The West Northamptonshire Health and Wellbeing Board met on Wednesday 09 September 2026 to discuss a range of reports and strategies aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of residents. Key topics included annual reports on Disabled Facilities Grants, Carers Strategy progress, and the Healthwatch West Northamptonshire Annual Report, alongside updates on the Northamptonshire Suicide Prevention Strategy and the NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board's annual report.

Disabled Facilities Grant Annual Report 2025/2026

The Board was scheduled to receive an update on the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) allocation and expenditure for the 2025/2026 period. The report, authored by Chris Stopford, Head of Private Sector Housing at West Northamptonshire Council, was intended to inform the Board about how the DFG allocation was spent and any issues encountered. DFGs are provided by central government to enable individuals with disabilities to live independently in their own homes, avoiding the need for residential or hospital care. The report was expected to highlight the grant's contribution to supporting independence, preventing hospital admissions, and facilitating timely hospital discharges. The Board was asked to note the DFG performance and expenditure, recognise its contribution to independence, and support continued partnership working to maximise its impact through Better Care Fund arrangements.

Northamptonshire Suicide Prevention Strategy Refresh

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the refresh of the Northamptonshire Suicide Prevention Strategy for 2026-2031. Authored by Aarti Kumari, Public Health Officer Suicide Prevention, and Annapurna Sen, Consultant Inclusion Health, both from West Northamptonshire Council, the strategy aims to provide a clear, system-wide approach to reduce suicides and the harm caused by suicide across the county. The strategy acknowledges suicide as a preventable public health issue requiring coordinated action from all partners. It incorporates learning from previous strategies, coroner's audits, national policy, and strengthened monitoring arrangements. The report highlighted the complex nature of suicide risk, acknowledging factors beyond clinical services such as financial insecurity, housing challenges, and social isolation. The strategy aligns with national guidance and adopts a phased approach to implementation over five years, focusing on population-level prevention, targeted support for at-risk groups, early intervention, crisis support, postvention, bereavement care, workforce development, and community awareness. The Board was recommended to review and ratify the strategic priorities, recognising suicide prevention as a shared responsibility.

Neighbourhood Health Plan

Melanie Williams was scheduled to provide a verbal report on the Neighbourhood Health Plan. This plan is intended to outline a coordinated approach to health and wellbeing at a neighbourhood level, likely focusing on integrated service delivery and community involvement.

Northamptonshire Carers Strategy Year 2 Report

Michael Hurt, Head of Strategic Commissioning at West Northamptonshire Council, was due to present the Year 2 progress report on the Carers Strategy. This report was expected to detail progress made in supporting unpaid carers across West Northamptonshire, outlining delivery against key priorities, performance indicators, and outcomes achieved. Key achievements highlighted in the executive summary included maintaining timely crisis support, an increase in registered carers, improved access to information, and positive outcomes from commissioned services. The report was also expected to cover priorities for Year 3, focusing on co-production, carers' health and wellbeing, and improved integration across health and social care services.

Healthwatch West Northamptonshire Annual Report 2025/2026

Gabriella Van Beek, Operations Manager at Healthwatch West Northamptonshire, was scheduled to present the organisation's Annual Report for 2025-2026. The report was intended to showcase the work undertaken by Healthwatch throughout the year, including reports, Enter and View visits, and public engagement activities. It aimed to highlight the experiences and views of local residents, key themes identified, and how these have been shared with health and care partners. The report was expected to support the Board in understanding issues that matter to residents and inform local priorities and strategic discussions, demonstrating how the voice of local people contributes to improving health and care services.

NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board Annual Report 2025/2026

Miranda Tapfumanei was scheduled to present the annual report and accounts for the NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board (NICB) for the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. This report is a statutory requirement and details the ICB's progress in delivering its four aims: improving health for all, reducing health inequalities, wisely spending public resources, and contributing to the economic and social development of the area. The report was expected to describe the ICB's contribution to the joint health and wellbeing strategy and its engagement with Health and Wellbeing Boards. The report and accounts had been approved by the relevant boards and submitted to NHS England, with publication on the respective websites.

Health Protection Committee Update

David Johns was scheduled to provide a verbal update from the Health Protection Committee. This update would likely cover any significant health protection issues, risks, or initiatives relevant to West Northamptonshire.

The meeting also included standard agenda items such as apologies for absence, notification of requests to address the meeting, declarations of interest, chair's announcements, and the confirmation of minutes from the previous meeting.