Health and Wellbeing Boards
What are Health and Wellbeing Boards?
A key plank of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 was the creation of statutory health and wellbeing boards in every upper tier local authority. Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWB) are the vehicles for joint local system leadership for health and care.
Health and Wellbeing Boards bring together key leaders from the local health and care system to improve the health and wellbeing of their population and reduce health inequalities through:
•developing a shared understanding of the health and wellbeing needs of their communities
•providing system leadership to secure collaboration to meet these needs more effectively
•having a strategic influence over commissioning decisions across health, public health and social care
•involving councillors and patient representatives in commissioning decisions.
The Department of Health published a short guide to Health and Wellbeing Boards in February 2012.
Health and wellbeing boards in London
All 32 London boroughs and the City of London have their own board. Whilst having a number of statutory responsibilities, boards are free to set their own priorities, according to local needs and circumstances using Health and Well Being Strategies (HWS).
View an interactive map of the London JSNA and Health and Wellbeing Boards here
The Health and Well Being Strategies (HWS) should be informed by JSNAs and Irish in Britain advises our local members to:
a) Engage with the process of the Joint Strategic Needs assessment in your local area to ensure your local Irish community health needs are considered and addressed.
b) Challenge your Local Health and wellbeing board when Irish needs are not addressed locally.
NOTE: Health and Well Being Strategies (HWS) should be informed by JSNAs and members might want to take their local board to task if Irish not mentioned or only mentioned in JSNA and/or their needs not addressed by HWS. If you need some assistance identifying your local board please contact us on 020 7697 4081.