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Health and Social Care Bill

It is not a view of pressure groups. It was the view of our group when we were discussing what we wanted to pursue. We decided we wanted to look at how these links could be strengthened. Without the expertise among ourselves, we consulted with the LGA. No weight is given in the Bill to the health and well-being boards’ whole population planning for its area, and to the jointly agreed local priorities. If the health and well-being board judges them not to be adequately addressed in service commissioning plans, it should have the power to refer them back. This may be particularly important in relation to the NHS Commissioning Board and Public Health England’s plans for the area. I hope that the Minister would agree that the need for these two organisations to work closely together, delivering local plans for local authorities, is taken as read. I wonder whether he would feel minded to make this more explicit at Report.