The Staffordshire Health and Wellbeing Board met on Wednesday 11 March 2026 to discuss progress on the health of infants and young people, and to review the board's structure and future plans. Key decisions included endorsing the infant mortality prevention programme as Staffordshire's key early life strategy, approving revised terms of reference for the board, and agreeing a forward plan for future meetings.

Health in Early Life: Infant Mortality and Wider Well-being

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to an update on the Health in Early Life priority, with a particular focus on reducing infant mortality. Data presented showed that both Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent have higher rates of infant mortality than the national average. Neonatal deaths, occurring within the first 28 days of life, account for 83% of infant deaths in the area. While a recent slight decrease in infant mortality was noted, caution was advised due to a lack of clear understanding of the reasons behind this reduction.

Analysis of Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP) reports identified modifiable factors contributing to infant deaths. While smoking in pregnancy remains a concern, high maternal Body Mass Index (BMI) was found to be a factor in more cases than smoking. Other identified modifiable factors included unsafe sleeping environments, maternal substance misuse, and maternal alcohol use.

Despite positive progress in reducing smoking rates at the time of delivery to national averages, concerns remain in specific areas like Cannock Chase. Breastfeeding initiation rates in Staffordshire are also lower than national and West Midlands averages, an area identified for attention.

A multi-agency programme, co-chaired by Stoke City Council and the Integrated Care Board (ICB), is underway to address infant mortality. This programme has five workstreams: preconception, antenatal, and interpregnancy health; data and intelligence; neonatal and maternity care; communication and engagement; and inequalities and wider determinants. A key development is an imminent data sharing agreement to facilitate deeper analysis of causes and trends.

The meeting also touched upon wider challenges for children and young people, including healthy weights and emotional well-being. Data indicated that while healthy weight levels in Year 6 children are broadly similar to national levels, early intervention remains crucial. There has been a steady increase in identified social, emotional, and mental health needs, although Staffordshire's rates are still lower than the national picture.

Discussions highlighted the interconnectedness of these issues, spanning physical and mental health, as well as wider societal factors. The board was asked to endorse the infant mortality prevention programme, recognise the wider system's efforts, acknowledge progress on key indicators, and note the five take-home messages from the report.

Staffordshire Health and Wellbeing Board Review: Outputs and Recommendations

The board reviewed the outputs and recommendations from a comprehensive review of its own purpose and structure. The review aimed to ensure meaningful discussions, focus on broader, upstream population health approaches, and clearly define the board's role within the wider system of partnerships.

Key recommendations from the first stage of the review included focusing on broader population health approaches, with a proposed terms of reference to define the board's focus and a forward plan to reflect this. The review also aimed to distinguish the board's function from other partnerships.

Further recommendations from the first stage included exploring methods to better include the voice of the community in decision-making, ensuring evidence-based decisions are made using intelligence, and embedding the health and well-being strategy across the board's membership. The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) was identified as a central repository for intelligence to support evidence-based decision-making.

Additional recommendations from the second stage focused on improving alignment and avoiding duplication between Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent boards, reviewing the balance of leadership between the council and the NHS, and shortening board agendas. The appointment of Dr Rachel Gallyot, Interim Chief Medical Officer for the ICB, as co-chair was noted as a step towards balancing leadership. The development of a coalition of the willing and more collaborative working was also recommended, leading to an expanded membership for informal board meetings.

The review also recommended developing neighbourhood-level collaborations, with the neighbourhood health strategy proposed as a focus for the board. The importance of involving school and education leaders was highlighted, along with encouraging meaningful engagement from members of the public, including those with lived experience.

The JSNA was identified as needing strengthening to better understand communities, and the health and well-being strategy was recommended for review to ensure it reflects population needs, aligns with organisational and district priorities, articulates clear outcomes, and influences local commissioners. The strategy is intended to be a living document, regularly reviewed and aligned with local health and well-being strategies.

A consensus was reached that neighbourhood health should be a topic of focus, and that more dynamic and collaborative discussions could be achieved through workshop-style meetings. This could involve a smaller formal board to discharge statutory responsibilities, alongside informal meetings with a wider membership for discussion on key topics.

The main changes to the terms of reference include the appointment of a non-executive or clinical lead from the ICB as co-chair and the establishment of a small formal board comprising statutory members that meets in public, alongside a larger informal board with wider membership that meets in private. The forward plan, which reflects the review's recommendations and the consensus from a final workshop, was also agreed.

The meeting concluded with items for information, including the Director of Public Health Annual Report 2026 and the Health and Well-being Board Strategy and Quarterly Data Update. The next meeting is scheduled for 30 June.