Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Cllr Whittle, Dr Nil Sanganee, Kevin Allen-Khimani and Jean Knight.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed at the meeting.

Members were asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed at the meeting.  No such declarations were received.

The Chair is invited to make any announcements as they see fit.

The Chair emphasised the importance of board members attending meetings and requested that attendance be prioritised going forward. It was noted that the Board’s work is focused on making a difference, and that active engagement from all organisations is essential to achieving this.

The Board is asked to note the membership of the Health and Wellbeing Board for 2026/27, as set out at Appendix A of this agenda pack.

The membership for 2026-27 was noted.

The Board is asked to note the Terms of Reference for the Health and Wellbeing Board for 2026/27, as set out at Appendix B of this agenda pack.

The Terms of Reference were noted.

Board Members are asked to note the meeting dates for the Health and Wellbeing Board for 2026-27.

1. Thurs 4 June
2. Thurs 24 September
3. Thurs 10 December
4. Thurs 14 January
5. Thurs 4 March

The dates of the board were noted.

The Minutes of the previous meeting of the Board held on 5^th March 2026 are attached and the Board is asked to confirm them as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

The Minutes of the previous meeting of the Board held on 5^th March 2026 be confirmed as a correct record.

Better Care Fund

The Board is asked to acknowledge the engagement and governance processes to date, as well as to review all three final submission BCF templates that detail the breakdown the allocation and are reviewed by the JICB members and recommended for the approval of the submission to the Board.

The BCF planning template 25-26 will be circulated to members separately.

The Leicester Integrated Health & Care Group update

The update can be found at appendix D of this agenda pack.

The Board was asked to acknowledge the engagement and governance processes to date, and to review the three final BCF submission templates, which set out the allocation breakdown. These had been reviewed by JICB members, who recommended their approval for submission to the Board.

AGREED:

That the board notes and approves the Better Care Plan 2026/27.

The Board acknowledged the LIHCG update.

The Chair to invite questions from members of the public.

It was noted that none had been received.

The Director of Public Health submits a report to provide the Board with a summary of public health work to address undiagnosed hypertension amongst adults in Leicester City, where this work is aligned with other programmes to detect and manage hypertension locally and nationally, and future proposed work.

The Board received a presentation from the Programme Manager for Long Term CoThe Board received a presentation from the Programme Manager for Long Term Conditions. 

It was noted that:

·       Hypertension was identified as the most prevalent cardiovascular condition among Leicester residents and the leading risk factor for cardiovascular-related mortality and morbidity, contributing to higher than average mortality rates in those under 75.

·       There were 50,000 people already diagnosed and on Hypertension registers, but there were an estimated further 24,000 undiagnosed cases.

·       Two factors underpinned the work:

o   High blood pressure was often symptomless and therefore people were less likely to access help.

o   Most risk factors were highly preventable and were in line with other cardiovascular diseases. It was vital to reach people who may be at risk.

·       The most widely used mechanisms were the Community Pharmacy Hypertension Case Finding Model (a blood-pressure checking drop-in service for those aged 40+) and the NHS health check which included a blood-pressure check. Both had excellent uptake rates.

·       A task and finish group had focussed on addressing health inequalities linked to Hypertension development.

·       Data indicated that priority should be given to those aged 40 and over, with slightly higher rates observed in men and Black and Asian populations. Areas most affected geographically were associated with lower uptake of NHS Health Checks and fewer individuals recorded on hypertension registers. It was noted that hypertension risk was strongly linked to deprivation, with Westcotes and Central Leicester being the most affected areas.

·       A Multi-strand approach had been developed utilising expertise across partners in Public Health, Community Wellbeing Champions, Leicestershire Partnership Trust, the ICB, Primary Care Community Pharmacy and the Roving Health unit.

·       Public engagement had taken place through large-scale events, including the Caribbean Carnival, engagement with mosques during Ramadan, and the Annual Public Health Conference. GP registrars had undertaken placements with Public Health.

·       Scoping work with the NHS Health Check Service had focussed on targeting areas of deprivation.

·       A standard operating procedure had been developed to enable non-clinical public health team staff to offer non diagnostic blood pressure checks with signposting to pharmacies, GPs and the NHS Health Check.

·       A Making Every Contact Count conversation provided advice and signposting.

·       Outcomes to date over the first year were as follows:

o   Over 400 blood pressure checks had taken place

o   Approximately 30% were above the normal range.

o   Around 5-10% had not had blood pressure checks before.

·       Working in partnership had been effective and had reached people in isolation.

·       It was noted that the task and finish group was likely to evolve into an ongoing, scaled-up working group. A continued focus on training for the Public Health Team would increase capacity to offer blood pressure checks.

·       There had been a pause on work with the targeted health checks, but this could now be re-visited.

·       A scheme was in its early stages to introduce blood pressure monitors within libraries, with a planned launch in Autumn 2026.

In response to questions and comments from members, it was noted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 188.

The Director for Adult Social Care and Commissioning will give a verbal update on the Leading Better Lives programme as part of our commitment to develop an early action approach for Leicester.

The Director of Adult Social Care and Commissioning presented a verbal report, which provided an update on the Leading Better Lives programme.

The following was noted:

·       Leading Better Lives is the Council's offer for early action and prevention for adults in Leicester. Whilst developed by Adult Social Care, it was not solely an Adult Social Care initiative and had been developed in partnership with a range of internal and external organisations.

·       The success of the programme to date had been driven by co production with people with lived experience and the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector. Continued partnership working would be essential to its future development.

·       The programme originated from benchmarking work undertaken by Adult Social Care with authorities in cities with similar demographics. This identified areas where Leicester was not achieving the same outcomes and highlighted the need to better understand what mattered to local people and what changes were required.

·       Extensive engagement had been undertaken with communities across the city, including groups that were not traditionally engaged. Residents were asked what was working well, what was not working well and what changes would make the greatest difference to their lives.

·       The engagement highlighted issues relating to health inequalities and deprivation and provided a rich source of information. It reinforced existing evidence whilst also providing greater insight into how information could be used to improve outcomes.

·       A recurring theme was that many people were unaware of the support available to them. Difficulties accessing GP appointments, social isolation and loneliness were also identified as significant issues.

·       Partners from local government,health, the VCSE and people with a lived experience had worked together to review the feedback and identify realistic and achievable actions. Care had been taken to ensure that engagement with communities did not raise expectations that could not be met.

·       The programme was ambitious in scope whilst taking a realistic and phased approach to delivery.

The programme had focused on 3 key areas:

­   Improving access to information and advice.

­   Developing community hubs.

­   Delivering a Local Area Coordiator and street champion scheme in 3 pilot areas

• Progress had been made across all 3 areas, with some initiatives already highly visible. Examples included the festival held in Jubilee Square during the previous year to showcase support services, together with a planned presence at the Riverside Festival.
• The next phase of the programme would focus on expanding its reach and impact across the city.
• A programme board was being established, with a direct reporting line to the Health and Wellbeing Board. The first meeting of the board was scheduled for July.
• The programme board would provide opportunities to strengthen links with related work across the Council and partner organisations and support a more coordinated approach.

Future activity would be organised around 4 pillars:

­   Community offer.

­   Partnership working.

­   New ways of working.

­   Digital.

• Sponsors were being sought for each pillar and a set of key performance indicators would be developed.
• The programme aligned closely with the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 189.

The Director of Public Health submits a report providing information on suicide rates within the City, and the prevention response. As males are disproportionately affected by suicide, support for men is highlighted.  

The Board received a presentation from The Programme manager for Mental Health and the Consultant in Public Health.

It was noted that:

·       Suicide factors were wide ranging and included living and working conditions and gender. The most affected group was males aged 40–49. Almost 70% of suicide victims were white.

·       New initiatives included:

o   Creating mental health friendly places and clubs. Clubs could support those in adversity through sports. Training enabled facilitators to engage in supportive conversations, with 516 people receiving the training. The were 6 My Space My Game sessions running across LLR, with 2 being based within the city. This initiative mainly targeted men through football.

o   An expansion into working with businesses was planned to include the private sector such as hair salons. Training could be implemented via e-learning.

o   In the previous year there had been a Together for Men conference. Another would hopefully return during the year.

o   3 webinars had been hosted exploring men’s health. All information was available online on the Mental Health Friendly website.

o   Men’s support booklets had been produced which were co-produced with men’s groups such as the Modern Men Movement.

o   Partners were exploring a wide range of tools including beer mats, QR codes and posters. Conversations were taking place to promote the cause within 70 pubs across LLR.

o   Work continued with the Tomorrow Project which provided bereavement support for those affected by suicide.

o   There was funding for 13 Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations to focus on community aspects with the aim of supporting men’s mental health.

o   Work was planned with carparks to reduce lethal risk means.

o   Work with Leicestershire Partnership Trust (LPT) was ongoing to promote suicide awareness across primary care.

In response to questions and comments from members, it was noted that:

• Members recognised the importance of the partnership organisations being a mental health friendly place. It would be checked as to whether this was the case for LPT and Leicester City and County Councils.
• Regarding educational organisations, work was ongoing to contact private student accommodations, the universities and potentially schools.
• Members noted that those with severe mental health challenges did not always access available support and the challenge was to understand why men in particular might not seek help. It was vital to raise awareness of crisis support. More awareness could be raised on how staff across LLR could access the available crisis support.
• Work was ongoing to promote a booklet for those from diverse backgrounds.
• More awareness on support for those from a diverse background could be shared via the provider forums.
• Pharmacy First accounted for a substantial proportion of initial patient contacts. There was scope to strengthen focus on mental health awareness.
• Regarding media focus, it was noted that targeting larger populations risked missing some individuals, and that universal messages also needed to be appropriately targeted to support preventative work. Reporting should be

in line with the Samaritans guidelines. Regular updates were issued on social media on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 190.

The Integrated Care Board (ICB) will provide a verbal update on their current position.

The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (ICB) provided a verbal update on key areas of work and developments across the system.

Key points included:

·       The ICB's management change process was continuing, with consultation on proposals progressing. Two rounds of voluntary redundancy processes had taken place and a number of posts had been ring fenced as part of the organisational restructure.

·       It was recognised that this was a challenging period for staff and appreciation was expressed for the patience and understanding shown by partners during the process. A range of staff support measures had been put in place, including wellbeing support, career advice and CV workshops.

·       Work was ongoing to determine future structures and responsibilities within a reduced workforce operating across a wider geographical footprint. Going forward, ICB staff would be clustered across the Leicester, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire area.

·       Development of the ICB's 5 year plan was progressing. The plan would set out how the organisation intended to reduce health inequalities, improve the quality of care and respond to increasing demand across health services.

·       The plan would focus on a more strategic approach to commissioning and service delivery, recognising challenges relating to workforce pressures, rising demand and inequalities in health outcomes.

·       A key ambition was to shift care away from hospital based settings and towards neighbourhood and community based models of care, with a greater emphasis on integrated service delivery.

·       Priority transformation areas identified by the ICB included:

­   Frailty.

­   Reducing mortality.

­   Children and Young People's mental health.

­   Neurodiversity.

·       Following a request from NHS England for all Integrated Care Boards to provide an update on future arrangements, the ICB had submitted a response on 15th May. This outlined a 3 year vision for collaborative working and service delivery and highlighted areas where national support may be required to support implementation of the forthcoming 10 Year Health Plan.

·       An update was provided on vaccination programmes. A visit was scheduled to take place at City Hall to support a national inquiry into declining childhood vaccination rates across England. The visit would involve local partners and stakeholders and would explore current challenges, variations in uptake, system responses and planned actions.

·       It was reported that a wider issue affecting vaccination recall and invitation systems across the East Midlands had been identified, impacting more than 7,000 children aged up to 6 years. Work had taken place to address the issue and preventative suspensions had now been lifted.

·       Approximately 800 children had already received vaccinations as a result of the corrective action taken. Further work was ongoing to ensure clinical coding was accurate and to identify whether older children may also have missed vaccinations and required follow up.

·       The Board was advised of recent success in a regional excellence awards programme relating to chronic kidney disease. A preventative programme delivered through primary care had been recognised as a Midlands regional champion and had progressed to the national awards stage, with winners due to be announced the following week.

·       Recognition was also given  ...  view the full minutes text for item 191.

The Integrated Care Board (ICB) will provide the board with a verbal update on the Neighbourhoods Strategy.

The Board received a verbal update from the Deputy Director, Integration and Transformation, ICB.

It was noted that:

• A piece of ongoing work was aimed at defining ICB responsibilities from a neighbourhoods perspective to prevent duplication. Terms of Reference and Governance were under review. This would come back to Scrutiny.
• Feedback had been gathered from the City Neighbourhood workshops and would be shared with the Board. Questions had arisen through the Scrutiny Committee relating to neighbourhood sizes. Further consideration could be given to matters once officers were in post.
• The Deputy Director would also be taking up the joint chairing of the Leicester City Health Integration Group which would also feedback to the Board.
• It was noted that communications had gone out to the attendees of the Neighbourhood Workshops. 

In response to questions and comments from members, it was noted that:

• Officers welcomed the collaborative work.
• The Chair noted the importance of the work and requested this be a regular agenda item.

AGREED:

1.     That the update be noted.

To note that meetings have been arranged for the following dates in 2025/2026 which were submitted to the Annual Council in May 2026.  Please add these dates to your diaries.  Diary appointments will be sent to Board Members.

Thursday 4^th June 2026 – 9.30am

Thursday 24^th September 2026 – 9.30am

Thursday 10^th December 2026 – 9.30am

Thursday 14^th January 2027 – 9.30am

Thursday 4^th March 2027 – 9.30am

Meetings of the Board are scheduled to be held in Meeting Room G01 at City Hall unless stated otherwise on the agenda for the meeting.

The Board noted that future meetings of the Board would be held on the following dates:-

Thursday 24^th September 2026 – 9.30 am

Thursday 10^th December 2026 - 9.30 am

Thursday 14^th January 2027 – 9.30 am

Thursday 4^th March 2027 – 9.30 am

Meetings of the Board are scheduled to be held in Meeting Room G01 at City Hall unless stated otherwise on the agenda for the meeting.

With there being no further business, the meeting closed at 11:53am.