The Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) met to discuss commissioning intentions for 2026-27 and to hear updates from local Health and Wellbeing Boards. The ICP agreed to pause some action points from the previous meeting related to filling the Starkwell domain lead, and also agreed to hybrid arrangements for the next meeting.

ICP Commissioning Intentions 2026-27

Jessica Williams, supporting Professor Craig Harris, presented the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board's (ICB) commissioning intentions for 2026-27, which aim to quantify the impact of commissioning decisions. The ICB is facing significant financial challenges, so the commissioning intentions are focused on:

• prevention
• delivering care closer to people's homes
• making the best use of technology

These intentions align with the NHS's 10-year plan and the Lancashire and South Cumbria 2030 roadmap. The four key priority areas are:

• managing long-term conditions in primary care
• improving end-of-life and frailty care
• improving intermediate care
• delivering on-service configuration

To become a commissioning intention for 2026-27, proposals must comply with statutory duties, respond to quality or safety risks, deliver on the financial recovery plan, improve population health and patient outcomes, and deliver against NHS priorities.

The process for developing these intentions involves:

• analysing population data
• assessing needs developed by local councils
• engaging with communities

A decision must be made, such as a contractual change, shifting activity from one contract to another, or implementing a new model of care.

Jessica Williams noted that in the past, commissioning intentions have not always been as effective as they could have been in quantifying their impact. She also noted that the ICB had received 350 initial commissioning intentions, which were then reduced to 100, which she felt was still too many.

During a discussion, Michelle, raised the importance of integrating the Get Lancashire Working programme into the commissioning approach, ensuring healthcare providers have conversations with patients about the impact on their employment and can refer them to relevant support services. She also highlighted the employment opportunities within the NHS and commissioned providers, and the need to recruit local people through social value initiatives.

Tracy Hopkins, chair of the VCFSE Alliance for Lancashire and South Cumbria, emphasised the need to capture the wider determinants of health in commissioning, arguing that the plan still looked very much through the lens of a medical model. She welcomed the follow-up consultation and highlighted the vital role of the VCFSE¹ in unlocking the left shift towards prevention and community-based care. She also raised concerns about the diversity across Lancashire and South Cumbria, and the need to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach.

Mark Warren, from Blackburn with Darwin Council, stressed the importance of place-based commissioning and the role of local commissioners working alongside local authorities and place-based partnership boards. He also sought clarity on how the work with PwC, which is developing commissioning priorities with local authorities, connects with the ICB's intentions.

Dr Abdul Razaq questioned the commissioning footprints and outcomes, advocating for co-production and clarity on the footprints used for commissioning. He suggested focusing on specific priorities, such as cardiovascular disease, rather than generic catch-all terms.

Jane Scattergood highlighted the need to align the commissioning intentions of the ICB with those of local authority partners and other organisations to identify opportunities for joint commissioning and collaboration. She also agreed with the point about the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and the need for the NHS to prevent people from falling out of work in the first place.

In response to the feedback, Jessica Williams confirmed that the ICB aims to engage with health and wellbeing boards in November and December to discuss their plans.

Health and Wellbeing Board Updates

Updates were provided from several Health and Wellbeing Boards across the region:

Westmorland and Furness Council

Councillor Patricia Bell reported that the Westmorland and Furness Council Health and Wellbeing Board was newly formed in 2023 and covers a complex footprint, including areas covered by the North East and North Cumbria ICP, as well as Lancashire and South Cumbria ICP. The board has made good progress in developing its health and wellbeing strategy, which is reviewed through development sessions after each board meeting.

Lancashire County Council

Dr Sakthi Karunanithi reported that Lancashire County Council's Health and Wellbeing Board has refreshed its priorities to focus on:

• best start in life
• healthy hearts
• happier minds

The board is also working to better connect with district-level initiatives and provider colleagues.

Blackburn with Darwin Council

Councillor Alistair Bradley, chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board in Blackburn with Darwin, provided an update on the pharmaceutical needs assessment, which found that pharmaceutical requirements were at the appropriate level. The board also received the annual Health Protection Board assurance report, with priorities including flu vaccination uptake, hepatitis C elimination, and enhanced IPC support. Councillor Alistair Bradley also spoke about the importance of family hubs as a central element of early years support, and perinatal mental health services.

Councillor Alistair Bradley also highlighted the cocaethylene awareness campaign, initiated by Angela Allen, to raise awareness of the dangers of mixing alcohol and cocaine. The campaign involves displaying posters in pubs as a reminder of the risks. Councillor Alistair Bradley encouraged other health and wellbeing boards to consider adopting the campaign across the LSC footprint.

Blackpool Council

Councillor Neal Brookes reported that Blackpool Council's Health and Wellbeing Board is chaired by Councillor Farrell and includes representatives from various organisations, including Blackpool Council, Teaching Hospitals, NHS Trust, ICB, Blackpool Place-Based Partnership, Lancashire Constabulary, VCFS, and Healthwatch. The board's priority areas are:

• starting well
• education
• employment and training
• living well
• housing

Place-Based Partnership

Claire Richardson highlighted the connection of the Place-Based Partnership into the Health and Wellbeing Board in Blackburn, providing regular updates and leading on the development of the neighbourhood plan.

During a discussion on the Health and Wellbeing Board updates, Jane Scattergood suggested inviting Health and Wellbeing Boards to update on their work related to specific themes of the strategy, such as starting well, to connect efforts into a system-wide approach.

Cygla highlighted the need for the ICP to add value to improving health and reducing inequalities across Lancashire and South Cumbria, suggesting a focus on strategic initiatives such as innovation and technology, workforce development, and addressing oral health.

Jane Scattergood asked public health colleagues to bring back two or three collaborative areas that could be supported through a system-wide approach.

Social Prescribing Shared Investment Fund

Jane Scattergood requested that the Social Prescribing Shared Investment Fund be discussed at the next meeting, as the ICP had previously supported it.