Making health and wellbeing boards a success: engaging providers.

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to bring attention to the current level of engagement of care service provider organisations with shadow health and wellbeing boards. The paper argues that full engagement of provider organisations will improve the effective working of the future health and wellbeing boards; both in the creation of good commissioning strategies and in their subsequent implementation. Design/methodology/approach – A survey of Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG) members was undertaken, and analysed alongside other reports of progress in implementation. Findings – Currently there is a very low level of engagement of provider organisations. A notable exception is in Coventry which is an exemplar for good engagement: a case study is provided. Originality/value – This is new knowledge. Also, a connection is made between emerging government policy on market facilitation in social care and its implications for health and wellbeing boards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]