The Health & Wellbeing Board and ICB Sub-Committee (Committees in Common) were scheduled to meet on Tuesday, 4 November 2025, at the Town Hall, Barking. The agenda included a resident's story, the Director of Public Health's annual report, an update on neighbourhood working, an NHS operating model update, a discussion of winter pressures, and consideration of the draft NHS system strategy and commissioning intentions.

Director of Public Health Annual Report 2024/25

The report pack for the meeting included the draft Director of Public Health's Annual Report 2024/25, entitled Getting Serious about Prevention Together . The report was intended to inform local people and decision-makers in local health services and authorities about health gaps and priorities that need to be addressed.

The report was structured around the themes of:

• Agreeing place based outcomes
• Delivering outcomes through Integrated Neighbourhood Teams
• Prevention
• Improving Cancer Journeys
• Being ready for school and for life
• Health and Housing
• Unlocking the potential of the Public Health Grant

The report pack stated that the report draws on the needs identified in the 2024-27 Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and provides public health advice on how to deliver the outcomes set out in the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2023-28.

The report pack recommended that the Health and Wellbeing Board and ICB Sub-Committee note the Public Health Advice provided in the report and support a discussion on taking forward the advice following publication of the report.

Neighbourhood Working Update

The report pack included a Neighbourhood Working Update Report from Councillor Maureen Worby, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Housing, and Sharon Morrow, Director of Partnership, Impact and Delivery, NHS North East London. The report provided an update on progress mobilising the local programme as part of the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP).

The report stated that the Barking and Dagenham Place Partnership was selected as one of 43 implementation sites of the NNHIP on 9 September 2025. NNHIP is a large-scale change programme by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) seeking to gather and disseminate learning to create exemplars and support places to embed the culture and capability required to deliver a neighbourhood health service.

The report pack stated that partners had moved rapidly to mobilise the local programme, and have met all deadlines and requirements set by the national team, including:

• Signing a compact with DHSC setting out expectations for local and national partners participating in the programme
• Developing a high-level delivery plan based on the output of the Committees in Common's development session on 1 October 2025
• Submitting a high-level definition of the population cohort and providing high-level details of the partnership's existing use of data agreements, outcomes metrics and multi-disciplinary working
• Launching recruitment search for a Local Place Coach to support development of our neighbourhood teams

The report pack included a draft delivery plan for Barking and Dagenham's implementation of neighbourhood health within the NNHIP, which set out deliverables relating to leadership and accountability, multi-disciplinary working, cohort and outcomes, data, digital and technology, co-production and communications, estates and OD, financial flows and funding, and learning, reporting and sharing.

The report pack recommended that the Health and Wellbeing Board and ICB Sub-Committee agree the outline delivery plan for Barking and Dagenham's implementation of neighbourhood health within the NNHIP, and note the activities undertaken to date and planned next steps, providing any feedback or steer to ensure best outcomes.

Draft NHS System Strategy and Outline Commissioning Intentions

The report pack included a report from the ICB on the NHS medium term planning process, system strategy, and commissioning intentions, along with a draft of the refreshed system strategy for North East London, and a copy of the headline commissioning intentions.

The report stated that the ICB has been working in line with national planning guidance to complete the 'foundational stage' of the NHS medium-term planning process, and that the package of materials was issued to providers on 30 September in order to meet contractual timeframes and the requirements of the planning process.

The report stated that the refreshed system strategy attempts to capture the health needs of the population of north east London and set out the direction of travel for as the system works towards the implementation of the three shifts. The strategic commissioning plans will provide the detail on how the ICB will direct resources to meet needs and improve population health.

The report pack stated that the Health and Wellbeing Board and ICB Sub-Committee were being asked to comment on the approach expressing a view on the following:

• Does the strategy cover the core aspects we should emphasise as a system and is anything critical missing?
• In what ways can we fully utilise an Outcomes and Equity framework in our system?
• What are the collaborative ways of working we want to hold onto as a whole system to deliver our new strategy?
• Given the status as precursors to the final strategic commissioning plans, are there any important concerns or initial input you have regarding the commission intentions?

Foundations for Change: Tackling Poverty Strategy 2025/26

The report pack included a one-page summary of the council's Foundations for Change: Tackling Poverty Strategy 2025/26. The strategy aims to address the high level of poverty experienced by residents, with 62.4% of households experiencing one marker of deprivation and 42% of children living in poverty. The strategy focuses on five particularly vulnerable groups in the borough: lone parents, large families with 3+ children, people with disabilities or long-term ill health, care leavers, and young people with mental ill-health and NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). Initial areas of focus include increasing child maintenance take up, supporting those affected by the benefit cap who could claim disability benefit, improving access to affordable and healthy food, addressing material barriers to employment, cost of essentials for parents with young children, and improving transitions for care leavers. A longer-term Anti-Poverty Board will be established to bring together key internal and external stakeholders to set a vision for the medium term for tackling Poverty in Barking and Dagenham.

Building a Fairer Future Together - Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Strategy 2025-2029

The report pack included a one-page summary of the council's Building a Fairer Future Together - Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Strategy 2025-2029. Councils in the UK are required by statute to have equality objectives under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) as set out in the Equality Act 2010. The strategy aims to address the high level of inequality faced by the diverse and changing population. Each section outlines what is known about inequalities in that area and reports on an area of focus, the story so far, and next steps. The strategy has four objectives: closing equality gaps, providing fair and accessible public services, promoting cohesion and integration, and being an inclusive employer. An annual progress report will be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee appraising progress against the action plan and highlighting key achievements.

Other items

The agenda also included:

• Apologies for Absence
• Declaration of Members' Interests
• Minutes from the meeting on 9 September 2025
• A Residents' Story
• An NHS Operating Model Update
• A Winter Pressures Discussion
• Any other public items which the Chair decides are urgent
• A resolution to exclude the public and press from the remainder of the meeting
• Any other confidential or exempt items which the Chair decides are urgent