The Hounslow Health and Wellbeing Board met on Wednesday 15 October 2025 to discuss a range of critical health and social care updates. Key decisions included the approval of the Better Care Fund Q1 submission and the noting of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy Progress Report for Quarter One. The Board also received updates on domiciliary care, extra care housing, a hospital discharge pilot, and the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

Domiciliary Care Update

An overview of Hounslow Homecare (HHC) was presented, detailing the service's performance and its role in supporting residents to live independently at home. The service provides personal care, household support, and assistance with outdoor activities, as well as offering support for carers. Accessing the service involves a financial assessment, though residents can also self-fund. Hounslow Council commissions several homecare providers, including main providers like Care Outlook and Eleanor Care, and select list providers. The report highlighted that all main providers and select list providers commissioned by the council have achieved a 'Good' rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Initiatives such as Medications Administration and Out of Hours Service are in place to support hospital discharge and reduce the need for district nurses. New initiatives like Bridging Care and Hospital at Home are also being developed to facilitate hospital discharge and provide alternatives to extended hospital stays.

Extra Care Housing Update

The Board received an update on Hounslow's Extra Care Housing provision, which supports vulnerable residents with long-term conditions to live independently with on-site care and support. These schemes are designed to be flexible and tailored to individual needs, helping residents to avoid or delay the need for residential care, prevent hospital admissions, and support faster hospital discharges. Health integration within these schemes includes dedicated GPs, support from various health teams, and Healthy Hounslow visits. The report detailed plans for developing up to 200 new units over the next ten years, including a new scheme at Nene Gardens in Hanworth due to open in 2028/29, and exploring a mixed-age scheme around 2030/31.

Hospital Discharge Pilot

An update was provided on the Linking Hospital to VCS Hospital Discharge Pilot, a multi-agency initiative aimed at improving patient outcomes and reducing unnecessary hospital stays. The pilot tackles non-medical delays to discharge, health inequity, and a lack of awareness of voluntary and community sector services among hospital staff. A single officer works with hospital teams, Hounslow Council housing services, and local Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations to provide in-person discharge support, followed by longer-term, preventative help in the community. The pilot focuses on patients aged 18 and over, primarily Hounslow residents, who are not receiving Adult Social Care assessments. Support is provided for social isolation, financial matters, access to health and wellbeing services, maintaining the home environment, and onward referral for floating support. Data from the pilot showed a reduction in Emergency Department attendances, emergency admissions, and bed days for patients receiving targeted discharge support.

Better Care Fund Update

The Board was asked to approve the 2025/26 Better Care Fund (BCF) Quarter 1 submission for NHS England. The BCF is a national vehicle for driving health and social care integration, governed by a Section 75 agreement between the Council and the North West London Integrated Care Board (ICB). The Health and Wellbeing Board is responsible for ensuring compliance and the strategic direction of the BCF. The report confirmed that national conditions continued to be met, and provided an overview of Q1 metric performance and high-level spend against plans. The submission detailed planned expenditure across various funding streams, including contributions from the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, and the Local Authority.

Health and Wellbeing Strategy Progress Report – Quarter One

An update was provided on the progress of projects aligned with the Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2023-2026. The report highlighted key developments across several thematic areas, with most projects rated as 'Green' (on track). Notable progress was reported in the Carer Support programme, with improved engagement and the establishment of support hubs. Breastfeeding rates had also shown significant improvement, attributed to collaboration between Family Hubs and Public Health. The Housing First project, aimed at supporting individuals experiencing homelessness, remained rated 'Amber' due to delays related to a housing regulatory inspection, but progress had resumed. Delays in immunisation uptake were attributed to operational issues and provider changes, with ongoing monitoring and engagement with project leads.

Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) Update

An update was given on the ongoing development and maintenance of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), delivered through the Hounslow Data Hub. The platform provides publicly accessible, near real-time data on health, wellbeing, and wider determinants of health indicators. Recent updates include a revised interactive map of community assets, new analysis integrating working-from-home patterns with transport usage data, and a fully interactive Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment. Updated Indices of Deprivation data, published in late 2025, indicated increased deprivation across most domains in Hounslow compared to 2019, although health deprivation indicators showed relative improvement. The 2025 State of the Borough report, which provides a comprehensive overview of life in the borough, was also highlighted as a key resource. Future updates to the Data Hub will include insights on sexual health, social isolation, the local housing rental market, and climate resilience.

Healthwatch Update

Peter Goulding, Chair of Healthwatch Hounslow, presented the Quarter 2 Patient Experience Survey findings. The survey, which involved 387 patient reviews and 31 site visits, covered a range of services including GP practices, hospitals, dentists, pharmacies, physiotherapy, adult social care, community health, and mental health services. A consistent theme across all service areas was the high praise for staff, though challenges related to appointment availability, waiting times, and communication breakdowns between services were also highlighted. Recommendations included improving transparency around waiting times, providing better patient information, ensuring digital screens were consistently updated, and strengthening inter-service communication. Healthwatch agreed to provide detailed data to Claire Miller of HRCH for upcoming projects. Sheena Basnayake provided an update on improvements at West Middlesex Hospital in response to previous Healthwatch feedback, including refurbishment of the Emergency Department waiting area and reduced triage times.

Hounslow Care Together Update

Ben Collins, Programme Director for Integrated Care, provided an update on the Hounslow Care Together Teams, a new model of care focused on providing proactive, locality-based multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) for frail older people. Two pilot MDTs were launched in September 2025 at Maswell Park Health Centre and the Heart of Hounslow, comprising community nurses, matrons, social support workers, and community health workers, supported by an extended team. Initial feedback from staff has been very positive, reporting increased time for direct patient care and reduced bureaucracy. The pilot prioritised patients with the highest frailty levels, aiming to reduce avoidable admissions. A business case for wider rollout is expected in April 2026, with a potential September 2026 commencement.

Hounslow's Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy Refresh

Ann Phillips, Senior Coordinator Programmes and Partnerships, provided an update on the refresh of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy. A year-long engagement programme, including Area Forums, surveys, and specific engagement with children and young people, had been undertaken. Themes emerging from engagement included aspirations for the future, early years support, families, SEND, and educational support. The strategy development process is now in Phase Two, focusing on drafting and finalising the strategy. Members welcomed the breadth of engagement and noted that themes such as GP appointment availability and mental health support remained consistent challenges. The refreshed strategy will adopt a longer-term approach and maintain the existing four pillars: Start Well, Live Well, Age Well, and Healthy Places.

Better Care Fund Update

Martin Waddington, Director ICP and Commissioning, reminded Members that the Board was required to formally approve the quarterly return to NHS England for the Better Care Fund. Members confirmed they had reviewed the documents and had no further queries. The Board approved the 2025/26 Better Care Fund Q2 return for submission to NHS England.

Health and Wellbeing Strategy Progress Report – Quarter Two

Sterling Rippy, Principal Public Health Strategist, presented the Quarter 2 progress report for projects aligned with the Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2023-2026. She highlighted positive progress in the Carer Support programme, with significant improvements following increased investment and recruitment. Breastfeeding rates had risen to 62.5%, close to the target. The Housing First project remained rated Amber due to regulatory inspection delays, but progress had resumed. Delays in immunisation uptake were attributed to operational issues, with ongoing monitoring. Councillor Samia Chaudhary commended the officers for their work and the encouraging overall performance.

Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)

Paul Probert, Head of Policy & Insight, provided a verbal update on the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), delivered through the Hounslow Data Hub. He highlighted updates to the JSNA content, including a revised interactive map of community assets, new analysis on working patterns and transport use, and an interactive Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment. Updated Indices of Deprivation data showed increased deprivation across most domains in Hounslow. The 2025 State of the Borough report was also discussed as a key resource. Future updates to the Data Hub will include insights on sexual health, social isolation, the local housing rental market, and climate resilience.

Healthwatch Update: Quarter Two Patient Experience Report

Peter Goulding, Chair of Healthwatch Hounslow, presented the Quarter 2 Patient Experience Survey findings. The report highlighted consistent praise for staff across all service areas, alongside challenges related to appointment availability, waiting times, and communication breakdowns. Recommendations included improving transparency around waiting times, providing better patient information, ensuring digital screens were consistently updated, and strengthening inter-service communication. Healthwatch agreed to provide detailed data to Claire Miller (HRCH) for upcoming projects. Sheena Basnayake updated the Board on improvements at West Middlesex Hospital in response to previous Healthwatch feedback.

Any Other Business

There was no urgent business raised.

Date of Next Meeting

The date of the next meeting was noted as 13 January 2026.