The Northumberland Health and Wellbeing Board met to discuss several key items, including the Northumberland Dementia Strategy 2025-2035, the Better Care Fund, and the board's forward plan. The meeting was also scheduled to include the election of a vice-chair.

Northumberland Dementia Strategy 2025-2035

The board was scheduled to discuss the multi-agency Northumberland Dementia Strategy 2025-2035. The strategy was developed by adult social care in partnership with the Northumberland Dementia Steering Group, which was established in July 2024 and includes key stakeholders involved in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and support for adults living with dementia and their carers.

The strategy's vision is to:

reduce the risk of people developing dementia, and to enable and support people living with dementia to live life to their full potential.

The Northumberland Priorities replicate the NHS England Transformation Framework Well Pathway for Dementia, and include:

• Preventing Well: Risk of people developing dementia is minimised.
• Diagnosing Well: Timely accurate diagnosis, care plan and a review within first year.
• Supporting Well: Access to safe high-quality health and social care for people with dementia and carers.
• Living Well: People with dementia can live in safe and accepting communities.
• Dying Well: People living with dementia die with dignity in the place of their choosing.

The strategy was informed by the experiences of people living with dementia and carers, with the Alzheimer's Society seeking views from the Northumberland Dementia Voices group and adults living with dementia who accessed the Northumberland post-diagnosis support service.

The report pack identifies several challenges that need to be addressed to achieve the strategy's vision, including:

• An ageing population
• Funding for VCSE organisations is often not available and when available is often short term.
• Need for early intervention, joined up care, good communication, and regular support
• Lack of Provision
• Lack of respite care
• Housing
• Continuity of relationships and single named practitioner
• Carers have significant needs
• Dementia awareness
• Information about the condition and navigating the system
• Peer support
• Transport
• Care homes
• Day services
• Diagnosis

The board was asked to approve the Northumberland Dementia Strategy, particularly the objectives aligned to each of the five priorities contained within the Delivering Change chapter.

Better Care Fund 2025-26 Narrative Plan

The board was scheduled to receive a verbal update on the Better Care Fund 2025-26 Narrative Plan, following its submission on 31 March 2025.

Health and Wellbeing Board Forward Plan

The board was scheduled to note and discuss details of forthcoming agenda items at future meetings, as detailed in the Health and Wellbeing Board Forward Plan 2025-26.