The Health and Wellbeing Board of Warwickshire Council met on Wednesday 15 July 2026 to discuss the Regional Director of Public Health Midlands Report, Advancing Together Faster: The Critical Six for 2026, and receive an update on the Better Care Fund. The meeting focused on identifying key public health priorities for the region and assessing Warwickshire's performance against these, as well as reviewing progress on integrated care initiatives.

Regional Director of Public Health Midlands Report: Advancing Together Faster: The Critical Six for 2026

The Board received and discussed the Regional Director of Public Health Midlands Report, which outlines six critical areas for coordinated action to improve population health and reduce inequalities across the region. These priorities are: reducing infant mortality, increasing the proportion of children achieving a good level of development at reception age, reducing smoking prevalence, reducing preventable cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality, addressing the mental health needs of children and young people, and reducing the incidence of tuberculosis.

Simon Trickett, Chief Executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), provided an update on the potential merger of ICBs, noting that government policy aims to align ICB footprints with strategic mayoral authority footprints. He proposed merging the two ICBs in Coventry and Warwickshire in April 2027, with a commitment to review boundaries in the 2028-29 financial year once unitary authority decisions are clearer. This proposal aims to achieve savings and allow the ICBs to focus on external work rather than internal reorganisation.

Councillor Maggie O'Rourke raised concerns about the potential impact of the merger on the health system relationship between Coventry and Warwickshire, noting their long-standing historical links. Councillor Jo Barker echoed concerns about alignment with future mayoral authorities, highlighting difficulties in Warwickshire being integrated into existing combined authorities.

Elizabeth Hancock, representing Healthwatch Warwickshire, questioned whether the proposed merger would distance decision-making from the community and detach it from commissioning realities. She emphasised the importance of monitoring the impact on patients and the public. Simon Trickett responded that the merger is primarily an administrative task intended to have no noticeable impact on patients, focusing on tidying up governance and administration.

Duncan Vernon, Public Health Consultant, introduced the Critical Six report, highlighting that while Warwickshire generally performs well compared to the West Midlands and England on many indicators, there are significant local variations within the county. He detailed the performance of Warwickshire against each of the six priorities:

• Reducing infant mortality: Warwickshire's rate is similar to England's, but Rugby Borough has a higher rate.
• Increasing school readiness: Warwickshire is similar to England but below the national ambition, with North Warwickshire and Nuneaton & Bedworth Boroughs performing below the county average.
• Reducing smoking prevalence: Adult smoking prevalence in Warwickshire is similar to England, but well above the smoke-free ambition. Smoking rates are higher in the north of the county, and COPD prevalence is highest in Nuneaton & Bedworth and North Warwickshire Boroughs.
• Reducing preventable cardiovascular disease: Warwickshire performs well compared to England and the West Midlands, though some areas are only similar to England.
• Addressing mental health needs of children and young people: Warwickshire has a similar rate to England, but the trend has been worsening nationally and locally.
• Reducing tuberculosis incidence: Warwickshire's TB incidence is significantly better than England and the West Midlands, though Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough is similar rather than better.

Several board members discussed the implications of the report, with Councillor Jerry Roodhouse emphasising the need to translate regional priorities into local action plans and ensure that important information is embedded in commissioning processes. Concerns were raised about ensuring that all partners understand and act upon these priorities, particularly given the complexity and time required for implementation. There was also discussion about the health visiting service and the transition to a new provider, with a request for assurance that no children would be missed.

Better Care Fund Progress Update

The Board received an update on the progress of the Better Care Fund (BCF) and its contribution to neighbourhood health services. Rachel Briden, Integrated Partnership Manager, reported that the BCF Plan for 2026/27 had been submitted and was progressing through the assurance process.

Key updates included:

• The revised Dementia Advice and Guidance service, Dementia Connect, delivered by the Alzheimer's Society, had gone live with positive feedback. A workshop with unpaid carers had highlighted areas for improvement, including earlier identification of carers and enhanced partnership working.
• Commissioners are re-tendering contracts for Discharge to Assess Pathway 2 Residential Assessment Beds and Moving on Beds to provide more flexible step-down options.
• Four schemes funded by the Local Authority Better Care Grant (Dementia Services, Advocacy, Occupational Therapy resource, and Community Autism Support Service) have been recommended for continuation.

Performance against national BCF metrics was reviewed, with forecasts indicating that performance for four metrics would be slightly over target and achieved for the remaining three.

The development of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) was highlighted as a key delivery mechanism for neighbourhood health ambitions, closely aligned with BCF objectives. Eight INTs have been approved across Warwickshire, and mobilisation workshops have commenced. Population Health Management is a critical enabler for INTs, with work underway to use data to identify priority cohorts and target interventions. The programme plan aims for all 8 INTs to be established and commence delivery from Q3 2026/27.

The report also noted that planning for 2027/28 is underway, with officers reviewing potential financial risks and demand management strategies in anticipation of BCF reforms. The financial implications detailed a total budget of £468,803,000 for 2026/27, with a significant portion coming from NHS ring-fenced allocations and Warwickshire County Council's Local Authority Better Care Grant.

Other Business

During the Any Other Business section, Councillor Anne-Marie Sonko, Chair of the Board, marked her one-year anniversary in the role, expressing gratitude to the board members and officers for their support.

There was a discussion regarding the funding of Love Care services, with concerns raised about the public's understanding of the funding model, which is largely self-funded beyond a maximum of 11% national funding. Councillor O'Rourke suggested that consideration should be given to the funding of end-of-life care, particularly for patients in hospital who could potentially receive more cost-effective care elsewhere.

The Board also heard about a successful Love Rugby Festival which focused on health and well-being, culminating in a 5k run. A health and well-being grant was also launched, offering between £2,000 and £3,000 to local organisations for prevention and health promotion initiatives.

Further discussion touched upon the complexities of hospice funding and the need to review commissioning practices for hospice services. The importance of clear communication about the work being done in palliative care was also stressed.