Fit for Winter
Background and Context
The engagement created an opportunity to focus on winter health at a time of heightened cost‑of‑living pressures and system demand. A deliberately community‑based, face‑to‑face approach was taken to ensure voices were heard from people less likely to respond to formal consultations or digital engagement.
A total of 109 surveys were completed, supported by qualitative notes from wider conversations. Engagement took place across all Greater Manchester localities, using a mix of high‑footfall locations (shopping centres, markets) and targeted settings (food banks, carers’ events, day centres, soup kitchens). As a result, the sample is intentionally skewed towards people experiencing vulnerability, which is reflected in the themes identified.
This report summarises insights from a short, targeted programme of public engagement delivered between 20 November and 18 December 2025 under the Fit for Winter theme. The engagement aimed to understand how residents across Greater Manchester experience, prepare for, and feel about winter health pressures. Alongside gathering views, the activity also provided immediate value by sharing winter health advice and signposting people to local support.
Although the engagement period was brief and the sample size relatively small, the findings add valuable depth to existing insight on winter pressures, particularly from people most affected by health inequalities. The intelligence gathered helps inform commissioning decisions ahead of peak winter demand and complements planned engagement activity in January 2026.
Why we engaged
- Understand real‑life winter concerns beyond clinical issues, including affordability, isolation, and access barriers.
- Test how people navigate health advice and support during winter pressures.
- Explore digital access and exclusion, particularly as NHS services become increasingly digital.
- Hear directly from groups at greater risk of poor winter outcomes, to support equitable commissioning and targeted interventions.
- Provide immediate benefit through information‑giving, reassurance, and signposting, not just data collection.
Who we engaged
- Older adults, including those living alone
- Disabled people and people with long‑term conditions
- Carers, including unpaid and family carers
- People on low incomes or experiencing financial insecurity
- Individuals from ethnic minority communities, including those facing language barriers
- People who are digitally excluded or dependent on others for online access
Protected characteristics data was collected, enabling analysis of differential experiences and impacts.
Key Themes from the Engagement
Staying Warm and Financial Pressure
Concerns about heating and energy costs were among the most frequently raised issues. For many, staying warm was seen as a prerequisite to staying well, and some participants described having to choose between heating, food, or medicines.
Avoiding Illness and Accessing Vaccinations
Fear of flu and Covid‑19 was common, particularly among older people, carers, and those living in multi‑generational households. Confusion about vaccine eligibility, especially for Covid boosters, caused anxiety and frustration.
Loneliness and Isolation
Loneliness emerged repeatedly as both a health concern and a winter‑specific issue, particularly among older adults, disabled people, and those living alone. Social contact was viewed as integral to well‑being, not a “nice to have”.
Access to Help and Services
People worried about knowing where to go for help, particularly if symptoms worsened. Barriers included difficulty contacting GP practices, long waits, uncertainty about appropriate services, and reliance on others for advice and navigation.
Digital Exclusion
While some participants valued the NHS App and digital services, many described barriers including lack of access, confidence, language skills, disability, or fear of scams. There was strong anxiety about an NHS that feels “digital‑only”.