I’m pleased to share an update on Live Well, Greater Manchester’s neighbourhood prevention and integration framework supporting the GM Strategy and 10 Year Health Plan.

All 10 localities will have at least one Live Well centre in place by the end of this financial year, offering mental health, housing, employment, family and financial support. These centres will be guided by a Live Well Board, which met for the first time in October. NHS GM and GMCA have together committed £10m to each locality.

Primary care is a key partner in this work. With growing engagement from general practice, pharmacy, dentistry and optometry, we’ve identified priorities around governance, funding, digital integration, workforce development and referral pathways. Thank you to everyone who’s already got involved – your energy has been brilliant.

We’re also setting up a GM virtual mobilisation unit to bring key partners together and drive our prevention demonstrator. Its aim is to transform place-based public services so we can prevent ill health, reduce economic inactivity and ease pressure on councils, the NHS and other services.

In the meantime, our thoughts remain with everyone affected by last month’s attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue. To support residents, we’ve launched a Trauma Support page on the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership website with advice, reassurance and clear signposting to services for anyone impacted.

Thank you again to everyone who responded to the attack and who continues to support our communities. Your dedication makes Greater Manchester stronger every day.

Andy Burnham

Mayor of Greater Manchester

Co-chair, Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership

NHS Greater Manchester is evolving its operating model to deliver better health and care for everyone across our city region. Our vision remains unchanged: helping people live longer, healthier lives and tackling inequalities. We’re committed to our six core missions, from strengthening communities and supporting carers to achieving financial sustainability.

The new model focuses on three strategic shifts: moving from treatment to prevention, hospital to community care, and analogue to digital services. By working closely with local authorities, NHS Trusts, primary care, and the voluntary sector, we’re joining up services at neighbourhood level and investing in community-led solutions.

Each of our ten Place Partnerships are supported to design services that meet local needs, ensuring care is tailored, accessible, and effective. We’re streamlining governance, increasing transparency, and reinvesting savings from acute care into prevention and community services.

This approach puts partnership and collaboration at the heart of everything we do. We invite you to learn more about our operating model and share your views on how we can maximise positive impact for Greater Manchester. You can read the full operating model: https://gmintegratedcare.org.uk/about/our-plans and then feed back your views: NHS Greater Manchester Operating Model Stakeholder Engagement | Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership

Greater Manchester’s leadership in prevention has been spotlighted in the NHS Confederation’s annual report on Integrated Care Systems (ICSs).

The report, based on feedback from ICS leaders across England, explores how systems are progressing, adapting to policy changes, and supporting the delivery of the 10-Year Health Plan. Greater Manchester is featured as a case study for our role as a “prevention demonstrator”, showing how local services can work together to support healthier communities.

Greater Manchester is helping to shape a major new national drive to reduce ill health and support more people into good work, as the government launches its Keep Britain Working Report: Keep Britain Working Review.

The Review highlights that one in five working-age adults are out of work due to health reasons. In response, over 60 major employers are partnering with government to tackle the rise in ill health that is driving people out of work and impacting growth.

Mark Fisher, Chief Executive of NHS Greater Manchester, said: “In Greater Manchester, we’re focused on making it easier for people to get into good work and stay in it by tackling the health issues that can make that harder. Whether it’s mental health, housing, or skills, we’re working with others to remove the barriers that can hold people back."

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram have launched a joint drive to tackle inequalities that stop women and girls from getting active. In Greater Manchester, only 59% of women achieve the recommended 150 minutes of weekly activity compared with 65% of men. Greater Manchester Moving and Merseyside Sports Partnership will lead new plans to close this gap by addressing safety concerns, improving access, and offering training and education to create more inclusive opportunities for women and girls to move with confidence.

Over 200 colleagues from dentistry, optometry, community pharmacy and general practice, along with representatives from the wider system and the Voluntary Community Faith and Social Enterprise sector (VCFSE) came together for the event on Wednesday 8 October. 

Bringing together serious discussion and celebration, the event explored key themes such as the NHS 10-Year Health plan, prevention and neighbourhood working.

It was also an opportunity to mark the 10-year anniversary of Greater Manchester Primary Care Provider Board (GMPCB).

Attendees were able to take part in interactive sessions and hear some lively debate, creating a sense of energy and excitement throughout the day.

The COVID-19 vaccine rules have changed this year

This year, the NHS has changed who is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. This is to make sure that those most at risk of becoming seriously unwell are offered the vaccine.

It is possible for you to be eligible for the flu vaccine but not eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination, even if you’ve had it previously.

Find out who is eligible here.

Resident (junior) doctors across England are taking part in industrial action from 7am on Friday 14 November until 7am on Wednesday 19 November.

During this time, patient safety remains our priority across Greater Manchester. Emergency and urgent services will continue, but some routine (planned) care may be postponed. You will be contacted if your appointment is affected; otherwise, please attend as normal. 

The NHS in Greater Manchester has well-established plans to manage periods of industrial action. These tried and tested measures are designed to ensure that those who need urgent and emergency care continue to receive it.

You can help us keep services running smoothly by:

• Calling 999 only in a life-threatening emergency.
• Using NHS 111 online or by phone for urgent medical advice when it’s not life-threatening.
• Contacting your GP practice or local pharmacy for help with minor illnesses and ongoing care.
• Making sure you have enough medication and ordering any repeat prescriptions in good time.

While some disruption is expected, our teams are working hard to keep essential services running and to support patients across the region.

For updates and local information, visit the NHS Greater Manchester website or follow our social media channels.

More than 1,000 people in Greater Manchester have received life-saving diagnoses and treatment for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C – conditions they didn’t know they had – thanks to a national NHS opt-out testing programme launched in emergency departments in 2021.

This testing programme is now live in nine emergency departments across Greater Manchester (Manchester Royal Infirmary, Wythenshawe Hospital, North Manchester General Hospital, Salford Royal, Fairfield General, Bolton, Tameside, Rochdale Infirmary and Royal Oldham Hospital). Everyone aged 16 and over who has a blood test in these departments is automatically tested for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, unless they choose to opt out.

From 4 November 2025 to 31 March 2026, a new Falls Lifting Response Service will run across Greater Manchester, operating 8am–8pm, seven days a week (including bank holidays). The service offers quick, safe help for adults aged 18 and over who have fallen but are not injured, reducing unnecessary ambulance callouts and hospital visits.

Falls are a major issue for older adults, costing the NHS around £2 billion each year. Spending too long on the floor after a fall can lead to serious health problems such as dehydration, hypothermia, and muscle damage.

Each response team includes two trained Falls Responders who help people up safely, check for any immediate concerns, and connect them to further community support if needed. Referrals can be made by ambulance crews, health professionals, or care homes, helping people recover quickly, stay independent, and avoid preventable hospital admissions.

An exciting new initiative is underway this academic year as the Enhanced T Level Pilot launches, offering health and care students a direct route into paid employment within the NHS.

The pilot has been co-designed by NHS Greater Manchester, the Northern Care Alliance (NCA), and NHS Professionals (NHSP), building on the strong, long-standing collaboration between NCA and NHSP.

Alfie’s Squad in Bolton officially opened back in October, offering weekly peer support groups for children and young people aged 6–17 years across Greater Manchester. It was initially set up in Liverpool back in 2017 to provide peer support to those who have been bereaved by suicide. 

These sessions give young members the chance to build friendships, grow in confidence, and have fun, while their parents and carers also find support.

Bolton mum, Katie, who has been travelling with her son Josh to Liverpool for support for quite some time, said “We’ve been lucky enough to travel to Liverpool, but having Alfie’s Squad here in Bolton means more families won’t have to struggle alone. My son enjoys fun activities with others who understand, and I’ve found my own support with other parents. I’m looking forward to help others like us settle into the new Hub, but we’ll still make the occasional trip to Liverpool to see the friends we’ve been lucky to make.”

For the last two years Oldham, along with nine other sites nationally, has been working to deliver the Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) project to test out new ways of working that will improve outcomes for children with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN).  The programme has been funded jointly for two years between NHS England and Department for Education.

This pilot is helping to ensure children receive help at the earliest opportunity, often reducing the need for referrals into specialist services by addressing difficulties for children early in their education. The local authority and health colleagues are working closely together to reduce waiting times and ensure that children are identified and supported without delay.

Since 2023, Healthy Hyde has grown into a hub of health and wellbeing services designed around what matters most to local people. From social prescribing and personalised health plans to motivational coaching for children and adults, the centre offers easy access to support that feels different – local, trusted and tailored.

Alongside wellbeing services, the programme brings together teams through Work Well, including Tameside Council’s Tameside in Work, Routes to Work and Tameside Futures to help residents overcome barriers to employment through practical advice, CV support and confidence-building.

A recent event in Healthy Hyde’s community room, professionals who co-ordinate and deliver the service spoke about how their support is structured and the impact they are making in the community. Crucially, people supported by the centre bravely told their stories and the difference accessing the centre has made to their lives.   

By listening to residents and co-producing services, Healthy Hyde is helping people live well and work well in Tameside.

As part of World Mental Health Day, the Greater Manchester 'Speak Their Name' suicide memorial quilt was exhibited at the Houses of Parliament. Andrea Bowles, one of the original 54 contributors, attended with her mother to honour her sister Jacqueline, who died by suicide in 2018. Andrea created an embroidered square in Jacqueline’s memory and described the project as a way to channel grief into something positive. Seeing the quilt displayed in Parliament was deeply moving for her, offering pride and connection. The exhibition raised awareness among MPs and highlighted the lasting impact of suicide on families and communities.

Paralympic gold medallist and PhD researcher Gregg Stevenson MBE is calling on Greater Manchester residents and carers to have their say on rehabilitation services for long-term health conditions.

The Manchester Metropolitan University academic is leading the Access4All study in partnership with the NHS, which is exploring the barriers and facilitators people face when trying to access rehabilitation or ongoing support for conditions including COPD, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and chronic pain.

Local residents have until Sunday 30 November 2025 to complete an online survey sharing their experiences and views.

Gregg Stevenson says: “Rehabilitation services can be life-changing for people living with long-term conditions, but we know that accessing the right support isn’t always straightforward. This is an opportunity for people across Greater Manchester to tell us what’s working, what isn’t, and what needs to change. Your voice matters, and your experiences will directly shape how we think about rehabilitation services in the future.”

Anti-Bullying Week - A Call to Use Our Power for Good

Anti-Bullying Week (10–14 November) is a national campaign focused on tackling bullying among young people. While its roots are in the classroom, this year’s theme “Power for Good” is just as relevant to all organisations.

Find out more here.

Islamophobia Awareness Month 2025 - Flip the Script

November is a time to raise awareness of Islamophobia, a national campaign that challenges anti-Muslim hate and celebrates the contributions of Muslim colleagues and communities across the UK.

The 2025 theme, “Flip the Script,” encourages rethinking of the narratives that are often accepted, the assumptions that are made, and the silence that is sometimes maintained.

Find out more here.

National Care Leavers month

This November, we proudly celebrate National Care Leavers' Month (NCLM) — a time dedicated to recognising the strength, resilience, and achievements of care-experienced young people across the UK. In 2025, National Care Leavers' Week evolved into National Care Leavers' Month. Find out more here.

Pharmacy team wins best quality improvement at the College of Mental Health Pharmacy Awards.

Congratulations to Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust pharmacy team on winning best quality improvement at the College of Mental Health Pharmacy Awards.

They won the award with colleagues from Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Greater Manchester, for their work to improve how Promazine, an antipsychotic medication, is prescribed and managed, to make care safer and more effective.

Real picture childhood obesity campaign wins at the Creative Floor Awards

NHS GM's real picture childhood obesity campaign won in the Best Mixed Media category at the global awards, which are judged by leading agencies and big brands.

The campaign asked people what they thought was behind childhood obesity, and they received more than 10,000 responses from diverse communities in Greater Manchester. Their opinions are now informing conversations far and wide.

Earlier this year the campaign also won a silver award at the PM Society Awards for External Communications Campaign for a Pharma or Healthcare Organisation.

NHS Volunteer Army boosted with new digital opportunity platform

NHS England is launching a new central recruitment website for NHS volunteers bringing health volunteering opportunities in one place for the first time. More people who want to give back could join the 77,000 NHS volunteers already helping others with launch of centralised digital platform New Ways. The launch directly supports the government's 10 Year Health Plan ambitions to expand community care through volunteer and voluntary sector engagement, supporting the shift from hospital to community care and treatment to prevention. Find out more here.