Manchester West

Noted (AI summary) • A new Statutory Instrument will add a new condition to firearms and shotgun licences to require the holder to inform the police if they begin to suffer from a new relevant medical condition, or if an existing condition significantly worsens, during the lifetime of the licence. • A new licensing condition will require the licence holder to inform the police if they consult a third-party medical practitioner who is not their GP.

Noted (AI summary) • The Trust has recently recruited two Deputy Medical Directors for the Trust. • The Trust is currently reviewing and updating the Trust Co-Occurring Conditions Policy with a planned publication date of May 2026. • There is a Greater Manchester (GM) Co-Occurring Conditions Steering Group which is led by Greater Manchester ICB and has representatives from all Community Addictions Services.

Noted (AI summary) NHS England states that the Greater Manchester ICB has reconfigured the monitors such that when an ‘ECG leads off’ alarm is generated, the monitor will give the visual yellow flashing banner. If the alarm is acknowledged, the yellow banner will remain and the audio will re-alarm after three minutes if the ECG leads are still not connected, whereas previously the monitor would ‘blink’ only and would not alarm. Philips acknowledges the concerns, explains alarm configurations on its IntelliVue monitors, and states that the hospital has reset the "ECG Leads Off" alarm to the factory default. Philips says that they will continue to support customers with education and guidance to hospital staff on configuring alarms but does not propose further action to the default configuration of the devices at this time. The Department of Health and Social Care reports that Philips issued a Field Safety Notice for users of their IntelliVue line of Patient Monitors which highlights that alarm function is user reconfigurable, and should hence be confirmed in use to ensure it is not accidentally left in the ‘alarm off’ state. The MHRA has published the document on its gov.uk platform, ensuring users across the healthcare system have access to this information.

Noted (AI summary) NHS Bolton expresses condolences and provides clarification on their existing radiology request procedures, stating that radiologists determine the appropriate scan modality based on the Ionising Radiation Regulations and clinical guidelines and that PE exclusion follows a standardized pathway. The RCR highlights a joint RCR/Royal College of Emergency Medicine guideline on diagnosing thoracic aortic dissection, published in January 2024 and currently undergoing a minor review, which aims to provide consensus on CT scanning criteria in emergency departments.

Noted (AI summary) NHS England acknowledges concerns about a patient leaving the hospital before assessment due to waiting times. They note the involvement of the Greater Manchester ICB and refer to existing plans to recover urgent and emergency care services and internal R28 reviews. The trust has implemented a new 'Leaving Against Advice' policy, including documentation and capacity assessments, and has become an early adopter of the NHSE Acuity Tool for standardized ED assessments, including a mental capacity assessment relating to a patient's decision to leave the department.

Noted (AI summary) National Highways acknowledges the concerns but states that funding constraints require prioritizing bridge upgrades based on the number of suicide-related incidents, and there are currently no plans to increase the parapet fence height at the specified footbridge. They will continue to monitor and assess all locations in the North West. Salford City Council states that the bridge structure is a National Highways asset, and they will assist with traffic management if needed.