The Joint Scrutiny Panel for Pennine Care (Mental Health) Trust is scheduled to meet to discuss a presentation from the Chief Executive of the Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, and to review the minutes of their previous meeting. The presentation is expected to cover the Trust's financial performance, the Care Quality Committee (CQC) inspection of older adult wards, and the Trust's strategic delivery plans.

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust Presentation

Anthony Hassall, Chief Executive of the Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, is scheduled to give a presentation to the panel. The presentation is expected to cover several key areas:

• Financial Performance: The presentation is expected to state that the Trust achieved a surplus of £50,000 for the 2024/25 year. It will also cover agency and bank spending, capital funding utilisation, and cash reserves. The report pack notes that agency spend was 25% less than the previous year, totalling £11.5 million, while bank spend increased by 40% to £22.4 million. The presentation is also expected to cover the 2025/26 financial plan, including a £7.4 million investment in safer staffing, and planned reductions in agency and bank spending. The report pack notes that the Trust is aiming to reduce agency spend by 40% and bank spend by 15% through the recruitment of additional permanent ward staff. The presentation is also expected to mention that £2.1 million has been awarded to support the reduction of Out of Area (OAP) placements at Birch Hill Hospital in Rochdale and Tatton Ward in Tameside. The report pack states that this funding will be used for seclusion suites and a bed management system. An additional £1.1 million has also been designated for the reconfiguration of Emergency and Urgent Care Departments (EDs) at Royal Oldham Hospital in Oldham and Fairfield General Hospital in Bury to support mental health patients. The report pack also mentions the placement of Living Well consultants in the five Greater Manchester boroughs to ensure individuals with mental health conditions are correctly signposted.

• Care Quality Committee (CQC) Inspection: The presentation is expected to address the CQC inspection of the Trust's older adult wards, which took place in November 2024. The report pack notes that the inspection report, issued on 15 May 2025, rated the Trust's Older Adult wards overall as 'Requires Improvement'. The inspection included unannounced visits to several wards, including Ramsbottom ward in Bury, Cedars and Rowan in Oldham, Beech in Rochdale, Davenport, Rosewood and Saffron in Stockport, and Summers and Hague in Tameside. The report pack states that a Section 29a notice¹ was issued on 7 February 2025 for two regulatory breaches related to staff behaviour. The presentation is expected to outline the actions taken by the Trust following the inspection, including the development of a Single Improvement Plan, the establishment of a CQC Delivery Hub, engagement with Integrated Care Board (ICB) quality visits, and the commissioning of an independent consultant.

• Strategic Delivery 2025/26: The presentation is expected to cover the Trust's strategic delivery plans for the year, including progress on the Business Plan, the Outstanding Care Improvement Plan, the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF), and the Service Transformation Plan. The report pack notes that the Business Plan includes 11 themes and demonstrates progress in areas such as care planning and clinical supervision. The report pack also states that all wards are now smoke-free, a PCREF steering group has been established, and a patient portal pilot is continuing. The Service Transformation Plan includes initiatives related to community services, inpatient services, and crisis services. The report pack mentions the development of a new community model with social care, consistent care bundles for inpatients, and the mobilisation of NHS 111 and the Mental Health Urgent Triage (MHUT).

Minutes from the Previous Meeting

The panel is scheduled to review the minutes of the meeting held on 25 June 2025. According to the minutes, the previous meeting included the re-appointment of Councillor Colin McLaren as Chair and the appointment of Councillor Patricia Dale as Vice Chair. Apologies were received from Councillor Zaheer Ali, Councillor Angela Smith, Shadow Portfolio Holder for Adult Care and Wellbeing, and T. McDougall, Director of Quality, Nursing and Allied Healthcare Professionals at Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust. The minutes also record a discussion about the circulation of the 2025/26 Business Plan, and a query about whether it had been circulated.