Joseph Cooper

Dear Mr Morris,

Thank you for the Regulation 28 report of 28th April 2026 sent to the Department of Health and Social Care about the death of Joseph William Cooper. I am replying as the Minister with responsibility for Public Health and Prevention.

I would like to say how saddened I was to read of the circumstances of Mr Cooper’s death, and I offer my sincere condolences to their family and loved ones. The circumstances your report describes are concerning and I am grateful to you for bringing these matters to my attention.

Firstly, your report raises concerns over the current provision of treatment and support for those with co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions. We know that people with co-occurring substance use and mental health needs too often do not receive the integrated, person-centred care they require and deserve. I want to assure you that the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is taking action on this issue to improve the standards of care and integration of services for those with co-occurring substance use and mental health needs. In December 2025, DHSC and NHS England (NHSE) jointly published the Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Delivery framework:

use-delivery-framework. Alongside national actions that DHSC and NHSE are beginning to deliver, the delivery framework includes recommended actions on how the entire health system can also work together to improve coordinated care. These recommended actions include an ask for services and clinicians to develop multidisciplinary teams to encourage collaborative case management, establish joint working protocols and referral pathways between drug and alcohol services and mental health services to ensure the provision of holistic and coordinated care. The national actions in the delivery framework include the commitment to publish guidance on the statutory duty to co-operate issued under the Health and Care Act 2012. This statutory guidance, which is currently in development, will define how commissioners and services should work together to achieve positive health outcomes for people with co- occurring needs and enable better joint working between mental health services and drug and alcohol services.

Secondly, regarding your concerns raised regarding sharing information and data between services and clinicians, the delivery framework also states that all service providers need to work together with all relevant local services to agree data sharing arrangements that reflect the needs of people with a co-occurring mental health and substance use need. This is also in line with the NICE guidance recommendations on information sharing, 1.4.6 and 1.4.7. Work is ongoing alongside NHSE and sector partners to overcome the challenges and barriers to data sharing between services. Furthermore, the upcoming introduction of the Single Patient Record will allow patient information to be more easily shared with patients and their relevant health and social care providers (such as GPs, hospital doctors, social care workers and others involved in their direct care). The Single Patient Record will provide a single record of patient needs and history, consistently across the NHS and social care in England. Lastly, your report also raises concerns of the availability of alcohol via online delivery services. The Licensing Act 2003 regulates the sale and supply of alcohol and states it is an offence to knowingly sell or attempt to sell alcohol to a person who is under the age of 18 and/or intoxicated, or to allow a sale of this kind to take place.

The government are aware of increasing concerns relating to rapid online alcohol delivery, which can, as in the case of Mr Cooper, contribute to individuals experiencing increased alcohol harm. Consumer purchasing habits have evolved in recent years, particularly with a notable growth in alcohol sales made via online platforms and rapid delivery services. We recognise the new challenges this brings from a regulatory and health perspective, particularly when managing sales of alcohol to those who are intoxicated.

We are keen to explore this further to better understand the changes that are taking place, how current licencing rules apply to home alcohol delivery services, and the impact they are having, and to examine the wider relationship between the licensing regime and alcohol related health harms. The Minister for Crime and Policing in the Home and myself, as Minister for Public Health and Prevention, will shortly be convening a roundtable to discuss this issue further.

Thank you for bringing these concerns to my attention. I want to assure you my department recognise these issues and are continuing to work closely together to improve integrated care for those with substance use issues. I hope this response is helpful.

RESPONSE TO A REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS REGULATION 29 OF THE CORONERS (INVESTIGATIONS) REGULATIONS 2013 Please do not include any living persons’ names in this document, in accordance with the Chief Coroner’s PFD Publication Policy (2026). THIS RESPONSE IS BEING SENT TO: The Senior Coroner, Chris Morris for the Coroner Area Greater Manchester South in response to a ‘REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATH REGULATION 28’ following an inquest into the death of Joseph William Cooper that commenced on 23rd June
2025.
1. RESPONDENT In line with our duty under Regulation 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013, NHS Greater Manchester provides this response within 56 days (plus any extension granted) of the date of the Report to Prevent Future Deaths.
2. DATE OF RESPONSE: 24/06/2026
3. Thank you for the Regulation 29 report sent to NHS Greater Manchester. I would like to say how sad we were to hear about the death of Mr Cooper and offer my sincere condolences to his loved ones. In addition thank you for sharing the response from the Department of Health and Social Care which covers your matters of concern. I wanted to take the opportunity to provide some additional information in relation to matter 1 described below which I believe is within our remit. CONFIRMATION OF CORONER’S MATTERS OF CONCERN The MATTERS OF CONCERN were identified in the report are as follows:
1. The court heard evidence that at the time of his death, Mr Cooper had unmet mental health needs principally as a consequence of no specific service or treatment pathway existing locally which would provide wholistic and co-ordinated care for co-occurring mental health and substance misuse conditions (also known as ‘dual diagnosis’). I am concerned as to the lack of availability of commissioned services to provide care for patients with co-occurring mental health and substance misuse conditions both in this and other areas.

3. DETAILS OF ACTION TAKEN, NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board recognises the importance of ensuring that people with co-occurring mental health and substance misuse conditions receive coordinated, person-centred support and that individuals are not excluded from services because they present with both mental health and substance misuse needs. GM ICB has included Co-Occurring conditions in its 26/27 commissioning intentions as an area of focus. A Greater Manchester-wide programme of work relating to co-occurring conditions has been established, bringing together mental health and drug and alcohol commissioners and system partners to strengthen pathways and improve integrated approaches to care. Through the Greater Manchester Community Mental Health Transformation Programme, the ICB has worked collaboratively with provider organisations, local authorities and drug and alcohol commissioners to improve the interface between services and support more coordinated care for people with complex needs and multiple disadvantage. The Greater Manchester Community Mental Health Service Specification includes explicit requirements that individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance misuse conditions should not be excluded from accessing community mental health services on the basis of substance use alone. This supports delivery of national expectations and promotes a "no wrong door" approach to care. Oversight of the co-occurring conditions programme is provided through the Greater Manchester Strategic Community and Crisis Group, chaired by executive leaders, providing system-wide leadership and assurance regarding the development and implementation of integrated approaches to care. The ICB also works closely with lived experience leaders and established co- production arrangements to ensure that the voices and experiences of people with co-occurring conditions inform service development and improvement activity.
4. DETAILS OF FURTHER ACTION PROPOSED NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board will continue to progress the Greater Manchester co-occurring conditions programme of work in collaboration with provider organisations, local authorities, drug and alcohol commissioners and people with lived experience. The ICB will continue to monitor implementation of the Greater Manchester Community Mental Health Service Specification to ensure that people with co- occurring conditions are able to access appropriate support and are not excluded from services because of substance use.

In addition, the principles and expectations relating to co-occurring conditions will be reflected within the forthcoming Greater Manchester Crisis Care Specification, further strengthening the requirement for integrated and coordinated responses across mental health and substance misuse services. This work will continue to support delivery of national policy and the development of person-centred, trauma-informed approaches for people with co-occurring conditions across Greater Manchester. Thank you for brining these matters to my attention, I hope the above provides additional context to the response you have already received from the Department of Health and Social Care. Please do not hesitate to get on touch if you require any further information. Deputy Chief Clinical Officer (Nursing and Nurse Advisor to the Board) NHS Greater Manchester