To brief the Health and Wellbeing Board members on the key features of the Government’s new 10 year plan for health.

David Mehaffey briefed the board on the key features of the ‘10 Year Health Plan For England: fit for the future’, published by the government in July 2025.  It was noted that the plan:

i.             set out significant ambitions relevant to the key functions of the board, including to raise the healthiest generation of children ever, end the obesity epidemic, and create a smoke-free generation;

ii.            highlighted three radical shifts - hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention; and

iii.          identified transformative technologies – data, AI, genomics, wearables and robotics.

The requisite outputs included: five year strategic commissioning plans, produced by Integrated Care Boards; five year integrated delivery plans, produced by NHS providers; and neighbourhood health plans, developed by local authorities working in conjunction with partners and approved by health and wellbeing boards.

The principal discussion points included:

1.           It was not certain whether the strategic commissioning plan would, in time, replace the ‘NHS Five Year Joint Forward Plan’.

2.           Reference was made to the similar ambitions articulated in the ‘NHS Five Year Forward View’, published in October 2014, and to the findings of the ‘Independent investigation of the NHS in England’, published in September 2024.

3.           It was noted that resources had been directed towards the acute sector during the Covid-19 pandemic and the focus had now shifted back to prevention and integrated, community-based care.

4.           The Chairperson noted that a new triage system had been introduced on 1 October 2025 but acknowledged ongoing public concerns around GP access and continuity.  The Vice-Chairperson commented on health-seeking behaviours and the need to enhance public understanding around the appropriate use of services.

5.           There was a discussion about the need for the board to review the ‘Herefordshire Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2023 - 2033’ given the new policy landscape.

6.           The government’s ‘ambition of establishing a Neighbourhood Health Centre in every community across the country’ was questioned in the context of rural areas and there was a discussion about the need to make the best use of the assets available in Herefordshire.

7.           The Vice-Chairperson reported that the new Wye Valley Community Diagnostic Centre was due to open shortly which would reduce pressure on the acute hospital and provide convenient access for patients.

Resolved:  That

a)           The contents of the report be noted, including the requirements to review and approve the development of Neighbourhood Health Plans; and

b)          Work be commenced to refresh the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, with an indicative plan for its development to be presented to the next meeting in December 2025.