The Health and Wellbeing Board meeting scheduled for 2 July 2026 was set to discuss the critical link between housing and health, alongside an update on the Better Care Fund. The meeting's agenda also included a review of the NHS Devon update and the Board's future work programme.

Devon Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy: Housing

A key item on the agenda was the Devon Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy, with a particular focus on housing. The report, authored by the Director of Public Health, aimed to explore the relationship between housing conditions and the health and wellbeing of residents in Devon. The discussion was scheduled to consider next steps for addressing this relationship within the broader strategy.

The report highlighted that Good housing supports good health and wellbeing. Poor housing can be detrimental to health and wellbeing. It proposed a simple priority places approach, focused on people and communities facing the greatest risk to health due to housing conditions. The recommendation was to invite housing, planning, public health, and relevant partners to test this approach in one or two priority locations, utilising existing data and local insights. The learning from this would then inform future housing, health, climate, and place-based work. The report also emphasised that warmer, safer, and more affordable homes contribute to climate and economic resilience by reducing illness, cutting energy use, and supporting local jobs.

Better Care Fund 2025-26 End of Year Report and 2026-27 Planning Submission

The Board was scheduled to receive reports on the Better Care Fund (BCF) for both the end of the 2025-26 financial year and the planning submission for 2026-27. The Better Care Fund is a national initiative designed to integrate health and social care services.

The 2025-26 end-of-year report, presented by the Deputy Director of Integrated Adult Social Care, indicated that Devon was on track to meet its targets for reducing emergency admissions for those aged 65 and over, and for reducing discharge delays. However, the report noted that Devon was not on track to meet its target for long-term admissions to residential homes, though work was ongoing to address this. The report detailed the BCF budget for 2025-26, which totalled £135.018 million, and outlined expenditure across various schemes. Challenges identified included cost pressures within the Community Equipment Service and workforce constraints affecting discharge flow.

The 2026-27 planning submission outlined the framework for the Better Care Fund, which aims to support integrated and preventative care. Key objectives included shifting care from hospitals to communities, and from sickness to prevention, aligning with the government's 10 Year Health Plan for England. The plan for 2026-27 was described as a transition year, with an increased emphasis on monitoring outcomes, including reablement. The submission had received approval from both Devon County Council and NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) leadership.

NHS Devon Update

A verbal update from NHS Devon was scheduled to be provided to the Board.

Scrutiny Work Programme and Forward Plan

The Board was also set to review its Scrutiny Work Programme to prevent duplication of effort. Additionally, the Board's Forward Plan, outlining future agenda items, was to be reviewed and agreed upon.