Policy Briefing | What we know about Health and Wellbeing Boards

This briefing looks at Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWBs), statutory committees of local authorities, and their part in England’s health and care system for well over a decade. As their role has recently come back into focus, we have looked at what HWBs were set up to do, how they have worked in practice, and what might come next as the NHS focus shifts towards the neighbourhood health agenda.

HWBs are well positioned to bring together local government officers and councillors, NHS partners, public health, Healthwatch and others around local population health priorities. They offer a degree of democratic accountability and a strong connection to place.

But they rely on influence and information, rather than formal power. They don’t hold commissioning budgets or strong statutory levers, and evidence suggests their impact has often depended on the nurturing of local relationships and the degree to which system partners and ICBs engage with them.

The NHS 10 Year Health Plan potentially gives HWBs a more substantial role, particularly in leading neighbourhood health planning – though it is unclear how they might meet such expectations without an increase in powers and resources, and more clarity around roles and responsibilities within the system.

In short, HWBs could fulfil their potential, becoming central to place-based, locally informed health and care planning, but only if they are properly supported to do the job.

You can read the full briefing below: