The Health and Wellbeing Board of Leicestershire Council is scheduled to convene on Thursday, 17 September 2026. The agenda includes discussions on a range of health and social care priorities for Leicestershire. Key topics are expected to include progress updates on the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy's Dying Well and Living & Supported Well priorities, as well as an examination of neighbourhood health initiatives across the county.

Neighbourhood Health in Leicestershire

The agenda indicates a focus on the development of neighbourhood health services across Leicestershire. The relevant report is expected to outline national expectations and local governance arrangements for this initiative, drawing on learning from the West Leicestershire National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme pilot. This pilot focused on housebound individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and explored the potential of multidisciplinary teams within local communities. The report is anticipated to detail the outcomes and outputs of this pilot, including the establishment of integrated teams and the use of care coordinators and social prescribers. Feedback from Professor Clare Fuller, GP and former Chief Executive of the Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care System, is also expected to be included, reinforcing the need for integrated neighbourhood teams to focus on the most complex patient cohorts and to demonstrate measurable impact, particularly in reducing acute hospital activity. The meeting is expected to consider proposals for developing a place programme plan and an addendum to the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy to support the next phase of neighbourhood health development.

Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy Progress Updates

The Board is scheduled to receive updates on two key priorities within the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy (JLHWS) 2022-32. The Dying Well priority report is expected to detail progress across six workstreams: improving access to information, making end-of-life conversations more common, understanding individual needs at the end of life, supporting end-of-life planning, ensuring joined-up support, and providing bereavement support for carers. The report is anticipated to highlight ongoing work such as the development of a professional-facing portal for end-of-life care information and the implementation of a Shared Care Record project.

Similarly, the Living & Supported Well priority report will provide an update on progress in supporting individuals to live independently and maximise their quality of life. This priority area is divided into Upscaling prevention and self-care and Effective management of frailty and complex care. The report is expected to detail work undertaken in areas such as empowering self-care, improving access to care services, supporting independence through initiatives like the Disabled Facilities Grant, and falls prevention. It is also expected to address the support for carers, noting the significant number of unpaid carers in Leicestershire and the link between this priority and the development of local carer support. The report is also anticipated to touch upon the early identification of need for those with frailty and complex care, and the role of integrated neighbourhood teams in supporting independent living and care in the community. Challenges such as increasing demand from an ageing population and recruitment difficulties in community services are also noted.

Better Care Fund and Adult Sexual Assault Referral Centre

The meeting agenda includes a report on the Better Care Fund (BCF) for Quarter 1 of the 2026/27 financial year. This report is expected to provide an overview of performance against BCF metric targets, expenditure, and progress, along with any identified risks. The Better Care Fund aims to improve health and care outcomes by integrating health and social care services.

Additionally, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner is scheduled to provide an overview of the commissioning and mobilisation of the Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland (LLR) wide Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) for adults. The report is expected to detail the transition of the SARC service from Leicestershire Police to Mountain Healthcare from 1 October 2026. It is also anticipated to highlight key messages for victim/survivors, including the ability to self-refer and the option to access services without reporting to the police. The development of an animated information video for victim/survivors is also mentioned.

Healthwatch Leicester and Leicestershire Annual Report

The Board is scheduled to consider the Healthwatch Leicester and Leicestershire Annual Report for 2025-26. This report is expected to detail the activities of the statutory consumer champion for health and social care, including public engagement, information services, and Enter and View visits. It is anticipated to highlight key achievements such as engagement with over 46,000 people and the publication of 19 reports based on public insight. The report is also expected to outline the priorities for Healthwatch Leicester and Leicestershire for 2026-27, which include understanding public awareness of the Pharmacy First programme, exploring digital access to NHS services, and tackling health inequalities. The future of Healthwatch arrangements beyond 2027 is noted as being subject to government decisions.