This conference will be a timely opportunity to discuss health and social care in Greater Manchester, and priorities for addressing key challenges including health inequalities and integration.

The conference takes place in the context of Greater Manchester’s Health and Social Care Devolution Programme.

Keynote speakers include Health Innovation Manchester’s Chief Executive Professor Ben Bridgewater and Dr Tracey Vell, Associate Lead for Primary and Community Care, Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership and HInM’s Medical Director for Primary Care.

Delegates will also consider the impact of Greater Manchester’s Local Industrial Strategy, which is set to include long-term plans for the alignment of local and national decision-making – including setting out how the health innovation sector and Greater Manchester’s devolution deal will drive the UK’s response to the Ageing Society Grand Challenge.

With investment in Manchester-based projects included in the second Life Sciences Sector Deal, delegates will discuss what this might mean for health services in Greater Manchester and economic development in the region.

We also expect sessions to examine the potential for innovation and the better use of data to support health improvement and accelerate best practice.

It comes as the region’s mayor announces that Greater Manchester will be the first area in the country to publish data relating to waiting times for children and young people’s mental health services, in a drive to improve performance and transparency.

Attendees will look into driving behaviour changes and encouraging public engagement to help improve public health and tackle health inequalities.

It takes place with the launch of the Big Alcohol Conversation, a new initiative exploring alcohol-related harm by gathering the views of people across the city region, following the announcement that harms associated with alcohol cost Greater Manchester’s public services £1.3bn a year.

This agenda will also discuss the next steps for integrating health and social care in Greater Manchester and opportunities for wider collaboration – with delegates expected to assess the progress of building of new relationships and networks as well as the opportunities and challenges of taking local approaches.

Further sessions will examine issues affecting the organisation of those working in health and social care – including aligning workforce plans across the ten localities in Greater Manchester.

We expect discussion on how to ensure that this supports health and social care transformation plans across the region, as well as improving the quality and equity of care, reducing unwarranted variation and improving health outcomes, and positively affecting patient safety and experience.