The Isles of Scilly Health and Wellbeing Board met on Thursday 11 June 2026 to discuss plans for integrated care, feedback from recent community engagement, and proposed legislative changes. The meeting also covered health protection reports and the commitment to a joint health and wellbeing strategy.

Isles of Scilly: Better Care Fund Plan 2026/27

The Board was scheduled to consider the Isles of Scilly's Better Care Fund Plan for 2026/27. This plan outlines how the NHS and local authorities will pool budgets to deliver integrated and preventative care for individuals with complex health and social care needs, aiming to support their independence for longer. The plan focuses on continuing the objectives and priorities of the 'Neighbourhood agenda' from the previous year, with expenditure allocated across various activities including home-based intermediate care, wider local support for prevention and independence, integration capacity, model of care coordination, healthy ageing initiatives, community equipment provision, Disabled Facilities Grant related schemes, and recruitment and retention of the care workforce. Performance metrics for the plan include emergency admissions for those aged 65 and over, average length of discharge delay for adult patients, and the rate of older people admitted to residential or nursing care homes. The report noted that the latter metric is not applicable to the Isles of Scilly due to its small population size and limited care home capacity. The plan reflects an increase in funding for specific service areas to meet contractual uplifts and new arrangements. The Board was asked to consider decisions made by the Chief Executive Officer regarding the submission of the plan and quarterly returns to NHS England.

Neighbourhood Health and Wellbeing Interim Engagement Feedback

The Board was presented with interim feedback from neighbourhood health and wellbeing engagement events held across the Isles of Scilly in May 2026. Over 150 people participated in events on St Mary's, four off-islands, and an online session, with a survey also running until the end of July 2026. The feedback is intended to inform the development of local neighbourhood health and wellbeing plans and the overall engagement approach. Key themes emerging from the engagement included:

• Access and Transport: This was consistently identified as the biggest barrier, with travel described as complex, costly, unreliable, and significantly impacted by weather, particularly during winter.
• Coordination: Services were perceived as fragmented and not aligned with island realities, leading to poor appointment planning and coordination.
• Burden on Residents: The financial, practical, and emotional impacts of travel and navigating the system were significant.
• Service Gaps: Limited local provision for diagnostics, mental health, screening, and X-rays was noted.
• Inequality: Off-island residents reported even more reduced access compared to St Mary's and mainland services.
• Wider Determinants: The cost of living, housing, and access to healthy lifestyles were identified as impacting health outcomes.
• Prevention: Access to in-person mental health support, self-care, and healthy eating were restricted.

The report outlined what would make the biggest difference, including better coordination of specialist care, patient transport, increased on-island services, reduced need for mainland travel for minor issues, and a central source of information. Next steps included further engagement, reviewing feedback to identify actions, and developing quarterly updates for islanders.

Discussion Paper on the Health Bill 2026

A discussion paper was presented on the implications of the Health Bill 2026 for the Isles of Scilly. The Bill proposes significant changes to the NHS operating model, including the abolition of NHS England, strengthening the role of the Secretary of State, increasing commissioning responsibilities for Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), and placing greater emphasis on place-based planning through Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Neighbourhood Health Plans. The paper highlighted the importance of ensuring local needs, prevention priorities, and community voices continue to influence planning and resource allocation. The Board was asked to note the potential significance of these reforms and consider further joint work with system partners to assess local implications.

DCIoS Health Protection Committee Annual Assurance Report 2024-2025

The Board received the DCIoS Health Protection Committee Annual Assurance Report for 2024-2025. This report provides assurance that effective arrangements were in place to protect the health of the population across Devon, Cornwall, and the Isles of Scilly. Key themes for the year included responding to infectious disease pressures such as pertussis, measles, and cryptosporidium outbreaks, supported by multi-agency surveillance and response. The report detailed activity related to screening programmes (bowel, breast, cervical, antenatal/newborn, diabetic eye, and abdominal aortic aneurysm), immunisation programmes (pre-school, school-aged, vaccinations in pregnancy, older people, flu, and COVID-19), and healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance. It also covered emergency planning, resilience, and response, including responses to severe weather, contaminated drug incidents, and cyber-attacks. The report highlighted strengths such as high performance in many screening and immunisation programmes, strong multi-agency outbreak response, and robust emergency preparedness, while also identifying key risks and areas for continued focus, including high C. difficile rates and below-target MMR uptake.

Commitment to Remaining Part of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

The Board was asked to confirm its commitment to remaining part of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. A review of the strategy had been presented to the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Committee in Common, which endorsed the case for a refreshed strategy to align with national policy, system priorities, and updated local evidence. The Committee in Common had requested confirmation from the Isles of Scilly Health and Wellbeing Board regarding its commitment and resource allocation. The report noted that an informal discussion on 9 April 2026 had indicated general agreement that remaining part of the joint strategy was in the best interests of the Islands to avoid fragmentation. This report sought confirmation of commitment and resource allocation.

CIOS SAB Annual Report 2024-2025

The Board was presented with the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Safeguarding Adults Board (CIoS SAB) Annual Report for 2024-2025. The report details the Board's activity against its strategic priorities, including work on informal carers, neglect and self-neglect, mental health and wellbeing, safeguarding culture and prevention, and the transition of vulnerable young people into adulthood. It highlights the increase in safeguarding concerns and Section 42 enquiries, attributing this in part to process changes and improved data capture. The report also covers Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs) completed during the year, with key learning themes and recommendations. Subgroup activity reports from the SAR Implementation Subgroup, Learning and Development Subgroup, Quality Assurance Subgroup, and the Missing and Exploitation Group were included, outlining their contributions to safeguarding practice. The report also featured partner updates from statutory and non-statutory organisations, case studies, and financial information. The Board was asked to receive and note the annual report.