The health and wellbeing board carries out statutory functions as required by the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and other functions delegated to it.

The functions of the board are:

a.           To encourage those who arrange the provision of any health or social care services in Herefordshire to work in an integrated manner for the purpose of advancing the health and wellbeing of the people of Herefordshire.

b.           To provide such advice, assistance or other support as it thinks appropriate, for the purpose of encouraging the making of prescribed arrangements under S 75 National Health Service Act 2006.

c.           To encourage those who arrange for the provision of any health related services in Herefordshire to work closely with the health and wellbeing board.

d.           To encourage the close working of those providing health or social care services with those who arrange for the provision of health related services in Herefordshire.

e.           To prepare a health and social care joint strategic needs assessment (Understanding Herefordshire) for the county.

f.             To prepare a health and wellbeing strategy to meet those needs.

g.           Reviewing whether the commissioning plans and arrangements for the NHS, public health and social care (including Better Care Fund submissions) are in line with and have given due regard to the health and wellbeing strategy.

h.           To prepare and publish a local Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment under S206 of the 2012 Act.

and additionally:

i.             To give its opinion, as appropriate, to Herefordshire Council, the Clinical Commissioning Group or NHS Commissioning Board, as to whether they are discharging their duty to have regard to any assessment of relevant needs prepared by the Council, the Clinical Commissioning Group or NHS Commissioning Board in the exercise of their functions.

j.             To sign off annual plans and periodic performance submissions for the Better Care Fund.

The council’s constitution sets out the basic rules governing the health and wellbeing board, including composition and role, functions, and procedures.

Members of the public can get involved by attending a meeting in public and by asking a question at a meeting in public.

In line with guidance, the board will meet formally in public when the board is being asked to make decisions and deal with formal business.  Agenda papers for those meetings in public will be available on the council's website.

Guidance recognises that health and wellbeing boards will also meet informally for workshops or seminar sessions and for board learning and development.  Such events are not meetings in public and do not appear on the website.