The Health & Wellbeing Board of Hammersmith and Fulham Council met on Wednesday 11 September 2024 to discuss the borough's Health and Wellbeing Strategy for 2024-2029, the Better Care Fund Plan for 2024-2025, and receive updates on social care and the Integrated Care Board's work.

Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2024-2029

The Board was scheduled to consider the Health and Wellbeing Strategy for 2024-2029 for approval. This strategy, developed with input from residents and community groups, aims to reduce health inequities and improve the health of all residents in Hammersmith & Fulham. It is informed by the Marmot principles, which advocate for giving every child the best start in life, enabling individuals to maximise their capabilities, creating fair employment, ensuring a healthy standard of living, and developing healthy and sustainable communities. The strategy outlines four key priorities: addressing health issues innovatively, amplifying community strengths to tackle health inequities, cultivating conditions for people to flourish and build resilience, and eliminating barriers to information and mitigating misinformation. The report highlights that Hammersmith & Fulham is the sixth most densely populated borough in London, with variations in life expectancy across different wards. It also notes that 39% of residents are born outside the UK. The strategy emphasises a co-production approach, involving over 420 residents, 31 community groups, and 63 businesses in its development.

Better Care Fund Plan 2024-2025 and Quarter 1 Report

The meeting was scheduled to review the Better Care Fund (BCF) Plan for 2024-2025 and the Quarter 1 report for the same period. These documents, submitted to NHS England, detail the proposed plan and expenditure for the BCF, which aims to support community health and social care resources to reduce hospital admissions and facilitate timely discharge. The plan outlines the income and expenditure, performance targets against BCF metrics, and the continued ICB discharge funding for 2024/25. The report confirms that the four national conditions for the BCF continue to be met, relating to jointly agreed plans, enabling people to stay well at home, providing the right care in the right place at the right time, and maintaining NHS contributions to adult social care. The total pooled budget for the BCF is £45,661,039. The report also details planned and actual expenditure and outputs for the first quarter, with a focus on the use of hospital discharge funding.

Social Care Position Statement and CQC Update

Katharine Willmette, Interim Director of Adult Social Care, was scheduled to provide a verbal update on the Social Care Position Statement and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection.

Integrated Care Board (ICB) Update

Susan Roostan, H&F ICB Borough Director, was expected to provide a verbal update on the work of the Integrated Care Board.

Membership Changes

The Board was to note changes to its membership for the 2024/25 municipal year, including the replacement of Councillor Ben Coleman with Councillor Bora Kwon, Philippa Johnson with Caroline Farrar, and Linda Jackson with Katharine Willmette. Sarah Bright was also to be added as a non-voting member.