The Lancashire Health and Wellbeing Board met on Tuesday 18 November 2025 to discuss the future arrangements of the board, the progress of the Better Care Fund, and the development of neighbourhood health plans and a prevention strategy. Key discussions included a refreshed governance model for the board and the development of local neighbourhood health plans.

Review of Health and Wellbeing Board Arrangements

The Board received the findings and recommendations from a Local Government Association (LGA) review aimed at strengthening the role, purpose, and effectiveness of the Lancashire Health and Wellbeing Board. The review highlighted the board's potential and the passion of its members, but also identified a need for a sharper strategic focus and a review of membership to ensure greater involvement from the NHS, voluntary, and community sectors.

Key recommendations included:

• Establishing a vice-chairing arrangement between the County Council and the NHS.
• Strengthening membership to include greater representation from the voluntary, community, and faith sectors, as well as provider organisations.
• Enhancing District Council representation and engagement with local health and wellbeing partnerships.
• Forming four sub-groups focused on Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and Population Health, Joint Commissioning, the Better Care Fund, and Neighbourhood Health Partnership work.
• Moving towards shorter, decision-focused meetings with thematic sessions for deeper discussion.

The Board was asked to endorse these findings and recommendations, with detailed implementation proposals to be developed for approval in early 2026. The proposed changes aim to align the board's priorities with national policy frameworks, including the NHS 10-Year Plan for Health and the Neighbourhood Health Service agenda.

Lancashire Better Care Fund Update

The Board received an update on the Lancashire Better Care Fund. The report detailed progress against key metrics such as emergency admissions, discharge delays, and residential admissions, as well as spend within the fund. The Better Care Fund is a pooled budget between the NHS and local authorities, designed to support people to live independently in their own homes for longer.

Concerns were raised about the transparency and detail of the financial breakdowns, with a call for greater clarity on how the investment is being used and its effectiveness. Helen Coombes, Executive Director of Adult Services, acknowledged these points, explaining that the Better Care Fund is made up of various funding streams and that efforts are underway to improve tracking and reporting. She highlighted that a key metric for the current year is reducing the number of people entering residential care, noting that Lancashire has a higher rate of admissions than many other areas. The Board was assured that the Better Care Fund Board would be responsible for reporting back with more detailed data to support the investments being made.

Developing Neighbourhood Health Plans

The Board discussed the development of neighbourhood health plans, a key component of the Government's 10-year health plan. This initiative aims to improve health outcomes at a local level by focusing on prevention, community-based care, and the wider determinants of health, such as the environment and place-shaping.

Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, Director of Public Health, Wellbeing and Communities, explained that the definition of a neighbourhood would be agreed locally, considering community recognition, service organisation, and optimal resource allocation. The plans will encompass not just NHS services but also social care, public health, and other wider determinants of health. The Board was asked to note the approach to developing these plans, which are expected to be submitted nationally by April 2026.

Discussions highlighted the importance of ensuring that neighbourhoods are defined by communities rather than solely by primary care networks, and that the plans should leverage existing assets within the voluntary and community sector. Councillor Graham Dalton noted the need for flexibility within the plans to address the diverse needs of different communities, particularly in areas of deprivation. The potential impact of local government reform on these plans was also raised, with assurances that the groundwork being laid would be adaptable to future structures.

Developing a Prevention Strategy for Lancashire

The Board received an overview of the work underway to develop a unified prevention strategy for Lancashire County Council. This strategy aims to establish a coordinated approach across council services to achieve better outcomes, reduce inequalities, and manage demand more effectively, particularly within social care services. The strategy is also intended to address areas for improvement identified by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), focusing on a more integrated, council-wide approach to prevention and value for money.

The strategy is being developed in three phases, with the first phase focusing on what the County Council can realistically commit to from 2026/27, informing budget setting and identifying preventable demand. The subsequent phases will embed this within a multi-organisation, system-wide strategy. The approach emphasises understanding and managing demand, measuring and maximising impact, and making smarter use of funding. The Board was asked to note the approach and next steps, and to engage in its further development.

Other Business

The Board also noted the calendar of meetings for 2026/27 and received a statement regarding the statutory responsibility to publish a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) every three years. The PNA 2025 for Lancashire has been published, and the steering group will conduct six-monthly reviews until 2028. The date of the next meeting was confirmed as 20 January 2026.