The Hounslow Health and Wellbeing Board met on Wednesday 14 October 2026 to discuss health protection assurance, updates from the West and North London ICB, the close-down of the previous Health and Wellbeing Strategy, the council's new Corporate Plan, and the Healthwatch Hounslow report. The Board also received an update on the Better Care Fund.

Health Protection Assurance

Nicola Bartholomew, from Public Health, presented an update on the health protection assurance process. This is an internal review designed to ensure the local authority is meeting its health protection brief and to identify any gaps or areas for improvement. The process will involve a desktop exercise followed by task and finish groups, with a full review expected to be completed by December 2028. Key milestones include the completion of the desktop exercise by 21 December 2026 and the commencement of task and finish groups in January 2027. The Board was assured that this is a collaborative process, not a performance management tool, and that updates will be provided regularly.

West and North London ICB Update on Changes

Katie Coleman, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the Western North London ICB, provided an update on the significant changes following the formation of a single ICB for the region. This new organisation covers 13 boroughs and serves 4.5 million residents, with a budget of £12 billion. The ICB's focus is shifting towards strategic commissioning, population health outcomes, and equity, with an ambition to reduce operational costs and move away from a system heavily reliant on acute hospital care. Key priorities for the first year include delivering operational commitments, setting up the new organisation for success, investing 1% for impact, and developing a clinically-led strategy. The ICB will retain its statutory duties, including safeguarding and SEND arrangements, and is working to define the role of integrators in each borough to facilitate neighbourhood health services. There was discussion regarding the clarity of communication from the ICB to local authorities and the need for more specific information on what these changes mean for Hounslow residents.

Health and Wellbeing Board Strategy Close Down Report

Sterling Rippy presented a report summarising the progress of the Hounslow Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2022-2026. The strategy had three main principles: a life course approach, localities and place-based working, and prevention and early intervention, with 33 priorities. The report highlighted successes in areas such as reducing childhood obesity rates, increasing breastfeeding rates, improving early cancer diagnosis, reducing smoking prevalence, and a reduction in falls admissions for older residents. However, areas for continued focus include maternal and birth outcomes, alcohol admissions, and rough sleeping. The report also reflected on lessons learned, including the need to reduce the number of priorities, focus on inequalities rather than just borough averages, and address the wider determinants of health. A workshop was scheduled for 6 November to discuss the development of the new Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

A Fairer Future, London Borough of Hounslow Corporate Plan, 2026-2030

Councillor Lily Bath and Sarah Filby presented the Council's new Corporate Plan, A Fairer Future. The plan, running from 2026 to 2030, focuses on creating a fairer borough where everyone can live well, with benefits of growth shared and every neighbourhood cared for. It is structured around four strategic themes: A Responsive Council, For Residents, For the Borough, and For the Organisation. The plan emphasises a commitment to addressing inequalities throughout, organising work around residents' lives, places, and prevention. Health and wellbeing are woven throughout the plan, particularly in the Healthy Life objective, which aims for residents to live longer in good health, reduce health inequalities, and receive the right support at the right time. The Board was asked to note the plan and consider its implications for future work.

Healthwatch Hounslow Q4 Report

Peter Goulding, Chair of Healthwatch Hounslow, presented the Q1 Patient Experience Report. The report indicated that 79% of reviews for GP services were positive, 61% for hospitals, 70% for dentists, and 89% for community services. Recurring themes for improvement included appointment availability and online booking systems for GPs, A&E waiting times and communication for hospitals, and the cost of treatment for dentists. There was a discussion about the potential abolition of Healthwatch nationally and the implications for how patient and resident voices would be heard in the future. The Board agreed that future discussions should focus on the role of the local integrator, patient engagement, and transparency around funding.

Better Care Fund Update

Martin Waddington provided an update on the Better Care Fund, noting that the Q1 and Q2 reports would be combined and submitted at the next meeting in January 2027. Responsibility for future reporting will transfer to Steven Forbes, Executive Director of Children and Adults' Services. Stephen Forbes confirmed he would be taking on this responsibility and highlighted that the planning guidance for the Better Care Fund's future direction, potentially as the Integrated Care Funding Framework, was still awaited.