2026/2000

I am submitting a Freedom of Information request regarding the Integrated Care Board’s oversight of Section 117 Mental Health Act aftercare in the Rochdale area.

Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 places a statutory duty on both the local authority and the NHS (via the ICB) to provide aftercare services free of charge to patients who have been detained under the Mental Health Act.

1. How many individuals in the Rochdale area are currently subject to Section 117 aftercare arrangements?
2. How many individuals in the Rochdale area who are subject to Section 117 aftercare have been charged for care services by Rochdale Borough Council?
3. What monitoring does NHS Greater Manchester ICB conduct to ensure that Section 117 aftercare patients are not being charged for services that should be provided free of charge?
4. Does the ICB maintain a register of Section 117 aftercare patients in the Rochdale area? If so, how many patients are on this register?
5. What joint working arrangements exist between NHS Greater Manchester ICB and Rochdale Borough Council regarding Section 117 aftercare provision and funding?
6. Has the ICB ever identified cases where a local authority has charged a Section 117 patient for care that should have been free? If so, what action was taken?
7. Has the ICB ever raised concerns about Rochdale Borough Council’s charging practices in relation to Section 117 aftercare patients?
8. What escalation route exists for families who believe a Section 117 patient is being unlawfully charged for aftercare?
9. Has the ICB received any complaints or concerns regarding the care being provided to Section 117 aftercare patients in the Rochdale area between 1 January 2024 and 28 August 2026?
10. Does the ICB track paramedic or ambulance call-outs to Section 117 aftercare patients as an indicator of care quality? If not, why not?
11. If any information cannot be disclosed, please cite the specific exemption under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 that applies and explain the public interest test.

1. Current records indicate approximately 800 people as of 31/07/2026
2. NHS GM does not hold this information.
3. NHS GM does not hold this information.
4. As reported in question 1
5. Pooled budget under Section 75 agreement
6. NHS GM does not hold this information.
7. NHS GM does not hold this information.
8. The escalation would be via Rochdale Borough Council
9. NHS GM does not categorise complaints received according to section 117 aftercare. However, a search has been undertaken against the case descriptions, as recorded for each case received, to determine if section 117 was captured in this information. This search has not identified any complaints in the Rochdale area for the period 1 January 2025 to 28 August 2026.
10. NHS GM does not hold this information.

Where information is not held, you may wish to council Rochdale Borough Council as the local authority for further information.

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