Health and wellbeing systems

Health and Wellbeing Boards are a statutory forum where political, clinical, professional and community leaders from across the care and health system come together to improve the health and wellbeing of their local population and reduce health inequalities. They have been in place since 2013 and are a single point of continuity in a constantly shifting health and care landscape. It is now a time of significant and complex change with NHS reforms introducing Integrated Care Systems. HWBs need to evolve and adapt to operate within this new context.


It is a time of major statutory change across health and social care, with the Health and Care Bill, the adult social care white paper, the Build Back Better Plan, the integration white paper and the forthcoming health disparities white paper. We have revised our support offer to HWB Chairs and other lead members for this new context, specifically focusing on the implications for local government and the HWB of the Integrated Care Systems.  

The support offer for HWBs is for:

  • Single HWB
  • Neighbouring or groups of HWBs in an ICS footprint
  • All HWBs - District/borough, upper tier and unitary

Our support offer provides an opportunity to refocus the purpose of the HWB, strengthen its role in the new system architecture and operate effectively in the new context.

We provide FREE tailored and flexible support for your HWB such as a workshop or peer challenge activity; either a one-off session or a series of workshops, for a single HWB or a group of HWBs .We will co-design bespoke support or draw upon our tested tools and approaches to best meet your needs. We use expert peer from across health and local government to deliver the support and will source the best match your HWB.

Contact us

Please contact us about this support offer at [email protected]

In developing our revised support offer we are building on the findings from our most recent survey of HWBs

National survey of Health and Wellbeing Boards

Between October and November 2021, we undertook a national survey of Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWBs) with two core aims: to provide a snapshot of the extent to which there is alignment and collaboration between integrated care systems (ICSs) and HWBs to inform our policy messages; and to capture the ‘burning issues’ facing HWBs; to identify the key challenges and potential gaps in our existing support offers.

Innovative practice in Joint Strategic Needs Assessments (JSNAs)

It is crucial, at this time, that HWBs take a look at their JSNAs and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies in order to influence the new Integrated Care Systems.

Examples of innovative practice in JSNAs: