The Health and Wellbeing Board of Hertfordshire Council met on Wednesday 22 July 2026, with Neil Tester, Chair of Healthwatch Hertfordshire, elected as Chair for the meeting. Key discussions included the Better Care Fund's end-of-year performance and future plans, an update on Neighbourhood Health initiatives, and progress on the Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The Board also reviewed the refreshed All-Age Carers Strategy, progress on Best Start Family Hubs, and outcomes from the VCFSE Alliance conference.

Better Care Fund Performance and Plans

The Board approved the Better Care Fund (BCF) end-of-year report for 2025-26, noting strong performance against national metrics, with discharge delays and long-term admissions performing better than regional and national averages. The pooled fund managed £159.4 million, with expenditure aligned to planned income. The 2026-27 BCF plan was also approved, focusing on prevention, independence, neighbourhood-based care, and supporting unpaid carers, aligning with the NHS Neighbourhood Health Framework and Hertfordshire County Council's plans. Key priorities for 2026-27 include reducing emergency admissions for those over 65 and improving discharge readiness. The report highlighted successful initiatives such as the plus-size equipment pilot and the Hertfordshire Equipment Service, which delivered nearly 1,500 pieces of equipment within 24 hours. A BCF conference in June celebrated 10 years of delivery and showcased integrated working, reinforcing the strength of partnerships and shared ambition across the system. Discussions also touched upon the impact of heatwaves on emergency admissions and the challenges of running dated hospital infrastructure during extreme weather.

Neighbourhood Health Update

Ed Knowles, Director of Neighbourhood, Place and Partnerships at the Central East Integrated Care Board (ICB), provided an update on the development of Neighbourhood Health Teams. The focus is on creating a common understanding of what neighbourhood working means in practice for residents and partners. A draft delivery plan for 2026-27 has been developed, with an initial focus on frailty due to its significant impact on NHS and social care services. The plan aims to develop a neighbourhood health team model that can be applied across other demographics. The first meeting of the Hertfordshire Neighbourhood Health Delivery Committee was scheduled, which will work closely with the Health and Wellbeing Board. The discussion emphasised the need for neighbourhood health to be more than just the coordination of statutory services, but to involve wider community inclusion and empower communities to identify their own solutions. Concerns were raised about the potential for a top-down approach from government and the need for clarity on bricks and mortar community assets. The Board noted recommendations to support the continued development of Neighbourhood Health Teams, focusing on frailty as an initial priority cohort, and endorsing joint working between the ICB, County Council, and wider partners.

Health and Wellbeing Strategy: Progress and Key Insights

Christine Oker and David Conrad presented an update on the review of the current Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which has been extended to March 2028. A stakeholder survey received 153 responses, with the highest engagement from the voluntary and community sector. The survey analysis, alongside a refreshed Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), will provide a detailed assessment of impacts, enablers, challenges, and opportunities for collective action. The JSNA highlights key causes of death and disability in Hertfordshire, with circulatory disease, cancer, and respiratory disease being leading contributors to premature death and disability. Smoking and excess weight were identified as the top risks. The Board noted the progress made, including the completion of the stakeholder survey and the publication of the refreshed JSNA, and supported continued partner engagement ahead of a fuller report in October.

Refresh of the Hertfordshire All-Age Carers Strategy and Action Plan

Tim Napper and Sue Chapman presented the refreshed Hertfordshire Carers Strategy and Action Plan. The strategy, developed over a year with extensive co-production with carers, focuses on five key outcomes: being informed, life beyond caring, maintaining health and wellbeing, receiving consistent joined-up services, and being safe. The Being Safe outcome is a new addition, reflecting concerns raised by carers and the Adult Safeguarding Board. The action plan includes multi-agency work with health, the voluntary sector, and other partners. Sue Chapman highlighted specific work on identifying and supporting young carers, noting that the current number of identified young carers is lower than estimated. The Board was asked to note and comment on the proposed strategy and action plan and endorse both. The discussion emphasised the power of the Being Safe priority, recognising it as a significant shift in thinking about carers' needs beyond their interaction with services.

Best Start Family Hubs Progress Update

Aideen Dunne and Pablo Benvenutto provided an update on the development of Best Start Family Hubs (BSFH) in Hertfordshire. The programme aims to improve early years outcomes, with Hertfordshire targeting an increase in children achieving a Good Level of Development (GLD) by 2028. The plan focuses on early intervention, evidence-based programmes, and strengthened partnerships, including co-location with midwifery and perinatal mental health services. Initially, two hubs are being developed in Stevenage and Watford, with plans to expand to ten by 2029. The update highlighted the importance of integrating services at a neighbourhood level and ensuring children and young people are reflected in neighbourhood health plans. Discussions included the challenges of identifying families most in need, the importance of accessible communication, and the need for better integration of services for older children. The Board was invited to support recommendations on strengthening connections between midwifery and BSFHs, fostering collaboration between health, children's services, and public health, and ensuring children and young people are reflected in neighbourhood health plans.

Hertfordshire VCFSE Alliance Conference Update

Adam Thapar, Director of the Hertfordshire VCFSE Alliance, shared outcomes from the alliance's conference in May. The conference highlighted the significant appetite within the Voluntary, Community, Faith, and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector to work as equal partners with statutory bodies. Key messages included a desire to move beyond engagement into genuine partnership, a strong focus on delivering prevention rather than just discussing it, and the need for stronger collaboration between statutory services and community organisations. The importance of community insight in informing strategic decision-making was also emphasised. The alliance plans to establish thematic groups focusing on prevention, early support, neighbourhood working, financial wellbeing, mental health, and data insights. Three core asks were presented to the Board: to continue recognising the VCFSE sector as a strategic partner, to support stronger connectivity between statutory services and community organisations, and to create opportunities for community insight to influence strategic decision-making earlier. The Board was invited to note and comment on the feedback from the conference.

Health and Wellbeing Board Sub-Boards Progress Highlight Reports

Christine Oker presented the progress highlight reports from the Health and Wellbeing Board's five sub-boards for April to June 2026. The reports covered the Violence Against Women and Girls Partnership Board, Drug and Alcohol Joint Strategic Board, Children and Young People's Commissioning Oversight Group, and the Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Neurodiversity Health and Care Partnership. Key achievements included the launch of a new advocacy service for victims of VAWG, progress on co-occurring mental health and substance use initiatives, and a focus on early help commissioning for children and young people. The Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Neurodiversity Partnership reported on the formal merger of the Central East ICB, pilot sites for community-based mental health models, and the development of an Autism Strategy. Feedback from the Community of Practice session highlighted the importance of embedding the VCFSE sector within neighbourhood health models and the need for better evidence of VCFSE activity. The Board was asked to note, comment on, and approve the highlight reports, and advise if any areas would benefit from a more detailed review.

The meeting concluded with the Chair thanking Christine and Carly for their support and reminding attendees of the schedule for future meetings.