The St Helens People's Board met to discuss updates to the Integrated Care Partnership, the St Helens Together Strategy, and the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment. The board approved the adoption and implementation of the St Helens Together Strategy 2025-2028 and supported the findings and publication of the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment 2025-2028. The Board also noted the contents of the St Helens Cares report.

Integrated Care Partnership Update

Geoffrey Appleton, Independent Chair of the St Helens Cares - Place Partnership Board, and Wayne Longshaw, Director of Integration, provided an update on the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP). The report covered developments at national, system, and local levels, focusing on the NHS 10 Year Plan and the development of a Neighbourhood Health approach.

Key points from the update:

• NHS 10 Year Health Plan: The plan prioritises a shift from hospitals to community-based care through local neighbourhood health services and community hubs. It also focuses on digital transformation using the NHS app and a move towards preventative healthcare.
• ICB Transformation: Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are required to reduce operating costs by 50%. The Cheshire and Merseyside ICB began consultation on 11 August 2025, which may take up to 45 days, with potential redundancies expected by 31 March 2026.
• National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP): St Helens applied to be part of the first wave of 'test bed' sites for the NNHIP, which aims to deliver integrated medical and social support at a community level. The outcome of the application is expected by mid-September 2025.
• St Helens Approach: Regardless of the NNHIP outcome, St Helens will continue to develop its Neighbourhood Health approach as part of the 'One Neighbourhood' programme.

The People's Board was asked to note the contents of the St Helens Cares - Place and System Partnership Developments report.

St Helens Together Strategy 2025-2028

The Board considered the adoption and implementation of the refreshed St Helens Together Strategy 2025-2028. The strategy builds upon the existing St Helens Together Strategy 2021-2026 and is intended to guide the relationship between the council, public bodies, and the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector¹.

Key points of the strategy:

• Refreshed Approach: The strategy reflects the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and aims to ensure actions align with the current social and financial environment.
• Partnership Delivery: The strategy will be delivered by the St Helens Together Partnership, involving leaders and stakeholders from public bodies and the VCFSE sector.
• Civil Society Covenant: The strategy aligns with the principles of the Civil Society Covenant, launched by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in October 2024, which promotes recognition, partnership, participation, and transparency between civil society and government.
• Key Priorities: The strategy outlines four key priorities: collaborating together, communicating together, strengthening communities, and volunteering together.

The strategy was co-produced with the VCSFE sector through workshops, a marketplace event, and public consultation.

The People's Board was asked to note the St Helens Together Strategy 2025-2028 for adoption and implementation.

Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment 2025-2028

The People's Board reviewed the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) 2025-2028, a statutory document assessing the pharmaceutical needs of the local population.

Key findings of the PNA:

• Pharmacy Provision: St Helens has 40 community pharmacies, serving a GP-registered population of 203,547. This equates to 19.7 pharmacies per 100,000 residents, higher than the national average.
• Service Accessibility: Most residents reported easy access to a local pharmacy, though some areas are more than a 20-minute walk away.
• Prescription Trends: There were 3,957,516 prescription items prescribed in 2023/24, higher than the England average but lower than the Cheshire & Merseyside average.
• Service Awareness: 70% of pharmacies offer a free home delivery service, but many residents are unaware of it.
• Future Needs: The PNA did not identify a current need for new pharmacies, but increased housing figures will require future review.

Recommendations included:

• Considering an additional pharmacy in the planning of the Bold Forest housing development.
• Exploring options to increase extended pharmacy provision.
• Promoting the availability of free home delivery services.

The People's Board was asked to:

• Note and support the findings of the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) and associated recommendations.
• Note the comments and responses received from the public consultation.
• Approve the finalised PNA for publication.