FOI 2026/1687

I am writing under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request information about how the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership and/or Integrated Care Board receives, considers, monitors, and uses Joint Strategic Needs Assessments (JSNAs) and associated local authority Health and Wellbeing Board action plans and the CQC remit of both the Local authorities and the ICP/ICB of greater Manchester.

Background information 

Operational framework for adult social care intervention in local authorities

“This framework is intended to provide information to local authorities in England on the government’s approach to intervention in adult social care.

New powers of intervention were introduced through the Health and Care Act 2022. These powers enable the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to intervene where they are satisfied that local authorities have failed or are failing to discharge Care Act 2014 functions to an acceptable standard. The framework is aimed at directors of adult social services, chief executives and elected members of local authorities.”

CQC Regulation of Local Authorities: Local authority assessment guidance – Care Quality Commission

it seems CQC has assessed only two of the GM local authorities so far as per the links below

Adult social care intervention framework for local authorities – GOV.UK

Local authority assessment guidance – Care Quality Commission

Wigan Council: local authority assessment – Care Quality Commission

Bolton Council: local authority assessment – Care Quality Commission

Local authorities CQC assessments in progress :

Bury, Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Trafford, Rochdale, Tameside

Local Authorities Health and Wellbeing Boards Remit  (  Health and wellbeing boards – guidance – GOV.UK 2022   )

National guidance confirms that local authority Health and Wellbeing Boards remain responsible for preparing JSNAs and joint local health and wellbeing strategies, and that ICPs must have regard to the assessed needs set out in JSNAs when preparing and revising the integrated care strategy. I am therefore seeking an overview of how this operates in practice across Greater Manchester between 1 April 2022 and the present.

Where any of the information requested below is already published online, please provide direct links or indicate the committees or publication locations where these papers can be accessed, rather than resending the documents, as I am struggling to locate these documents )

Summary of JSNAs and system‑wide analysis

Please provide copies of any reports, briefings, dashboards, slide decks, summaries, analyses, priority‑mapping documents, or other recorded information that show how JSNAs from the Greater Manchester local authorities are summarised, compared, or used to identify system‑wide themes, unmet need, inequalities, or priority areas for the ICP or ICB. This includes any documents that aggregate JSNA findings across boroughs, compare JSNA priorities, or highlight cross‑boundary issues.

Assurance and implementation of JSNA priorities
Please provide copies of any documents that provide assurance to the ICP or ICB regarding implementation of JSNA recommendations or action plans, including progress updates from local authorities or place‑based partnerships, monitoring reports, or escalation of risks, barriers, or gaps in delivery against JSNA priorities. This includes any assurance statements, performance summaries, or governance papers that refer to the delivery of JSNA‑related interventions or local priorities.

Governance, reporting arrangements and publication
Please provide any minutes, agenda papers, decision logs, or other reports where JSNAs or JSNA‑related action plans were considered by the ICP, ICB, or any relevant committee or programme board. Please also provide any documents that set out the governance arrangements, reporting lines, or responsibilities for receiving JSNA updates from local authorities or Health and Wellbeing Boards (for example, terms of reference, governance frameworks, or operating procedures).

Please confirm whether the ICP and/or ICB has produced any overarching strategic needs assessment analysis report or equivalent document covering the whole Greater Manchester ICS area. If such a document exists, please provide it. In addition, please provide any documents that map local authority JSNA priorities against the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Strategy, the Joint Forward Plan, place‑based or locality plans, or any population health or inequalities strategies.

Integrated Care Partnership Strategies must have regard to Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Health and Well Being Plans. Our ten localities in Greater Manchester – Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan – all have Local Authority (LA) plans (or strategies), locality plans for health and care and Health and Wellbeing (H&WB) plans.

The Joint Strategic Needs Assessments (JSNAs) in each locality have specifically informed the Health and Wellbeing plans, as well as the other plans. Our approach to this in Greater Manchester is set out in our Integrated Care Partnership Strategy 2023-28.

Please find a link to the strategy below:

https://gmintegratedcare.org.uk/greatermanchester-icp/icp-strategy/

On CQC inspections, all 10 local authorities in Greater Manchester have now had a CQC inspection. However, only three reports have been published so far (Bolton, Oldham, Wigan). The other reports will be published after the May 2026 local elections, but CQC have not shared specific publication dates.

To assist you please find below a link to the CQC website and the Oldham Local Authority assessment.

Care Quality Commission

Oldham Council: local authority assessment – Care Quality Commission