This meeting was scheduled to include presentations of research on mental health and health inequalities in Southwark, and consideration of updates to existing plans and strategies, alongside the approval of new plans for 2025-2027. The Board was also scheduled to receive an update on the Connect to Work programme. It is important to note that this article only summarises what was scheduled to be discussed, as described in the meeting papers, and does not include information on what was actually discussed during the meeting or whether any decisions were made.

Black Mental Health Research

The Board was scheduled to receive a presentation from Healthwatch Southwark summarising a report exploring Black African and Caribbean communities' experiences and perceptions of mental health services in Southwark. The report¹ is based on findings from a survey and focus groups involving 79 Southwark residents.

The report highlights significant barriers to accessing support, including:

• Lack of awareness about mental health services and how to access them. Participants were more familiar with acute mental health services, such as South London and Maudsley Hospital, than with community-based services and talking therapies.
• Stigma surrounding mental health, particularly for men and within some religious communities.
• Distrust of public services stemming from experiences of institutional racism in the healthcare system. Participants cited anxieties about being over-medicated or sectioned.
• Perceived lack of representation of Black African and Caribbean communities amongst mental health service providers.
• Limited funding for non-clinical and community-based services, resulting in service closures and withdrawal of vital support.
• Lack of integrated activities, limiting options for holistic well-being support.

The report makes recommendations, including calls to:

• Establish long-term funding for community-based mental health services.
• Implement targeted projects for Black men, in line with the Creative Health programme hosted by the South East London Integrated Care Board.
• Provide training and support for voluntary and community sector groups and community leaders.
• Embed the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework across all mental health services.

Annual Public Health Report

The Board was scheduled to consider the Annual Public Health Report for 2024-25, which focuses on the theme of inequalities.

The report² highlights that health inequalities are avoidable and unfair differences in health outcomes between different groups of people, driven by social and economic conditions, and that Southwark residents from minoritised ethnic groups, those living in deprived areas, and those with disabilities are more likely to have poorer health and shorter life expectancy. The report states that we need to go further in tackling these inequalities by developing a coordinated, system-wide approach that prioritises interventions for those in greatest need.

The report makes recommendations, including:

• Refreshing the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy action plan alongside Southwark 2030 and other key system plans to ensure that action and resources are focused on improving the wider determinants of health.
• Embedding a culture of co-design with residents and community organisations in service design and delivery.
• Implementing policies and guidelines to ensure services are welcoming, inclusive, and affirming environments.
• Developing and implementing cultural competency training for staff across the health and care system.
• Securing long-term investment in targeted outreach services that focus on disadvantaged and marginalised communities.

The report also showcases recent initiatives working to address health inequalities in the borough, including:

• The Southwark Health Promotion Van, which provides free health checks and advice to Southwark residents in community settings.
• The Tenant Health and Wellbeing Programme, which supports social housing residents who experienced long-term impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.
• School Superzones, which aim to make the streets surrounding schools safer and encourage active travel.
• The Southwark Cost of Living Fund, which supports vulnerable and low-income households struggling with food, energy and other essential costs.
• The Bridge Clinic, which provides specialist primary care services for Southwark’s transgender and gender non-confirming residents.
• The Thriving Neighbourhoods Project, which provides grants to Southwark’s small voluntary and community sector organisations.
• A new programme funded by Impact on Urban Health and the South East London Integrated Care Board, which aims to improve the experiences and health outcomes of Black residents by working in partnership with Black-led organisations.
• The Southwark Maternity Commission, which was established to investigate and address inequalities in maternity care.
• The Southwark Insights and Intelligence Programme (SIIP), which aims to involve residents and communities in the design and delivery of services.

Southwark Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy Action Plan (2025-2027)

The Board was scheduled to approve the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy action plan for 2025-2027. The report³ highlights that the new action plan:

• Contains 44 actions, compared to 53 in the previous plan, and that these actions will be larger in potential for impact.
• Describes new pieces of work to be delivered from this year onwards, or planned for the future.
• Is focused on partnership working across agencies and sectors, with ownership from 15 Council divisions and external partners, including the NHS South East London (SEL ICS).
• Aligns with Southwark’s vision for 2030, the Partnership Southwark Health and Care Plan, and Southwark Stands Together.

The key priorities for 2025-2027 are:

1. A healthy start in life
2. Healthy work and lives
3. Support to stay well
4. Healthy communities

The action plan contains 14 “drive actions”, which will receive additional attention from the Board to facilitate partnership working.

The report also provides an update on the governance and delivery of the action plan, outlining how the Board and the Partnership Southwark Delivery Executive will oversee delivery, alongside plans to monitor impact and report on progress.

Connect to Work

The Board was scheduled to receive an update on the delivery of the Connect to Work programme in Southwark. The report⁴ explains that Connect to Work is a new employment support programme funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The report states that the programme will:

• Provide employment support for people with health conditions, disabilities, or other significant barriers to employment.
• Use the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) and Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) models of supported employment.
• Be delivered over five years from April 2025 to March 2030.
• Be devolved to local areas.

The report also notes that:

• Southwark is anticipated to have the highest number of Connect to Work participants of all central London boroughs.
• Over 2,000 Southwark residents are anticipated to benefit from the programme over the five-year period.
• Southwark will adopt a mixed approach to programme delivery, including an in-house team and commissioned service.

Joint Forward Plan – 2025/26 Refresh

The Board was scheduled to consider the draft refresh of the NHS South East London (SEL ICB) Joint Forward Plan for 2025/26. The report⁵ highlights that it is a statutory requirement for the ICB to refresh its Joint Forward Plan annually, and that the refreshed Plan will:

• Take account of Southwark’s refreshed Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
• Present a simplified overview of key priorities and objectives for the coming five years.
• Outline how action will support population health, address inequalities and contribute to financial sustainability.

The five strategic priorities for Southwark are:

1. Children and Young People’s Mental Health
2. Adult Mental Health
3. Frailty
4. Prevention and Health Inequalities
5. Integrated Neighbourhood Teams

The report also describes how these priorities align with Southwark 2030 and other key strategies.