The Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) was scheduled to meet on Tuesday 23 September 2025, to discuss winter planning, the integration of health and social care, and changes to the NHS. The committee, chaired by Councillor Tim Wye, was also scheduled to receive updates and feedback on these topics.

Here's a breakdown of the key items on the agenda:

Winter Planning 2025/26

The committee was scheduled to discuss the winter planning for health and care services in Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire. A report was prepared to update the committee on the planning for 2025/26, and feedback was welcomed. Councillor Tim Wye and the other members were asked to note the update and provide support in sharing communications materials over the coming months.

The winter plan took into account key requirements highlighted by NHS England, and focused on:

• System-wide winter preparedness
• Reducing demand and improving access
• Improving hospital flow and reducing delays
• Mental health crisis response
• Digital transformation

The report pack included details of a communications campaign, running from September 2025 to March 2026, with the aim to support system resilience and better health outcomes by helping people to stay well and access the right services for their needs. Priority audiences for the campaign were listed as:

• Children aged 2-3
• Pregnant women
• People with long term conditions
• Frontline health and care staff
• Older adults
• People more likely to use Emergency Departments for minor conditions
• Families and relatives of inpatients
• Ward staff

Integration of Health and Social Care in England

The committee was scheduled to discuss a briefing paper regarding the integration of health and social care services in Bristol. The paper provided an overview of national policy developments, local implementation efforts, and key challenges and opportunities. The aim was to inform discussions and guide future steps in strengthening integrated care delivery.

The briefing outlined national policy direction, local maturity, performance pressures, and strategic opportunities for the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (BNSSG ICB). It included a refreshed logic model, performance dashboard, prioritisation matrix, and detailed analysis of Continuing Healthcare (CHC) and Section 117 challenges.

The report stated that:

Integration between health and social care is central to improving outcomes, reducing inequalities, and enhancing system resilience.

The report also noted that Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) integration is a critical enabler of inclusive, community-based care, supported by the development of the VCSE Alliance and VCSE Brokerage Framework across BNSSG.

The report included a local maturity assessment of Bristol City Council and BNSSG ICB, which found that:

• Strategic Alignment was maturing, with developing place-based planning and shared vision.
• Governance and Accountability was developing, with joint boards existing but accountability remaining uneven.
• Financial Integration was developing, with the Better Care Fund well-established but wider pooling limited.
• Workforce and Culture was developing, with Multidisciplinary Teams active but a unified strategy needed.
• Digital and Data Sharing was developing, with shared analytics and shared care records ambitions.

NHS Changes Update

The committee was scheduled to receive a briefing on organisational changes to the NHS Integrated Care Board.

The briefing noted that Dr Jeff Farrar QPM, OStJ, had been appointed as Chair of the NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB) and NHS Gloucestershire ICB cluster.

The briefing stated that the two ICB Boards would retain their statutory responsibilities this year under the clustering arrangement but would work in even closer partnership, including gradually developing joint governance arrangements. It also noted that the Chief Executive appointment process was underway.

Other items

The agenda also included standard items such as:

• Welcome, Introductions, and Safety Information
• Apologies for Absence and Substitutions
• Declarations of Interest
• Minutes of Previous Meeting
• Chair's Announcements
• Public Forum
• Date of Next Meeting