Agenda and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 18 June 2025.

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 June 2025 were confirmed and signed.

To disclose any pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interest as set out in the adopted Code of Conduct. In making their disclosure councillors are asked to state the agenda item, the nature of the interest and any action they propose to take as part of their declaration.

If required, further advice should be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

Representatives of town or parish councils and members of the public who live, work, or represent an organisation within the Dorset Council area are welcome to submit either 1 question or 1 statement for each meeting.  You are welcome to attend the meeting in person or via Microsoft Teams to read out your question and to receive the response.   If you submit a statement for the committee this will be circulated to all members of the committee in advance of the meeting as a supplement to the agenda and appended to the minutes for the formal record but will not be read out at the meeting. The first 8 questions and the first 8 statements received from members of the public or organisations for each meeting will be accepted on a first come first served basis in accordance with the deadline set out below.  For further information read Public Participation - Dorset Council

All submissions must be emailed in full to [email protected] by 8.30am on Friday, 19 September 2025.

When submitting your question or statement please note that: 

·         You can submit 1 question or 1 statement.

·         a question may include a short pre-amble to set the context.

·         It must be a single question and any sub-divided questions will not be permitted.

·         Each question will consist of no more than 450 words, and you will be given up to 3 minutes to present your question.

·         when submitting a question please indicate who the question is for (e.g., the name of the committee or Portfolio Holder) 

·         Include your name, address, and contact details.  Only your name will be published but we may need your other details to contact you about your question or statement in advance of the meeting. 

·         questions and statements received in line with the council’s rules for public participation will be published as a supplement to the agenda. 

·         all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting.   

There was no public participation.

To receive questions submitted by councillors.  

Councillors can submit up to two valid questions at each meeting and sub divided questions count towards this total.   Questions and statements received will be published as a supplement to the agenda and all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting. 

The submissions must be emailed in full to [email protected] by 8.30am on Friday, 19 September 2025. 

Dorset Council Constitution – Procedure Rule 13 

One question was received from Cllr C Jones, with a verbal response given by the Deputy Director of Modernisation and Place, NHS Dorset. The question and response are attached as an appendix to these minutes.

To consider any items of business which the Chairman has had prior notification and considers to be urgent pursuant to section 100B (4) b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for the urgency shall be recorded in the minutes.

There were no urgent items.

To consider the Health and Wellbeing Board’s work programme.

The Board noted its work programme and that it could be subject to change.

To consider a report by the FutureCare Programme Director, updating the Board on the progress of the FutureCare Programme to date.

Report to follow.

The Head of Specialist Services and the Head of Commissioning for Older People introduced the report and gave a presentation, updating on the progress of each FutureCare workstream. Multi-agency Transfer of Care Hubs had been set up by Dorset County Hospital and University Hospitals Dorset, enabling earlier discharges from hospital. The average hospital stay reduced until June, but then increased during the summer before stating to fall again. Progress had been made in the number of people accessing reablement, and reducing the length of stay in bed-based intermediate care.

Board members were pleased to see early progress with the programme and the chair was impressed by the Transfer of Care hub, although noted it would be challenging to maintain the culture it needs.

The use of a reablement app was a good example of how technology can be used. Patients could create goals with care workers and these goals and their progress were tracked through the app.

A member highlighted a voluntary sector market stall event where agencies advertised their current projects, such as FutureCare, to small voluntary organisations. The event was well received and had a good turnout.

The Board recognised the progress that the programme has made in respect of improved outcomes for people and financial benefits. The Board reaffirmed its support for the programme.

To consider a report by the Head of Service for Commissioning for Older People and Home First.

The Head of Commissioning for Older People introduced the report and gave a presentation on the Better Care Fund Quarter 1 Template, which is attached to these minutes. It was expected that the Government would reform the Better Care Fund policy over the next year to align with the NHS 10 Year Plan. The Dorset Better Care Fund was already aligned to the expected priorities and work had started on preparing next year’s plan. No new money was expected for the Better Care Fund, so some money may need to be released for re-investment.

There were no comments from members.

Proposed by Jonanthan Price, seconded by Cllr S Robinson.

Decision:

That the Better Care Fund Quarter 1 Reporting Template for 2025/26 be endorsed.

To consider a report by the Consultant in Public Health.

The Specialist Registrar in Public Health introduced the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) which was a statutory requirement for Health & Wellbeing Boards to produce every 3 years. It served as a tool to regulate market entry.  A public consultation was undertaken which resulted in amendments being made to the draft Pharmaceutical Needs assessment. Supplementary statements could be issued if further changes needed to be made. Following previous agreement from the Board, the PNA covers both the Dorset and BCP Council areas.

Board members discussed the report and raised the following points:

·       The PNA should be amended to reflect the disaggregation of Public Health Dorset and the clustering of Integrated Care Boards.

·       Some changes cannot be included in the PNA because they have not happened, such as housing development.

·       Pharmacies closing could cause disruption for people, however the PNA needed to be produced in compliance with guidance which may not take closures into account.

·       A report on community pharmacies could be brought to a future meeting, due to their importance in prevention and intervention.

Proposed Jon, seconded Gill. Agreed subject to amendment Margaret picked up on.

Proposed by Jonathan Price, seconded by Cllr G Taylor.

Decision

That:

1.     The outcome of the consultation be noted.

2.     The Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment be approved for publication by October 2025, subject to amendments on changes to public health and Integrated Care Board structures.

To consider a report by the Deputy Director of Public Health and Prevention and the Thriving Communities Partnership Manager.

Report to follow.

The Deputy Director of Public Health introduced the item and the Thriving Communities Programme Manager gave a presentation, which is attached to these minutes. The presentation outlined the benefits that Thriving Communities would deliver for the voluntary sector and older people in Dorset and how it would deliver the benefits.

Board Members thanked the Thriving Communities Programme Manager for the work put into the project. It had potential to significantly improve the way the council worked with the voluntary sector. It enabled the council to work with the voluntary sector in new ways, which it has not done before.

A member highlighted how Thriving Communities was a good example for outcome-based commissioning, ensuring that the intended outcomes are considered during the commissioning progress.

The Board endorsed the Thriving Communities work and development of the foundation phase, and agreed to an update report and recommendations following the first-year evaluation.

To consider a report by the Corporate Director for Commissioning and Improvement.

The Executive Director of People – Adults and Housing introduced the Age-Friendly Communities report. It built upon existing communities work, such as Thriving Communities and also involved town and parish councils. The report sought support from the Health and Wellbeing Board ahead of consideration by Cabinet.

Board members were supportive of the initiative and felt it would be transformational for working across directorates and going beyond equality towards equity.

A member expressed how Age-Friendly Communities could be used to encourage people into work and for them to develop new skills.

The Board supported the recommendations set out in the report:

i) To endorse Dorset’s application for Age Friendly accreditation by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

ii) To support the integration of Age-Friendly principles into health, care & community wide planning.

iii) To promote collaborative delivery through place-based partnerships and VCSE engagement.

To consider a report by the Director of Public Health and Prevention.

The Director of Public Health introduced the report on developing a new Health and Wellbeing Strategy following the Integrated Care Partnerships (ICP) being disbanded. A strategy would consider a framework for how the Health and Wellbeing Board could provide strategic leadership of place-based work in the Dorset Council area. The strategy could also consider the work already completed to form the ICP Strategy. In addition to the strategy, there would be a need for a place-based partnership under the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Board members discussed the report and raised the following points:

·       An ambition was to make the Health and Wellbeing Board a focal point for sectors to convene in a strategic place.

·       Ensuring that businesses, universities, and the skills voluntary sector were included in developing the strategy.

·       There was an important need to maintain input and the footprint of the Dorset Council place, following the clustering of Integrated Care Boards in 2026.

·       There was an ambition to include ‘community’ in the strategy.

Proposed by Cllr S Robinson, seconded by J Price.

Decision:

1.     That the formation of a task and finish group, be approved, formed from representatives of organisations who contributed to the development of the place-based prospectus earlier this summer, to co-design a process that can be used to develop and deliver a refreshed strategy for approval by the Board.

2.     That the strategy process should consider evidence arising from the planned development session on Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, and insight gathered from various engagements with communities and residents.

3.     That the group should also consider and incorporate the previous work on identifying priorities for the Integrated Care Partnership, bearing in mind the requirement for the board to develop a neighbourhood health plan. 

To move the exclusion of the press and the public for the following item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph x of schedule 12 A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended). The public and the press will be asked to leave the meeting whilst the item of business is considered.  

There are no exempt items scheduled for this meeting.  

There was no exempt business.