John Wilderspin, National Director of Health and Wellbeing Board implementation at the Department of Health, looks at why real transformation of local services is so hard to achieve and discusses some of the challenges currently facing health and wellbeing boards.

1. Making health and wellbeing boards a success
Transforming local health
services
The King’s Fund 11 September 2012
John Wilderspin – National Director
Health and Wellbeing Board
Implementation

2. Building on local partnerships to
improve services
HEALTH AND WELLBEING BOARDS IMPLEMENTATION
The areas I’m going to cover:
Why is it so
What do we mean
hard to
by „transformation‟?
achieve?
What can health
and wellbeing Some useful
boards do to resources for
support you to access
transformation?
10 October, 2012 2

3. What do we mean by
‘transforming local services’?
HEALTH AND WELLBEING BOARDS IMPLEMENTATION
• A top-class experience for every patient/service user, every time
• A genuinely personalised service; not „one size fits all‟
• Front-line teams working to a common, user-focused agenda,
(not to conflicting agendas of different organisations)
• Top-class outcomes for individuals, and for whole populations
• Reducing overlap and duplication; the best use of the public‟s £££s
How often do we actually achieve these aspirations?
10 October, 2012 3

4. Why is real ‘transformation’ so
hard to achieve?
HEALTH AND WELLBEING BOARDS IMPLEMENTATION
• People and organisations are resistant to change (even when they
agree that the change is necessary)
• Different organisational cultures and aspirations are hard to align
• It requires disruption and (constructive) challenge to the status quo
• And changes in our behaviour (that means my behaviour too, not just
yours!)
As the saying goes: ‘If you
always do what you’ve always
done, you’ll always get what
you’ve always got’
10 October, 2012 4

5. The challenges for health and
wellbeing boards
HEALTH AND WELLBEING BOARDS IMPLEMENTATION
The risks:
• „Although the potential benefits of partnership working are
considerable, they are very hard to realise in practice.‟
(R.Humphries et al, The King’s Fund, April 2012)
• „We heard some concerns that (Health and Wellbeing Boards)
might function merely as “talking shops”, debating chambers or
political arenas.‟ (Future Forum Report, Jan 2012)
The opportunities:
• „Health and wellbeing boards have enormous potential to bring
together the knowledge, expertise and experience that has
previously sat across a number of local agencies.‟ (Jules Pipe,
Chair of London Councils, October 2011)
• „Health and wellbeing boards must become the crucible of health
and social care integration.‟ (Future Forum report, Jan 2012)
10 October, 2012 5

6. How can health and wellbeing boards
make a positive difference?
HEALTH AND WELLBEING BOARDS IMPLEMENTATION
• They bring together key „movers and shakers‟ in the NHS
and local government; political, clinical, and managerial leaders
• Local Healthwatch, representing service users, is a member of the
Board
• Boards are responsible for important „levers‟ for change
– Joint Strategic Needs Assessment
– Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy
– Ensuring that commissioning plans are aligned - across health and
local government
Importantly, they are seen to have power and influence by other
‘players’
10 October, 2012 6

7. Transforming services; how will
boards add real value?
HEALTH AND WELLBEING BOARDS IMPLEMENTATION
• Bringing the NHS and local government together around a common
purpose
• Engaging partners and the public in setting local priorities
• Developing a compelling narrative for change
• Taking difficult decisions; and holding each other to account
• Aligning key resources to support agreed priorities; (funding + talented
people)
• Providing collective leadership; „the sum must be greater than the parts‟
10 October, 2012 7

8. Some useful resources
HEALTH AND WELLBEING BOARDS IMPLEMENTATION
• Development tool for health and wellbeing boards. Designed to help
boards develop as ‘system leaders’, and ensure they make a real difference
http://bit.ly/RGspaV
• HWB national learning set products. The collective learning of 90 shadow
boards working together on their shared priorities
http://bit.ly/KC9Xie
• The King’s Fund report on HWBs - System Leaders or Talking Shops?
Drawn from a survey in late 2011, the conclusions are highly relevant today
http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/hwbs.html
• LGA leadership offer. Includes support for HWB Chairs and regional
simulation events. Contact marie.coffey@local.gov.uk for more information
http://bit.ly/JwmMVy
•
10 October, 2012 8

9. Get sharing now
Join the learning network‟s
Knowledge Hub at
http://knoweldgehub.local.g
ov.uk
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@johnwilderspin
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