Health & Wellbeing Boards
The Health and Social Care Bill, currently progressing through parliament, introduces a new structure for partnership working in health and social care- the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB). The Boards will connect NHS and local authority activity with all public sector spending to improve the health and wellbeing of local populations. HWBs are designed to be a vehicle for “councillors, commissioners and communities” to exercise shared leadership of local health and social care issues.
The Bill:
- sets up the Boards as committees of local authorities.
- sets the expectation that HWBs are involved throughout the NHS commissioning process, so commissioning plans are in line with the JHWS.
- promotes joint commissioning and integrated provision.
- gives HWB a role in annual assessment of clinical commissioning groups.
- keeps scrutiny functions separate from HWBs.
- aims to develop collective local leadership and partnership to ensure integrated care for individuals.
- puts mutual obligations on councils and NHS commissioners to undertake Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and develop joint health and wellbeing strategies (JHWS).
Importantly for the VCS, the Bill also sets a duty for HWB to involve users and the public in JSNA and JHWS.
Resources and briefings about Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWBs)
