Committee details

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 established Health and Wellbeing Boards as a forum where key leaders from the health and care system work together to improve the health and wellbeing of their local population and reduce health inequalities.

The West Berkshire Health and Wellbeing Board is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of the population across the district, through the development of improved and integrated health and social care services. This includes overseeing the preparation of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment, and approving the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Delivery Plan.

At its meeting on 20 April 2023, the Board agreed that:

·       decisions about the appropriate response to notifications of changes to pharmaceutical services may be delegated to a Sub-Committee of the Health and Wellbeing Board, consisting of the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board, the Director of Public Health for Berkshire West, and a senior Public Health Officer;

·       the Sub-Committee shall consult the Local Pharmaceutical Committee (Pharmacy Thames Valley) and the relevant local ward councillor(s) if a gap in provision is identified in order to understand the likely impact on other pharmacies and the local community;

·       all decisions of the Sub-Committee will be reported back to the Health and Wellbeing Board at the next public meeting and the Berkshire West Shared Public Health Team will publish any supplementary statements or updated PNA on the Berkshire Public Health Observatory website as required.

Sub-Committee Members

The Sub-Committee Members include:

·       Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board

·       Vice-Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board

·       Director of Public Health

·       A Senior Officer from the Council’s Public Health Team.

Getting involved

The Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment Sub-Committee meets in public, with meetings arranged as and when required to respond to notifications of changes to pharmaceutical services in West Berkshire where there is not a suitable meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board within the consultation period. Meetings usually take place at the Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury, RG14 5LD.

Contact:  Democratic Services Team

Further information links:

Health and Social Care Act 2012