Health and Wellbeing Board - Key responsibilities

Joint Strategic Needs Assessment

Joint Strategic Needs Assessments assess the current and future health and social care needs of the local population, using information collated from different sources and partners. Health and Wellbeing Boards have a statutory duty to oversee preparation and publication of a local Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

Local Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy

The Board has prepared a Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy. This provides a jointly agreed and locally determined set of priorities for West Northamptonshire. 

Directors of Public Health Annual Report

Directors of Public Health are statutorily required to produce an annual report, which is a vehicle for informing local people about the health of their community, as well as providing necessary information for decision-makers in local health services and authorities on health gaps and priorities that need to be addressed. Health and Wellbeing Boards have a duty to agree publication of this report.

Better Care Fund

The Better Care Fund is one of the government’s national vehicles for driving health and social care integration. It requires Integrated Care Boards and local government to agree a joint plan, owned by the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB). Health and Wellbeing Boards have a statutory duty to endorse and oversee the successful implementation of Better Care Fund, Improved Better Care Fund.

Disabled Facilities Grant

Disabled Facilities Grants are an allocation provided by central government to local authorities to enable people with a disability to remain in or return to and live independently, in their own homes, thereby avoiding them having to be looked after in a care home or in hospital. As part of the Better Care Fund arrangements Health and Wellbeing Board have a duty to oversee local Disabled Facilities Grant arrangements and spend.

Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment

Health and Wellbeing Boards must publish a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment which details an assessment of the need for pharmaceutical services which is revised every 3 years.

The assessment includes a review of the population health needs as well as the existing pharmacy provision. The document sets out what services are currently offered and assesses whether these meet current and future needs of residents are met.

Find out more about the Northamptonshire JSNA.

NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board

The new Health and Social Care Act allocated some additional duties for Health and Wellbeing Boards with regards to Integrated Care Boards.

Integrated Care Boards must consult with Health and Wellbeing Boards when preparing or refreshing their forward plans. Health and Wellbeing Boards must take notice of whether the forward plan takes account of the Local Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

Find further information on the NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board.

More information about the work of the Board and its responsibilities can be found in the Board’s Terms of Reference.

Last updated 18 October 2023