Health & Well Being Boards
Health and Well Being Boards are intended to lead on improving the strategic coordination of commissioning across NHS, social care, and related children’s and public health services. The Health and Social Care Bill states that each board must include the following:
- at least one local authority councillor
- the director of adult social services for the local authority
- the director of children’s services for the local authority
- the director of public health for the local authority
- a representative of the local HealthWatch organisation for the area of the local authority
- a representative of each relevant commissioning consortium
- and such other persons, or representatives of such other persons, as the local authority thinks appropriate
A representative of the NHS Commissioning Board must also sit on the board when local authorities are drawing up joint strategic needs assessments and related strategies. The Bill also states “If the health and wellbeing board so requests, the National Health Service Commissioning Board must appoint a representative to join the health and wellbeing board for the purpose of participating in its consideration of the matter.”
The bill also sets out the main functions of the wellbeing boards, which are to:
- encourage persons who arrange for the provision of any health or social care services in that area to work in an integrated manner,
- provide such advice, assistance or other support as it thinks appropriate for the purpose of encouraging the making of arrangements in connection with the provision of such services,
- encourage persons who arrange for the provision of health-related services in its area to work closely with the health and wellbeing board,
- encourage persons who arrange for the provision of any health or social care services in its area and persons who arrange for the provision of any health-related services in its area to work closely together.
More Information
Department of Health information on Health and Wellbeing Boards
