The Salford Health and Wellbeing Board convened to discuss several key issues impacting the city's health and social care landscape. The agenda included a final sign-off of the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment, a review of the Substance Misuse Health Needs Assessment, and a discussion of the Adult Safeguarding Board Annual Report. Additionally, the board was scheduled to discuss next steps for health and wellbeing initiatives in Salford.

Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment

The report pack included the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) 2025-28 for final approval. The PNA is a statutory assessment, examining pharmaceutical service provision, and identifying current and future needs. The draft PNA concluded that pharmaceutical services provision was sufficient across Salford for 2025-28, but feedback was invited on specific considerations regarding pharmacy provision in the MediaCity area.

A 60-day statutory consultation took place, and responses were received from pharmacy contractors, Healthwatch Salford, Community Pharmacy Greater Manchester, and a neighbouring Health and Wellbeing Board.

Some key points raised in the consultation responses included:

• The need for an executive summary in the PNA.
• Concerns about the viability of a pharmacy in MediaCity, with Healthwatch Salford suggesting it could be to the detriment of other areas.
• Suggestions for increasing accessibility of pharmacies, such as disability awareness training for staff and more hearing loops.
• Community Pharmacy Greater Manchester opposed the inclusion of a potential gap in Salford Quays, arguing that essential and advanced services were already met by current provision. They also questioned the use of a 15-minute walking distance to identify gaps in provision, as opposed to the 20 minutes used by other Health and Wellbeing Boards.
• A pharmacy contractor suggested that the national Advanced Service - Contraception - should be included in the data.

The report pack included a recommendation that the Health and Wellbeing Board approve the final version of the Salford PNA 2025-28 for publication, taking into consideration the results of the statutory consultation.

Substance Misuse Health Needs Assessment

The Health and Wellbeing Board were scheduled to discuss the Salford Drug and Alcohol Health Needs Assessment. The purpose of the assessment was to inform local strategy, commissioning of substance misuse treatment systems, and to shape service delivery to meet the needs of Salford's residents.

Key points from the assessment included:

• Prevalence for drug and alcohol use broadly mirrors national patterns around age and sex, however Salford figures are at a higher level than England's.
• Estimated prevalence of opiate and/or crack cocaine use is higher than the national average.
• Rates of alcohol dependency in 2019-20 were almost double those for England, and have increased since 2016-17.
• The city has seen a greater percentage of people accessing treatment across every substance category except opiates.
• A higher proportion of all people in treatment are considered to be making substantial progress when compared to regional percentages.
• There are specific groups, including women and ethnic minorities, who are likely to be underrepresented in treatment services.
• Health inequalities stemming from deprivation, homelessness, poor mental health, unemployment and job insecurity, and family history of addiction, feed directly into higher levels of drug and alcohol use.
• There is a significant proportion of people within the criminal justice system who would benefit from structured treatment, but are not in contact with services.
• The findings will be of interest to all local services coming into contact with children and young people, given substance misuse's impact on safeguarding, educational attainment, movement between CYP's mental health service, youth justice and housing.

The assessment included a number of recommendations, grouped into three categories:

• Understanding need, emergent risk and inequalities
• Early intervention and prevention
• Optimising treatment and recovery

Adult Safeguarding Board Annual Report

The Salford Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB) Annual Report 2024/2025 was scheduled for discussion. The report covered the period from April 2024 to March 2025 and highlighted achievements, challenges, and progress against five priorities:

• Working to prevent abuse and neglect
• Working to protect people from abuse/neglect
• Voice of the adult (including carers)
• Communications and engagement
• Safeguarding effectiveness

The report noted good progress against these strategic objectives, delivered through a planned programme of work. It also highlighted the strengthening of communication and engagement with system partners, as evidenced by training and development opportunities provided to practitioners.

The report included information on Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs) that have been commissioned or undertaken by the board during the year, as well as changes made as a result of learning from them.

The report also included a statement of acknowledgement from partner agencies, outlining how they continue to meet the key strategic priorities.