Somerset Board

The Somerset Board is the single high-level strategic partnership board for health, care and wellbeing for the county: in essence to consider all influences on what it is to live and work in Somerset.   It operates in conjunction with the Somerset Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) and the Somerset Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) sitting as committees in common.    The Somerset Board consists of senior representatives from key organisations, agencies and sectors that have an impact and influence upon the health and wellbeing of the Somerset population.

The committees meeting in common fulfil two statutory requirements:

·                The HWB is a statutory Board of the Council required under the Health and Care Act 2012.

·                Arrangements for Integrated Care Partnerships (ICP) as set out in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 so that Integrated Care Boards (ICB) and all upper-tier local authorities that fall within the area of the ICB must establish an Integrated Care Partnership.   Wherever possible the Somerset HWB and the Somerset ICP will function as committees meeting in common through the Somerset Board. However, the two committees are legally and constitutionally distinct and there may be occasions where decisions of each committee need to be taken separately because of the limits on the functions of each.

Aim Its purpose is to understand the needs of the population and, collaboratively, with the community and all sectors in the county, determine and agree the longer-term strategic vision for the county, pushing forward agreed priorities to improve the lives of the Somerset population and directing how the assessed health and care needs for the population of Somerset are to be met.      The Somerset Board will provide strategic leadership to improve the health, care and wellbeing of the residents of Somerset leading the health and wellbeing agenda, deciding its strategic direction, and holding key organisations, agencies, and sectors to account to ensure the health and wellbeing, including a focus on improving the health and care of the local population is maximised. The Somerset Board will identify and unify to tackle some of the significant challenges facing the county over the medium and longer term.    

Further information about the priorities of the Somerset Board and its supporting strategies.     The core roles and responsibilities of the Board and its members are as follows:  

Responsibilities   The Board, through the Somerset HWB or the Somerset ICP (as appropriate depending on the decision and as set out in each board’s terms of reference), shall identify and agree health and wellbeing needs and priorities across Somerset through:

a)    Providing a structure for strategic local planning and challenge to the provision of health and wellbeing, and health and care related services across a range of sectors and providers.

b)    Assessing the needs of the local population and lead the statutory Joint Strategic Needs Assessment ('JSNA') with an annual refresh and publication of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) to support evidence-based prioritisation, commissioning, and policy decisions.

c)    Ensuring that the JSNA drives the development of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy (Improving Lives), and the Health and Care Strategy and influences other key plans, strategies, commissioning, and service delivery across the County.

d)    Undertaking the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment every three years or sooner if required.

e)    Preparing, agreeing and publishing of the Somerset Health and Wellbeing Strategy (SHWBS). The SHWBS will set a high level joint strategic vision for health and wellbeing, taking into account the JSNA and the Annual Public Health Report(s), as well as national policy developments and legislation. Organisations represented on the Board have a duty to take heed of the strategy, its outcomes and metrics and will be held to account for their contribution to delivery of outcomes.

f)     Preparing, agreeing and publishing of the Health and Care Strategy. The Health and Care Strategy will set a high level joint strategic vision for health and care, taking into account the JSNA and the Annual Public Health Report(s), as well as national policy developments and legislation. Organisations represented on the Board have a duty to take heed of the strategy, its outcomes and metrics and will be held to account for their contribution to delivery of outcomes.

g)    Actively engaging with the other key partnerships, and Boards to ensure the achievement of outcomes in all agreed areas and to extend the reach of the Improving Lives and Health and Care Strategies by ensuring alignment with other strategies and plans.

h)    Discharging all functions relating to the Better Care Fund that are required or permitted by law to be exercised by the Board including: Agreeing the Better Care Fund; and overseeing the delivery of the Better Care Fund and Improved Better Care Fund. This includes providing a regular written progress report on each of the schemes under the fund to the Board.

i)     Overseeing the implementation of the statutory requirement within the Children and Families Act 2014, for local services to work together providing care and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), ensuring that local services are fulfilling their role and that children are getting the care they need.

j)     Ensuring that the Local Integrated Care Board and Partnership, Local Authorities, NHS England, and Police demonstrate how the JSNA has driven decision making.

k)    Advocating for the integration of services where it is beneficial to do so.   In order to undertake the system leadership role, the Board will meet in public three times a year with a workshop programme for Board Members being delivered.   Accountability for the delivery of statutory duties and the Improving Lives and Health and Care Strategies will be through the organisations represented on the Board.  

Membership

  Representation on the Somerset Board reflects the membership of the HWB and ICP and consists of the senior representatives (who have voting rights) detailed below:  

·                Up to 7 elected members of Somerset Council including the relevant Executive Members for Public Health, Equalities and Diversity, Adult Social Care and Children and Families, 1 member of the Opposition and 1 other Council member – all to be chosen by the Leader of the Council

·                Chief Executive Officer Integrated Care Board

·                Chief Medical Officer Integrated Care Board

·                Chair Integrated Care Board

·                1 General Practice representative 

·                1 Primary Care representative (not general practice)

·                Chief Executive Officer, Somerset Council

·                Director Public Health, Somerset Council

·                Executive Director of Adults and Health, Somerset Council

·                Executive Director of Children’s Services, Somerset Council

·                Executive Director of Strategy Workforce and Localities, Somerset Council

·                1 Representative nominated by NHS England

·                Chief Executive Officer Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

·                1 x Non-Executive Director NHS Somerset Foundation Trust

·                2 Representatives from the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector in Somerset

·                1 Representative of Registered Care Providers operating in Somerset

·                1 nominated volunteer representative of Healthwatch Somerset

·                1 Representative from Avon and Somerset Police

·                1 Representative from Devon and Somerset Fire Service

·                1 Representative from Southwest Ambulance Trust

·                1 Representative from Probation Service 

·                2 Representatives from Education

·                1 Representative from the Somerset Association of Local Councils

·                1 Representative from the Business Sector

·                1 University representative   The composition of the Board will be as inclusive as practicable covering a wide range of partners balancing this with a realistic maximum size of the board necessary for it to be effective and strategic.   The Board will need to secure the involvement of all the appropriate partners, including the public, private, community and voluntary sectors. This should allow engagement of residents, community, other public sector and business interests that cannot be represented directly on the Board.   Membership of the Board represents personal commitment to the work of the Board, to attend meetings personally and regularly and to prioritise Board Business. Each Board member has equal voting rights.   Members of the Board must have sufficient delegated authority from their organisations to take a full part in the business of the Board.   It is expected that decisions or recommendations shall be reached by consensus. In exceptional circumstances where consensus cannot be achieved and a formal vote is required, the matter shall be decided by a simple majority of those members voting and present in the room at the time the proposal is considered. The vote shall be by a show of hands. If there are equal votes for and against, the Chair will have a second or casting vote. There will be no restriction on how the Chair chooses to exercise a casting vote.   Decisions within the terms of reference of each committee will be taken at Board meetings and are not subject to ratification or a formal decision process by partner organisations. However, where decisions are not within the delegated authority of either committee, these will be subject to ratification by the constituent bodies.   The Board may invite representatives of partner organisations to attend for, or to present, specific items as appropriate.

Procedural Rules for Board Meetings

  The procedure rules for HWB meetings will apply to the Somerset Board.

Chairing arrangements

  The Leader of the Council shall appoint the Chair of the Board annually from within the Council’s representation on the Board. The Leader shall appoint up two Vice-Chairs on an annual basis at least one of which shall come from within the health service representation on the Board.   In the event that the Chair is not present, but the meeting is quorate the voting members present at the meeting shall choose which Vice-Chair is to chair that meeting.