plan.

Prostate Cancer Awareness Campaign Update

The committee was scheduled to consider a report detailing the background, specifics, and outcomes of a prostate cancer awareness campaign tailored for Manchester. This campaign was initiated following a motion passed by the Full Council in November 2025. The report outlined the campaign's structure, including facts and figures about prostate cancer, the rationale behind the campaign's development and its impact, the current stance on national prostate cancer screening, and proposals for future collaboration with GM Cancer Alliance colleagues for a second phase of the campaign. The report recommended that the committee consider and comment on the results of the campaign and support next steps to amplify the work of the GM Cancer Alliance in providing materials to help men make informed decisions about prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests. The campaign aimed to raise awareness of the risks associated with prostate cancer, particularly for men over 50, those with a family history, and Black men, encouraging them to use the Prostate Cancer UK risk checker and discuss PSA tests with their GP.

Healthcare Led Regeneration

A report was presented to provide an update on healthcare-led regeneration initiatives within Manchester. The discussion was scheduled to cover developments at the North Manchester General Hospital site, including its redevelopment into a sustainable health campus, and wider partnership efforts to benefit residents. The report also focused on Wythenshawe Hospital and primary care estate developments. The North Manchester programme is a significant regeneration effort, valued at approximately £6 billion over two decades, aimed at addressing socio-economic disadvantage and poor health outcomes. This includes the redevelopment of North Manchester General Hospital and the delivery of new homes and infrastructure. The report detailed progress on the new hospital build, including the appointment of a contractor and plans for community engagement. It also outlined strategies for maximising the benefits of regeneration through voluntary sector capacity building, developing neighbourhood-based healthcare, and enhancing digital and transport connectivity. Similar regeneration efforts were discussed concerning Wythenshawe Hospital, focusing on its integration with wider local development projects and plans to re-envision healthcare delivery in line with the NHS 10-Year Plan. The report also touched upon primary care developments, including proposals for integrated neighbourhood health hubs.

An Overview on the Provision and Access to General Practice services across Manchester

The committee was scheduled to receive an overview of general practice services in Manchester, building on previous information shared in February 2023. The report aimed to provide updated context on services in place to improve patient access and utilisation of GP care, acknowledging ongoing pressures and actions being taken. It was intended to outline Manchester's programme for modernising general practice, including efforts in primary care digital transformation and estate development. The report highlighted that general practice is the foundation of the NHS and has been providing more appointments than ever before, despite facing significant pressures. It detailed national policy shifts towards neighbourhood-based care and the three shifts of the NHS 10-Year Plan: hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. The report provided data on registered patients, population growth, and the complexity of Manchester's population, which places unique demands on general practice. It also discussed the modern general practice model, focusing on optimising contact channels, structured information gathering, and better allocation of capacity. The report detailed capacity and access improvement payments, online consultation data, and changes to the GP contract for 2026/27. Furthermore, it covered GP Enhanced Access services, the role of NHS111, the Greater Manchester Clinical Assessment Service (GMCAS), and GP Out of Hours services. The report also addressed primary care digital transformation, patient experience, appointment data, and the impact of winter pressures. Finally, it discussed the Special Allocation Scheme for patients removed from mainstream GP lists, interpretation and translation provision, homelessness GP services, and the Greater Manchester BeCCoR GP Incentive Scheme.

Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board Update and NHS 10 Year Plan

This report was intended to provide an update on national NHS reform in line with the implementation of the NHS 10-Year Health Plan and the national Neighbourhood Health Framework. It was scheduled to cover developments within the Greater Manchester Integrated Care System (GM ICS), including the new NHS GM Operating Model, the development of Place Partnership arrangements, and progress in Manchester to strengthen its place-based approach to health and care delivery. The report followed up on a previous update to the Health Scrutiny Committee in October 2025. The NHS 10-Year Health Plan focuses on three key shifts: hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention, with a strong emphasis on neighbourhood health services. The report detailed the ongoing reform within NHS GM, including the establishment of Place Health and Care Partnerships (PHCPs) as the primary mechanism for delivering the Neighbourhood Health Framework. It outlined the proposed structure of the NHS GM Operating Model, distinguishing between the strategic commissioner role at GM level and the local insight-led planning and integrated delivery at Place. The report also discussed the development of a Place Partnership Agreement, Outcomes Framework, Place Fund, and Place Team, aiming to provide a consistent operating framework for place-based delivery. In Manchester, the existing Manchester Partnership Board (MPB) is set to evolve into the Place Health and Care Partnership, with priorities focused on improving health and wellbeing, reducing inequalities, and improving access to services. The report detailed a phased approach to delivering these changes from April 2026, including the development of a single Manchester Health and Social Care Plan and the finalisation of the LCO 2.0 model. The financial picture for Greater Manchester and Manchester locality was also presented, highlighting deficits and cost-saving measures.

Overview Report

This report from the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit was scheduled to provide a summary of key information for the committee. It included a monitor of previous recommendations, details of relevant key decisions taken by the council, items for information, and the committee's work programme. Additionally, it contained an appendix with submissions from the Health Scrutiny Committee to the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust regarding their Draft Quality Account for 2025/26. The committee was invited to discuss this information and agree any necessary changes to its work programme. The report also listed organisations inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) within Manchester since the last meeting, along with their inspection ratings.