Bernie Enright

Executive Director of Adult Services

Hello, I’m Bernie Enright, the Executive Director of Adult Services. My my role is accountable to Joanne Roney, the Council’s Chief Executive, as well as the CEOs of the Manchester Local Care Organisation (MLCO) and Manchester Health & Care Commissioning (MHCC). I’m in charge of adult social care provision in Manchester. My remit is to ensure that we support vulnerable adults in Manchester in line with legislation, notably the Care Act. I'm responsible for ensuring that services are in place to safeguard, support and protect people at times when they need help or advice.

Adult social care in Manchester is rapidly changing in an exciting way. We are integrating with our partners at the MLCO and MHCC. This has brought community health and adult social care together as one team for the first time. Our aim is to improve outcomes by working together. Adult Social Care has a clear pathway. From first contact and assessment, to budget allocation, support planning and, finally, service provision and review. However, there remains much duplication in our work. We know that vulnerable adults, including those with a learning or physical disability, are often high users of hospital and primary services. We often work in silos, and the people we support have to tell their story more than once. Integration will change that. 12 neighbourhood teams will see GPs, mental-health services, social care and other professionals working together. This will reduce duplication and provide better care and support. This will improve outcomes for people to stay well, stay independent and live fulfilling lives.

We have a range of adult social care professionals who offer their experience to support adults in Manchester. Social workers are responsible for a range of complex, statutory assessments and interventions. They are bound by professional registration and have ongoing training to ensure skills development. We’ve recently strengthened our social work roles, and ongoing recruitment is increasing our capacity.

Our Manchester Equipment and Adaptions Partnership (MEAP) has occupational therapists who carry out a vital role. They support disabled residents with equipment and adaptations for their home, or by rehousing them in a more suitable property.

Social workers and occupational therapists are responsible for rapid assessments. They offer a range of solutions to help people improve their independence. They also provide short-term interventions when people need a bit more care and support.

I’m proud that we have many in-house services that meet the needs of our older and disabled residents. These include our Reablement Service (helping people back to independence), and Supported Accommodation. We also have a vibrant external care market including day care services, homecare and residential and nursing care. We’re always reviewing all our commissioned services with health commissioners. This allows us to explore ways to jointly deliver improved outcomes and effective use of public resources.

Alongside my statutory responsibilities, I also lead Homelessness in Manchester. The problem of homelessness and rough sleepers in the city remains challenging. We are constantly developing new and innovative solutions to prevent it and respond to people who are homeless.

Supporting my team and I are a fantastic range of support services, including Finance, Performance and Communications. This all contributes to the successful delivery of adult social care in an integrated health and care environment. We’re all stepping up to the challenge so we can make a real difference to people’s lives.

I hope this provides a quick overview of the work we do, and it would be fantastic if you want to be part of our exciting ongoing journey and come on board!

Take a look at our current job vacancies.