The Health and Wellbeing Board of Haringey Council met on Thursday 17 September 2026 to discuss updates on the development of the West and North London NHS Integrated Care Board's 10-year strategy, neighbourhood health and care development in Haringey, and a proposal for a Haringey Community Advisory Forum. The meeting also included an update on the Better Care Fund.

Update on the West and North London NHS Integrated Care Board 10 Year Strategy Development

The Board was scheduled to receive an update on the development of the West and North London NHS Integrated Care Board's (ICB) 10-year strategy. This strategy aims to improve health and care across the region, which covers 4.5 million people across 13 boroughs. The ICB has a budget of £12 billion and is focused on thinking and commissioning differently to address widening health gaps, rising expectations for care, and increasing costs. The strategy is guided by three connected goals: improving outcomes, easing pressure on the system, and making the best use of resources. It identifies six population groups as strategic priorities, including early years and family support, young people, and older adults. The methodology for developing the strategy involves engagement with residents and staff, alongside evidence and analysis, with a roadmap for its implementation from strategy finalisation to delivery. The report highlighted that Health and Wellbeing Boards are expected to play an increasingly significant role in overseeing neighbourhood health planning and partnership working.

Update on Neighbourhood Health and Care Development in Haringey and the Test Bed Programme

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to an update on neighbourhood health and care development in Haringey, with a particular focus on the Test Bed programme. This initiative is designed to better join up and connect teams and services for vulnerable residents with multiple long-term conditions and those at rising risk. The Test Bed builds upon the existing Multi-Agency Care Coordination (MACC) team, aiming to provide whole person support that addresses medical, psychological, and social needs. The programme is driven by national plans, including the NHS 10 Year Plan, which advocates for shifts from hospital to community care, treatment to prevention, and analogue to digital services. The West and North London ICB intends to invest £120 million into neighbourhood health and care over five years, with Haringey pioneering the Test Bed to understand what works in shifting resources towards prevention. The report outlined the demographic, geographic, and inequality context of Haringey, noting an east-west divide and significant deprivation. The neighbourhood ambitions include mobilising an expanded MACC team to reduce non-elective demand and demonstrate the value of neighbourhood health. The update detailed six key moves underway to establish the Test Bed, including integrating the MACC team into three Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs), establishing proactive multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), and scaling virtual consultation routes. The report also shared initial impact data, highlighting what has worked well, such as a Team Haringey spirit and building on existing infrastructure, as well as areas needing further effort, including community engagement and technical barriers.

Proposal for a Haringey Community Advisory Forum for Neighbourhood Health and Care

The Board was presented with a proposal to establish a Haringey Community Advisory Forum for Neighbourhood Health and Care. This forum is intended to strengthen community and resident voice in the governance of neighbourhood health initiatives. The proposal stems from the understanding that involving local people in changes to health and care services ensures effectiveness and meaningfulness. The forum would meet two to three times a year to provide feedback on key health and care priorities, be consulted on developments, ensure messages reach residents, and provide representation at the Health and Wellbeing Board. Suggested membership includes representatives from integrator organisations, the voluntary and community sector, community networks, and patient groups. The proposal also outlined potential roles and membership for the forum, aiming for an informal and accessible style with joint chairing arrangements.

Better Care Fund Update

The Board received an update on the Better Care Fund (BCF), including the financial outturn for 2025/26 and the proposed plan for 2026/27. The BCF is part of a wider health and social care funding package, supporting approximately 4,000 residents with care packages. The update discussed the impact of winter pressures on performance in 2025/26, noting increased demand due to seasonal illness, workforce pressures, and complex cases, which led to delays in hospital discharge. The increasing impact of extreme weather on health services was also discussed, with confirmation that heatwave planning is part of existing emergency arrangements. The Board noted that lessons learned from extreme weather would inform future planning. Preparations for the forthcoming seasonal vaccination programme were confirmed. The report highlighted that the 2026/27 BCF plan is a transitional, one-year plan that largely maintains existing service provision while beginning to reshape services ahead of future neighbourhood arrangements. A modest funding uplift was noted, with additional investment enabling increased social work capacity within the Multi-Agency Care Coordination Team. Due to the meeting being inquorate, it was noted that the Better Care Fund Plan had been submitted to NHS England in draft, and the Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Corporate Director for Adults, Housing and Health would be requested to formally approve the final submission on behalf of the Board.

The meeting also included standard agenda items such as filming at meetings, welcome and introductions, apologies, urgent business, declarations of interest, and questions, deputations, and petitions. The minutes of the previous meeting held on 25th June 2026 were scheduled for confirmation. The Board was also invited to suggest future agenda items and to note the dates of future meetings.