The Health and Wellbeing Board of Shropshire Council was scheduled to discuss a range of important topics, including updates on the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision, reforms within Children's Services, and the ongoing Housing and Health Action Plan. The Board was also set to receive updates from Healthwatch Shropshire, review progress on the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, and hear from the NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board (ICB) and the Shropshire Integrated Place Partnership (ShIPP).

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) & Alternative Provision (AP) Board Update

The Board was scheduled to receive an update on the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Board. The report indicated that significant improvements had been made in SEND provision over the past year, with enhanced co-production and improved health wait times for children and young people. Efforts had also been made to reduce permanent exclusions from schools. However, challenges remained, including long waits for Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans and neurodiverse assessments, as well as financial pressures within the High Needs Block budget. The report also referenced the SEND and AP Strategy and Outcomes Framework¹, the Shropshire APP review 30-month feedback letter², and the Ofsted/CQC annual conversation letter³.

Children's Service Reforms & Families First

An overview of national reforms impacting Children's Services was scheduled for discussion, including the National Youth Strategy, Families First Partnership, and Best Start in Life Family Hubs. These reforms aim to rebalance the system towards early help and support for children and young people within inclusive communities. The report highlighted that Shropshire spends a significant proportion of its Children's Services budget on Children's Social Care, and these reforms present an opportunity to reinvest in earlier help and prevention. The presentation on Families First Partnership was attached as Appendix A⁴, and the POSC Report - Children's Services Reforms January 2026 as Appendix B⁵.

Housing & Health Action Plan Update

An update on the Housing and Health Action Plan was scheduled, building on previous discussions and informed by the Local Government Association's publication, Improving Health and Well being Through Housing: A High Impact Change Model. The report noted that work had not progressed as quickly as desired due to increased pressure on the Housing service, but had still had a beneficial impact. Key areas of discussion included increased regulation for social housing providers, the Renters' Rights Act, and improvements to temporary accommodation. A revised action plan was attached as Appendix A⁶, along with a case study as Appendix B⁷.

Healthwatch Shropshire – Recent Activity & Forward Plan 2026-27

Healthwatch Shropshire was scheduled to provide an update on its recent activities and its forward plan for 2026-27. The report highlighted the significant work Healthwatch Shropshire has undertaken since 2013, including publishing over 120 reports on people's experiences of health and social care services and over 80 Enter & View reports. It also noted the provision of the Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service. A key point of discussion was the implication of the decision to abolish Healthwatch on the independent voice of people using health and social care services in Shropshire. The full report was attached as Appendix A⁸, and a presentation as Appendix B⁹.

Health & Wellbeing Strategy Delivery Progress

This report provided an update on the progress made towards the delivery of the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWBB) Strategy from its publication in 2022 to the end of 2025. The Board was asked to acknowledge the progress made with two years remaining and to provide comments and recommendations for future reporting. The strategy's vision is for Shropshire people to be healthy and fulfilled, with priorities focusing on strategic aims and key areas identified through the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA). The report detailed areas showing improvement and areas where performance had worsened since the baseline, with a performance against measures of success summary provided in Appendix A¹⁰.

ICB Update

The Integrated Care Board (ICB) was scheduled to provide an update on its activities. Key areas of discussion included the NHS Government Reset Programme, which involves a voluntary redundancy scheme and a formal Management of Change consultation. The update also covered winter pressures, the launch of a new Lung Cancer Screening Programme, and a review of Locally Commissioned Services (LCS) in General Practice.

ShIPP Update

The Shropshire Integrated Place Partnership (ShIPP) was scheduled to provide an update on its activities. The briefing report, covering discussions from 18th December 2025, included updates on the ShIPP Accelerator Group, the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP), ShIPP Prevention Funding, and Healthy Ageing. It also covered the draft SEND for 0–25-year-olds Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), Lung Cancer Screening, and the Urgent & Emergency Care Winter Plan.