The Lambeth Health and Wellbeing Board met to discuss the Lambeth Suicide Prevention Strategy 2025-2030, the Community Knowledge Network, the Care Quality Commission assessment process, the Better Care Fund End of Year Report 2024-25, and the Director of Public Health Quarterly Report. The board approved the Lambeth Suicide Prevention Strategy 2025-2030 and Year 1 Action Plan, and ratified Councillor David Bridson's decision to sign off the Better Care Fund's end of year report.

Lambeth Suicide Prevention Strategy 2025-2030

The board approved the Lambeth Suicide Prevention Strategy 2025-2030 and the one-year action plan. The strategy has four overarching objectives:

• Tailor approaches and reduce the risk of suicide in high-risk groups
• Provide better information and support to those bereaved or affected by suicide
• Support the media in delivering sensitive approaches to suicide and suicidal behaviour
• Improve research, data collection and monitoring of suicide, suicidal behaviour and self-harm in Lambeth

The strategy outlines eight priority areas for action, aligning with the national strategy, and identifies key priority groups including children and young people, men, people in contact with mental health services or the justice system, people with autism, pregnant women and new mothers, LGBTQ+ communities, people with disabilities, asylum seekers, and people facing financial difficulty.

During the discussion, Laura Freeman, who accesses Lambeth Suicide Bereavement Services, shared her experience of losing her sister to suicide, and emphasised the importance of treating people with compassion and providing continuity of care. Ben, the CEO of The Listening Place, spoke about the work that the organisation does to support suicidal people.

Councillor Ben Kind, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, raised concerns about delays in access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and the impact on young people, particularly those who are neurodiverse. He asked what the escalation pathway would be for young people flagged through a school route when they face such long CAMHS delays.

There was also discussion about the role of schools in suicide prevention, and the need for early intervention and support for young people struggling with their mental health.

Councillor Kind also raised the issue of recruitment and retention in CAMHS, and the challenges faced by clinical psychologists in terms of banding positions and career progression.

Lambeth HEART - Community Knowledge Network

The board noted the progress of the Health Determinants Research Collaborative and the Emergent Community Knowledge Network (CKN). The CKN aims to involve local people in research activities, ensuring that their voices are heard and that research is relevant to the needs of the community.

Sophie Looney, Director Health Determinants Research Collaborative, explained that the CKN was developed to respect the existing ecosystem of researchers and community research organisations, and to amplify and grow those assets. She said that it was essential to have people at the heart of the work, and that the voices of the community are integral if the research is going to have an impact.

Marla Naika, a member of the Community Knowledge Network, said that the network is a platform where communities' voices, experiences and perspectives are recognised as essential components of meaningful research. Shade, another member of the CKN, shared her experience of being involved in the network, and how it has empowered her to connect with her community on health issues.

Councillor Nanda Manley-Browne, Cabinet Member for Healthier Communities (job-share), asked whether there would be mechanisms to publicly track decisions that are influenced by the research.

Care Quality Commission Assessment Process

Fiona Connolly, Corporate Director for Housing and Adult Social Care, and Jane Bowie, Director of Integrated Commissioning, provided an update on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessment process for adult social care services. The CQC is launching a single assessment framework of adult social care, and will be inspecting adult social care departments and judging them through one outcome judgement. The last time adult social care departments were inspected was in 2009.

The board was asked to note the update on the CQC assurance process.

Better Care Fund (BCF) - End of Year report 2024-25

The board ratified Councillor David Bridson's decision to sign off the Better Care Fund's end of year report as a Chair's Action on 22 May 2025, to enable submission to BCF National on 6 June 2025.

Jane Bowie explained that the Better Care Fund plan helps meet the key strategic plans for both Lambeth Together and the council. She reported that the plan had achieved the national conditions, but that the target for discharge to usual place of resident had not been met.

Councillor Ben Kind asked whether there were any initial reflections on the Secretary of State's speech about targeting funding towards areas based on deprivation, and whether or not that will impact the funding better care fund.

Director of Public Health Quarterly Report

Ruth Hutt, Director of Public Health, presented the quarterly report, highlighting the Lambeth Together tent at the Country Show and the vital five checks. She also thanked everyone who contributed to the country show.