FOI 2026/1554

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide the following:

PART A: SECTION 117 AFTER-CARE GOVERNANCE & COMPLIANCE

To understand GM ICB’s compliance with the January 2024 statutory guidance, please provide:

1. The ICB’s overarching policy/partnership agreement with GM Local Authorities governing Section 117 after-care.
2. The specific components of the mandated “infrastructure” and “funding mechanisms”:

1. The “Procedures and Guidance Document” (or equivalent operational manual) for S117.
2. The Terms of Reference for the multi-agency oversight panel/“Quality Assurance Group”.
3. The protocol for the GM-wide S117 register/eligibility list, detailing its maintenance and audit.
4. The local funding agreement between ICB and LAs that operationalises Annex B of the national guidance.
5. The escalation protocol for resolving ICB/LA disputes over S117.

PART B: “WAITING WELL” POLICY & ICB PATIENT HARM DATA

To assess the safety and efficacy of the response to CMHT waiting lists, please provide:

3. The ICB’s current policy or operational framework for the “Waiting Well” model, including clinical criteria, review standards, and escalation processes.
4. For each calendar year from 2022 to the latest 2026 data, please provide:

The number of individuals who came to harm or died while:

1. on a CMHT or EIP waiting list for assessment/treatment.
2. under the care of the “Waiting Well” model.
3. The recorded cause of these deaths (suicide, accidental, natural, undetermined types of Harm).
4. The annual average numbers of people on CMHT waiting lists and under the “Waiting Well” model (2022 to 2026)

If precise data for Part B.2 is not held, please provide any related Incident reports or analysis insights of harm within this group of people who are reported to be abandoned on waiting lists and reports that many have come to Harm whilst waiting.

PART A: SECTION 117 AFTER-CARE GOVERNANCE & COMPLIANCE

NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (NHS GM) discharges its Section 117 after-care duties in accordance with the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Department of Health and Social Care statutory guidance issued in January 2024. The ICB works jointly with Greater Manchester Local Authorities to meet these statutory responsibilities. Where Greater Manchester-wide arrangements are still in development, established place-based governance, operational and funding arrangements continue to operate and remain compliant with national legislation and guidance.

1. Overarching policy/partnership agreement

Work is underway to agree an overarching partnership agreement between NHS GM and Greater Manchester Local Authorities governing Section 117 after-care. This work is intended to formalise and standardise existing place-based arrangements rather than replace them. In the interim, Section 117 responsibilities continue to be discharged through established local agreements and joint working practices that operate within national statutory requirements, including the principle of shared responsibility between the NHS and Local Authorities.

2. Infrastructure and funding mechanisms
3. a) Procedures and guidance

Discussions are underway with partners to agree a Greater Manchester-wide procedures and guidance document for Section 117 after-care. Pending agreement of a single GM-wide document, local operational procedures remain in place and are aligned to national statutory guidance and the Mental Health Act Code of Practice.

1. b) Oversight and quality assurance

Discussions are underway to agree the terms of reference for a Greater Manchester-wide multi-agency oversight and quality assurance function. In the interim, oversight of Section 117 decisions and packages is undertaken through established place-based governance and assurance arrangements involving both NHS and Local Authority partners.

1. c) Section 117 register/eligibility list

Place-based Section 117 registers are currently maintained and are being updated and triangulated with NHS Trust and Local Authority partners. A draft memorandum of understanding is in development with partners to formalise expectations for the maintenance, reconciliation and audit of these lists across Greater Manchester.

1. d) Funding agreements

There are a number of inherited local funding agreements across Greater Manchester that operationalise Section 117 funding responsibilities. These are being reviewed jointly with Local Authority partners with the aim of improving consistency and alignment with Annex B of the January 2024 statutory guidance.

1. e) Escalation and dispute resolution

Current place-based escalation arrangements are in place, with disputes escalated through Local Authority Directors of Adult Social Care and the relevant ICB Assistant Director. This approach is consistent with national expectations for joint dispute resolution under Section 117 and will be further formalised through the development of GM-wide governance arrangements.

PART B: “WAITING WELL” POLICY & PATIENT SAFETY DATA

3. Waiting Well policy

Operational arrangements for managing people awaiting assessment or treatment by Community Mental Health Teams, including “Waiting Well” approaches, are delivered by NHS provider Trusts in line with national policy, clinical standards and local commissioning arrangements. NHS GM provides system oversight through contract management, quality governance and assurance processes. A single GM-wide operational framework for Waiting Well is not currently held.

4. Harm and mortality data

NHS GM does not hold a single, centrally collated dataset that captures harm or deaths specifically attributable to individuals on Community Mental Health Team or Early Intervention in Psychosis waiting lists, or those supported through Waiting Well arrangements, for the period requested.

Information relating to patient harm and mortality is held by NHS provider Trusts and managed through established incident reporting, serious incident and learning from deaths processes. Where required, NHS GM receives assurance and aggregated intelligence through quality governance and contract oversight mechanisms.

As such, NHS GM is unable to provide the specific numerical breakdowns requested in Part B.2. No centrally held reports or analyses attributing harm or deaths specifically to Waiting Well arrangements are held by NHS GM.