Making ‘better, healthier and longer lives for all’, is main objective of NHS services provider  covering Hertfordshire

Making ‘better, healthier and longer lives for all’, is the strategic objective of Hertfordshire West Essex Integrated Care Board (HWEICB).

That was the message presented by the board, which is responsible for setting the agenda of NHS services in Herts and West Essex as well as allocating resources, at its bi-monthly meeting.

Chief of staff Michael Watson presented the board’s annual governance report, which laid out the format of its seven committees, while expanding on the group’s strategic objective in making ‘better, healthier and longer lives for all’.

It stated: “We will achieve this by improving physical and mental health across our population, tackling unequal access, experience and outcomes, enhancing productivity and value for money and ensuring the NHS supports broader social and economic development.

“In the first three to five years we will increase health life expectancy and reduce inequality, give every child the best start in life, improve access to health and care services and increase the number of citizens taking steps to improve their wellbeing.”

Two additional members were appointed to the board last month, as part of the first phase of proposed changes.

The second phase this month involves the creation of a new strategy committee; and renaming the people board ‘the people committee’.

A third phase in June sees the finance and investment committees merge to become strategic finance & commissioning committee.

After changes, the seven committees finalised in the report are:

> The audit and risk committee> The people committee> The primary care transformation group> The ICB remuneration committee> The strategic finance and commissioning committee> The system transformation and quality improvement committee> The strategy committee.

It added: “The strategy committee is a new committee, with a broad remit focusing on delivery of HWEICB’s medium term plan and promotion of a population health management approach to the work of the system.

“The strategic finance and commissioning committee brings together our current separate committees covering those areas. The purpose of doing so is to remove a current separation in our governance between what we commission and our financial approach. Its membership has been updated to reflect changes to the health and care partnerships.

“The system transformation and quality committee brings together the responsibilities previously held by the quality committee and performance committee.

“We have retained those elements of the quality committee terms of reference which are required to be consistent with NHS England guidance.

The terms of reference have also been amended to take into account the primary care transformation group – which will report into this committee under the new arrangements. Its membership has been updated to reflect changes to the health and care partnership.

“The health and care partnership board terms of reference are generic to cover the core requirements of all HCPs, but with some scope to amend to meet the specific needs of HCPs (i.e. non board membership).”

Members approved the terms of reference set out in the report.