The Wiltshire Council Health and Wellbeing Board met on 25 September 2025 to discuss a pharmaceutical needs assessment, Healthwatch Wiltshire's annual report, integrated care, mental health services and the Trowbridge Integrated Care Centre. The board was also scheduled to discuss the council plan.

Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment

The board was scheduled to consider the final draft of the Wiltshire Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) 2025-2028 and its adoption. The PNA examines current provision by community pharmacies and dispensing GPs across Wiltshire and assesses whether existing service provision currently meets local needs and whether it will continue to do so over the next three years.

A draft PNA had been approved by the board in June 2025 for a 60-day statutory consultation period. According to the report pack, the consultation findings were reviewed by a steering group appointed by the Health and Wellbeing Board.

The report pack notes that the statutory consultation required the HWB to consult with:

• the local medical committee,
• pharmacy and dispensing appliance contractors included in the pharmaceutical list for the area of the health and wellbeing board,
• dispensing doctors included in the dispensing doctor list for the area of the health and wellbeing board, if any,
• any pharmacy contractor that holds a local pharmaceutical services contract with premises that are in the health and wellbeing board's area,
• Healthwatch, and any other patient, consumer, or community group in the area which the health and wellbeing board believes has an interest in the provision of pharmaceutical services,
• any NHS trust or NHS foundation trust in the health and wellbeing board's area
• NHS England and
• any neighbouring health and wellbeing board

The report pack stated that 118 responses were received, with most from members of the public (59%) or councillors (29%). It also stated that 64% of respondents agreed that the key findings and conclusions about pharmaceutical services in Wiltshire are accurate, 5% disagreed.

The post-statutory consultation draft of the Wiltshire PNA affirms the need for additional pharmacies in Warminster and Corsham and notes that provision in Westbury on Saturdays would represent an improvement in access.

Healthwatch Wiltshire Annual Report

Kevin Peltonen-Messenger, chief executive officer of TCF, was scheduled to present Healthwatch Wiltshire's annual report. Healthwatch Wiltshire is the local independent consumer champion for health and social care.

The report highlights how Healthwatch Wiltshire has listened to and championed the voices of people, communities, and partners across Wiltshire, ensuring local experiences shape the design and delivery of health and social care services.

The report identifies the following issues:

• access to NHS dental care and the impact of shortages on families and young people.
• people's experiences of discharge from hospital and the need for better joined-up support at home.
• the challenges faced by unpaid carers in navigating fragmented systems and accessing respite.
• young people's views on mental health services and emotional wellbeing support.
• the importance of culturally appropriate care and inclusive communications.

The report also identifies the following actions:

• Provided key engagement to support the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA), ensuring local pharmacy provision reflects population growth, housing development, and access needs.
• Successfully completed a military community engagement project, amplifying the voices of armed forces families and veterans to shape more responsive health and care services.
• Delivered targeted engagement with young people, gathering their views on emotional wellbeing, substance use, and access to timely mental health support, which informed local commissioning priorities.
• Developed and launched a student placement pathway to build skills and capacity in the future health and care workforce, offering meaningful experience in public engagement and insight work.
• Co-produced new signposting information for carers, ensuring support is easier to find and access.
• Enabled seldom-heard groups to influence decision-making through targeted engagement and outreach.
• Developed Local Advisory Groups which help shape Healthwatch Wiltshire's future.

The report pack notes that Healthwatch England will be wound down from 2026 following government announcements about changes to its hosting and funding.

Integrated Care Alliance

Emma Higgins, Head of Combined Place, BSW ICB, was scheduled to present an update on the Integrated Care Alliance's (ICA) priorities, neighbourhood plans, the NHS Health and NHS 10 Year plan.

The report pack notes that Neighbourhood Health is a core element of the NHS 10-Year Plan and central to Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire's (BSW) shared ambition to bring care closer to communities, improve population health, and tackle health inequalities.

The report also provided a strategic update on delivery against Wiltshire ICA's three priorities for 2025 to 2026:

• Children and Young People's Emotional Health and Wellbeing
• Children's Oral Health
• Integrated Neighbourhood Teams

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Update

The board was scheduled to receive an update on the Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership's (AWP) CQC report and on the inpatient programme.

The report pack notes that the trust is currently rated overall as 'Requires Improvement'. It also notes that 15 actions from 2023 inspections to Acute, Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), and Community Mental Health Teams have been closed since April 2025, and that 13 actions from previous inspections remain open and progressing, including eight regulatory breaches across Acute, Forensic, and Long Stay Rehabilitation services.

The report pack also included an update on the MHLDA Inpatient Quality Transformation Programme, a nationally mandated 3-year programme that AWP commenced in June 2024. Overall, the programme aims to:

• Bring care closer to home
• Eliminate out of area placements
• Enhance the community offer
• Reduce restrictive practice
• Provide trauma- and autism-informed care that is equality focused,
• Increase therapeutic interventions
• Improve patient outcomes and improve the experience for staff and patients.

Trowbridge Integrated Care Centre Update

The board was scheduled to receive a presentation on the development of the Trowbridge Integrated Care Centre.

The report pack notes that the £16 million Trowbridge Integrated Care Centre will replace the nearby Trowbridge Community Hospital and deliver the ICB's long-term strategic vision of putting more services that support people live well in the heart of local communities.

The report pack also notes that construction of the new integrated care centre reached its highest point in June, and was marked by a topping-out event, which was attended by the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Trowbridge.

The report pack states that some of the benefits the new centre will bring to local people include:

• Relocating all hospital-based health and care services currently based in the now outdated Trowbridge Community Hospital to an ultra-modern health and care environment
• Dedicated space for same-day urgent care
• An improved parking experience
• Creating a hub for multiple health and care services

The following services are scheduled to be based inside the new integrated care centre:

• Audiology
• Continence
• Diabetes care
• Diagnostic imaging, including X-ray and ultrasound
• Dietetics
• Maternity, excluding birthing unit
• Minor injuries unit
• Neurology
• Orthopaedic Interface service
• Outpatient secondary care
• Physiotherapy
• Podiatry, including orthotics
• Respiratory care, including Long Covid clinic
• Rheumatology
• Sexual health clinic
• Speech and language therapy
• Tissue viability

The report pack also notes that the opening hours for the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) in the new centre are planned to return to 8am to 8pm by the summer of next year.

Council Plan Engagement

The board was scheduled to discuss an outline version of the Council Plan 2025–2035.

The plan sets out a new and transformative vision for Wiltshire: one rooted in fairness, openness, and working together.

The plan identifies the following principles:

• Together
• Fair
• Open

The plan identifies the following priorities:

• Supporting people to have fulfilling lives
• Protecting our communities
• Making Wiltshire child-friendly and providing opportunities for all our young people
• Enhancing and protecting our environment for future generations
• Creating more accessible, safer and greener transport
• Promoting healthier lives
• Making culture for everyone
• Building for our communities
• Helping the economy work for everyone
• Empowering and working with our communities

[^19