The Cheshire East Health and Care Partnership Board met on 5 September 2025, at the Holmes Chapel Community Centre¹. The agenda included a Healthwatch update, discussion of NHS reforms and a system financial turnaround, and an integrated neighbourhood focus. The board was also scheduled to review the minutes from their meeting held on 6 May 2025.

System Financial Turnaround

The board was scheduled to discuss the system financial turnaround. According to the minutes from the previous meeting, Mark Wilkinson, Place Director, NHS C&M Cheshire East Place, reported that the ICB² is consumed with changes and the implications around this for colleagues and the financial recovery. There is an agreed financial plan both for the ICB and the broader ICS³ – all NHS Provider organisation that make up the Integrated Care System from an NHS perspective. The planned deficit for 2025-2026 is being signed off and approved by NHS England. A system improvement director Mandy Nagra has been appointed on a 12-month, fixed contract, signalling an explicit financial turnaround process for both the ICB and the wider system. Existing and new programmes are being recast to deliver financial turnaround, including reducing use of the independent sector, tackling unwarranted variation, decommissioning, all age continuing care including S117⁴ and joint packages. The ICB is considering a sharper focus on paying for health.

Integrated Neighbourhood Focus

The board was scheduled to discuss the future strategic direction and way forward for integrated neighbourhoods. The minutes from the previous meeting noted that the partnership board previously agreed to conclude what can be done, by working more closely together in more integrated ways throughout the care communities. End of Life and Frailty were both identified as opportunities for greater neighbourhood working. The Cheshire East Place Leadership Group recently discussed the care community proposal and received mixed reactions. The ICB has asked as to whether this could be considered as a pilot scheme in the care communities.

NHS Reforms

The board was scheduled to discuss NHS reforms. According to the minutes from the previous meeting, Mark Wilkinson, Place Director, NHS C&M Cheshire East Place, described how back in mid-March the secretary of state announced that NHS England was to be abolished with functions to be reintegrated with the Department of Health and Social care. The government announced its wish to see a reduction in ICB running costs by 50% on average nationally. In Cheshire and Merseyside, the anticipated pay bill reductions are in the order of 25% to 30%. The launch of a new national operating model for the Integrated Care Board was received. The document sets out the functions of the Integrated Care Board going forward. There is an expectation that the ICBs will become more focused on strategic commissioning. There will still be nine Places, doing less at Place in future with more functions at a higher level. Potentially the Devolution Cheshire and Warrington footprint, across Merseyside, Liverpool City Region. Continuation to explore what makes sense to do well across the ICB.

Healthwatch Update

Louise Barry, Chief Executive Officer, Healthwatch Cheshire, was scheduled to provide an update. Healthwatch is the independent consumer champion created to gather and represent the views of the public on health and social care. Healthwatch plays a role in helping people get the best out of health and social care services in England.