Norfolk Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) is the forum for system leaders across the wider local health and care system and works closely with the Norfolk and Waveney Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) (Waveney is an area in East Suffolk). This case study forms part of our integrated care systems (ICS) resource.
The HWB undertook a comprehensive programme of engagement to develop a new joint health and wellbeing board strategy, which led to a significant change in direction. A key aim of the programme was to identify the unique benefits of the HWB – where members could add value and efficiencies through collaboration through the strategy, over and above what partners were already doing.
The HWB has agreed the vision of a single, sustainable health and wellbeing system, prioritising prevention, tackling inequalities and creating integrated ways of working. Partners also agreed a set of values to underpin future joint working – being collectively accountable, simplifying systems, promoting engagement and involvement, being evidence-based and sharing intelligence. Partner plans and strategies, including the STP programme, are being aligned and will support the delivery of the strategy for 2018-22.
“In Norfolk, commitment to prevention is high and there is growing good will across the county council, district councils, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and NHS providers to work together. For the first time, Norfolk’s joint health and wellbeing strategy has been endorsed by NHS providers. This brings great opportunities to tackle health and wellbeing together.”
Councillor Bill Borrett, Chair, Norfolk Health and Wellbeing Board
Members of the board include senior leaders from Healthwatch Norfolk, the STP, NHS colleagues including NHS providers, the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors, Norfolk Constabulary, the police and crime commissioner, and elected members from district, city and borough councils.
Norfolk and Waveney STP’s development towards becoming an integrated care system with single-system working is underway, with agreement about the future framework:
- neighbourhood – 20 primary care networks
- place – five local delivery groups
- system – across Norfolk and Waveney.
Norfolk has long-standing integrated commissioning and multidisciplinary teams incorporating the five CCGs, Norfolk County Council social care and community health providers. Integrated commissioning posts are jointly funded and co-located and have the remit to work across health, care and housing support services.
District council HWB members have formed a HWB subcommittee to lead on the work addressing health inequalities, through a ‘Homes and Health’ work programme. A sustainable model to support discharge from hospital, ‘District Direct’, is being rolled out in a consistent way across the county – now extended to include mental health and community hospitals, with a District Direct officer working within the local mental health trust. Future work is planned with community hospitals, particularly for those patients in rehabilitation.
Norfolk HWB oversees a comprehensive programme for improving health and wellbeing, including tackling the social determinants of health. As Norfolk partners continue to develop a single system, new ways of working devised through the joint strategy will provide a strong basis for the future.
For more information
Louise Smith, Director of Public Health
[email protected]
or
Christopher Butwright, Head of Public Health Performance and Delivery [email protected]
See also a case study from the LGA public health annual report 2019.