The Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership Board's meeting on Friday 29 May 2026 was scheduled to cover updates on the NHS GM Integrated Care Partnership Strategy, the transition of NHS GM from reform to delivery, and progress on the GM Health and Care Anti Racism Programme. Discussions were also planned regarding the 'Every Child Achieving and Thriving' Schools White Paper and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) reforms.

NHS GM Integrated Care Partnership Strategy Meeting Update

The meeting was scheduled to receive an update on the NHS GM Integrated Care Partnership Strategy meetings. These strategy meetings, held on 22 January and 18 February, focused on areas including dementia support, anti-racism initiatives, and suicide prevention. Discussions highlighted concerns about organisational change within the Greater Manchester health and care system, the potential loss of expertise, and the need for clearer national guidance. Members also emphasised the importance of maintaining flexibility for local areas and strengthening communication with national partners.

NHS GM from Reform to Delivery

A report was scheduled to provide a strategic update on NHS Greater Manchester (NHS GM), outlining its transition from a period of organisational reform to a phase of delivery. The report was expected to detail the foundations in place for this next phase, including improvements in system performance, the development of a strategic commissioning approach, and the strengthening of place-based delivery through initiatives like Live Well and neighbourhood health. The report was also intended to highlight material risks to delivery, such as reduced organisational capacity and system-wide resource pressures, and to explain how deeper integration of health, care, and public services through devolution and the Integrated Care Partnership offers the best opportunity to address these challenges.

GM Health and Care Anti Racism Programme Update

An update was planned on the GM Health and Care Anti Racism Programme, building on the No Space for Racism campaign launched in March 2026. The report was to summarise progress in embedding the campaign within the wider GM Anti-Racism Framework, detailing delivery to date and how the campaign is being translated into sustained system change through defined workstreams. These workstreams include the public-facing communications campaign, health and care sector actions led by NHS Greater Manchester, and wider system alignment coordinated with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and system partners. The aim of these workstreams is to challenge racism, protect those who use and work in health and care services, and address the structural conditions that allow harm to persist.

'Every Child Achieving and Thriving' - Schools White Paper and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Reforms

The meeting was scheduled to receive a report outlining Greater Manchester's response to the 'Every Child Achieving and Thriving' Schools White Paper and the associated Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) reforms. The report was expected to provide an overview of SEND delivery across Greater Manchester and detail the emerging response to the national reforms. Key aspects of the reforms, including their timescales and workforce requirements, were to be discussed. The report was also to cover the development of Local SEND Reform Plans, which are a requirement of the White Paper and are being jointly developed by local authorities and the Integrated Care Board (ICB). The Experts at Hand (EAH) initiative, designed to strengthen mainstream education settings' capacity to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND, was also to be discussed, including its funding allocations and alignment with existing Greater Manchester programmes. The report was expected to highlight the challenges related to timescales and workforce requirements for implementing these reforms.