The Buckinghamshire Health and Wellbeing Board met on Thursday 14 May 2026 to discuss progress on the Live Well strategy, work and health programmes, and the Neighbourhood Health Framework. Key decisions included noting progress on the Live Well strategy and endorsing its continued direction, as well as noting updates on various work and health programmes and the Neighbourhood Health Framework.

Health and Wellbeing Strategy Focus - Live Well

The Board received an update on the Live Well programme, which aims to improve the health of adults in Buckinghamshire through prevention, proactive care, and community empowerment. Paula Jackson, Consultant in Public Health, presented the progress made since the action plan was finalised in summer 2025.

Prevention: The report highlighted positive trends in physical activity, smoking cessation, weight management, and cardiovascular prevention. Physical activity levels have increased, and leisure centre usage is up. Weight management services are exceeding targets, with a strong focus on deprived communities. Smoking cessation services continue to deliver strong outcomes, and preventative cardiovascular work, including blood pressure checks, has expanded. However, the trend of increasing overweight and obesity continues to be a concern, as are rising hospital admissions for alcohol harm. An Alcohol Care Team is being established at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (BHT) to address this.

Proactive Care: Progress has been made in improving access to mental health services, with good improvements in talking therapies and clinical outcomes. A digital peer support programme, Quell, has been launched. However, uptake of annual physical health checks for individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) has declined, a concern being addressed by a new SMI partnership group.

Empowering Communities: The report noted the strong labour market in Buckinghamshire, but highlighted significant variations between communities, with lower employment levels in more deprived wards. Initiatives such as the Work and Health Partnership Group and the Buckinghamshire Works programme are in place to address this.

Case Studies:

• Pressure Partners: Katie DeJoux, Culture and Outreach Services Manager, presented on the Pressure Partners initiative, which offers convenient blood pressure monitoring in community and faith settings. Over 2,000 readings were completed between April 2025 and March 2026. Libraries are also offering blood pressure monitors for loan.
• Safety Planning: Huw Tarry from Bucks Mind discussed the Safety Planning service, a six-week support programme for adults who have attended A&E with thoughts of ending their life or self-harm. Since its soft launch in December 2024, 76 patients have been referred, with a low number of referrals to crisis services. A case study of SR highlighted the positive impact of consistent support.
• Individual Placement Support (IPS): Sean Coulter from One Recovery Bucks presented on the IPS service, which helps clients find and retain paid employment as part of their recovery. Since November 2024, 234 referrals have been made, with 36 job starts and 21 13-week sustainments.

The Board was asked to note the progress and endorse the ongoing direction of travel for the Live Well programme.

Work and Health Programmes in Buckinghamshire

Sarah Preston, Head of Public Health Strategy, and Teresa Meredith, Assistant Director of Skills and Employment, provided an update on the developing Buckinghamshire approach to the Health and Work agenda. This agenda aims to improve health-related employment outcomes, reduce health and social care demand, and promote inclusive economic growth.

The report highlighted the increasing prevalence of work-limiting health conditions, particularly musculoskeletal disorders and mental health issues. While Buckinghamshire performs well overall, there are marked inequalities, with higher inactivity rates in deprived areas.

Key programmes discussed included:

• Buckinghamshire Works: The county's Get Britain Working plan, developed collaboratively by Buckinghamshire Council, Jobcentre Plus, and the Integrated Care Board (ICB).
• WorkWell: A national, health-led employment support programme for individuals with physical or mental health conditions.
• Connect to Work: A voluntary supported employment programme for individuals with disabilities or health conditions.

A multi-agency partnership has been established to coordinate these efforts, and an evidence review has been completed. A business case for a Buckinghamshire Employer Support Offer is being developed, focusing on mental health and musculoskeletal conditions. The Board was asked to note the system-wide approach and consider the role of their organisations in developing these programmes.

Neighbourhood Health Framework

Gemma Thomas, Director of Integrated Care, presented an update on the Neighbourhood Health Framework, a joint endeavour between the NHS, local authority, and other partners. Buckinghamshire has been actively engaged with national guidance and is considered well-positioned.

The framework aims to integrate services around people's lives, focus on prevention, and devolve power to local areas. Key priorities for 2026/27 include expanding proactive care, embedding community health and wellbeing workers, increasing referrals to healthy lifestyle services, supporting complex needs, and moving outpatient services into the community.

The Board was asked to note the progress made against national requirements and the proposed priorities for the Buckinghamshire Neighbourhood Programme.

Better Care Fund Plans 2026/27

Craig McArdle, Corporate Director – Adults and Health, presented the draft Buckinghamshire Better Care Fund (BCF) Plan for 2026/27. The BCF is a national programme to drive health and social care integration through pooled budgets.

The plan prioritises hospital discharge, system flow, intermediate care, adult social care sustainability, and prevention. Key funding changes for 2026/27 include uplifts for staff salary cost pressures, investment in the Integrated Commissioning Team, increased budget for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS) assessments, and allocations for Neighbourhood Core Teams and primary care-led dementia diagnosis clinics.

The Board was asked to note the proposed approach to the BCF Plan and to continue delegating authority for its ongoing development to the Buckinghamshire Council and Integrated Care Board Joint Commissioning Meeting.

Buckinghamshire Primary Care Provider Collaborative

Bobby Pozzoni-Child, Director of Partnerships and Transformation, provided an update on the Buckinghamshire Primary Care Provider Collaborative (Bucks PCPC). This evolution of the GP Provider Alliance aims to strengthen primary care resilience and sustainability, enable joined-up working, and support the delivery of high-quality, equitable services.

The collaborative represents general practice, primary care networks, community pharmacy, optometry, and dental providers. It is structured around three core clinical portfolios: Start Well, Live Well, and Age Well. The update highlighted the scale of primary care in Buckinghamshire, with nearly a quarter of a million appointments provided in December alone. Challenges around access, particularly for general practice and dental services, were noted.

The Board was informed about the aims and outcomes of the collaborative, including strengthening primary care resilience and aligning with system priorities.

Integrated Care Board Updates

Updates were provided from the Thames Valley Integrated Care Board (ICB) and the Central East ICB.

The Thames Valley ICB is now formally established, bringing together responsibility for strategic commissioning across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire. Its vision includes shifting care closer to home, utilising digital tools, and focusing on prevention. The ICB's strategic priorities are commissioning for best value, commissioning for integrated neighbourhood health, and strengthening the focus on prevention.

The Central East ICB has also been established, consolidating several legacy ICBs. The Board approved its constitution, standing orders, financial instructions, and policies. Clinical policies have been aligned, and the Our Way strategy has been adopted.

Other Items

The Board noted updates on the Buckinghamshire Executive Partnership, Healthwatch, and the Forward Plan. A suggestion was made to include an update on the Combating Drugs and Alcohol partnership in a future agenda.

The meeting concluded with the Chairman thanking attendees and formally closing the meeting.