Governance plans agreed for Manchester health and social care devolution

Agreement has been reached on the principles that will govern sharing power and making decisions within the landmark Greater Manchester health and care devolution.

Under the proposed structure a strategic partnership board will be set up to run in shadow format from this October.

The board’s membership will include:

• Greater Manchester Combined Authority;
• 10 Greater Manchester local authorities;
• 12 NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups;
• 15 Greater Manchester NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts;
• Representatives from primary care (GPs, dentists, optometrists, pharmacists), third sector (voluntary and charity groups) and patient groups;
• Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service;
• Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner's office;
• NHS England.

A statement issued by NHS England, the Greater Manchester Association of Clinical Commissioning, NHS in Greater Manchester, and the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities said the strategic board would be responsible for setting out the vision for the region’s health and social care economy to achieve various aims for the devolution.

It will be responsible for the financial and clinical sustainability of Greater Manchester health and care, through the delivery of a strategic plan.

This plan sets out what is to be led and agreed on a local level in each of the ten Greater Manchester areas - and what will be led and agreed at a Greater Manchester level.

These regional decisions will be taken by the Greater Manchester Joint Commissioning Board – whose core membership is made up of 10 local authorities and 12 CCGs and also NHS England.

Further details for the structure and board arrangements are to be finalised early in 2016, ready for full operation by April next year, the statement said.

It added that one of the key principles behind an earlier memorandum of understanding agreed by the parties was that there would be no reorganisation of the NHS or its mandate.

The MoU also underlined the need for Greater Manchester to establish strong ongoing governance for the work undertaken together.

Lord Peter Smith, GMCA lead on health and Leader of Wigan Council, said: "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to design a system that brings the delivery of health and social care together in Greater Manchester to improve health, give better outcomes for residents and reduce health inequalities in the region."

Ann Barnes, chief executive of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust and chair of the Greater Manchester Provider Federation Board, said: "February’s devolution announcement was a landmark event when we said the atmosphere was so charged, that it fizzed like champagne at a wedding reception.

“Well, if that was the reception, this new agreement is now the marriage and the day-to-day nurturing of our relationship. As NHS Trust providers we look forward to our role in better connected services that bring real benefits for our patients and their loved ones."