The Health & Wellbeing Board is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, 28 January 2026, to discuss the delivery of the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy, including its Joint Outcome Monitoring Framework. The meeting will also cover progress on neighbourhood health initiatives, creative health programmes, and an anti-racism work programme, alongside updates on the Better Care Fund and Healthwatch Croydon's annual report.

Delivery of the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy, JSNA - Joint Outcome Monitoring Framework

A report is scheduled to be presented to assure the Health and Wellbeing Board that Croydon's system partners are aligned in monitoring progress against the priorities set out in the Health and Wellbeing Strategy (2024–2029). The Joint Outcome Monitoring Framework (JOMF) has been developed through collaboration between the Knowledge and Intelligence Partnership (KIPs) and the strategy's priority subgroups. The JOMF consolidates key indicators into a single, high-level framework to enable the Board to oversee system performance and ensure collective efforts are driving improvements in health and wellbeing outcomes for residents. This framework is intended to inform future updates to the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and support evidence-based decision-making. The report recommends the publishing of the JOMF on the Croydon Observatory, with regular reviews and annual refreshes in collaboration with priority subgroups.

Healthy, Safe and Well-Connected Neighbourhoods and Communities: National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP) and planning for 2026/27

This paper is set to provide a strategic update on Croydon's role, progress, and next steps in delivering the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme. It will include early learning and system-wide implications. The programme aims to shift care from hospitals to the community, from analogue to digital methods, and from sickness to prevention. Croydon has been accepted into Wave 1 of the programme, which has no central funding but offers local and national focus to accelerate progress. The report details a stakeholder workshop that identified priorities such as developing a holistic, place-based approach, improving timely access to support, promoting prevention, simplifying systems, and creating sustainable models. The report also outlines high-level priorities for Neighbourhood Health and Care planning for 2026/27, as set out in the NHS England Medium Term planning framework, including improving access for GP practices, focusing on high-priority cohorts, and establishing integrated neighbourhood teams.

Creative Health Evaluation Insights

This report is scheduled to provide an update on the development, initial evaluation, and future potential of the Creative Health Programme after its first 15 months. Initiated in September 2024, the programme supports evidence-based creative interventions aimed at improving the health of communities at risk of health inequalities. The programme has been delivered across four main strands: the Creative Health Network, community grants, targeted interventions, and advocating for the sector. Initial monitoring and evaluation indicate that the programme is successfully reaching communities at risk of health inequalities and positively impacting residents' mental health and wellbeing, particularly concerning low mood, depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Future priorities include expanding the Creative Health Network, increasing the reach of community grant schemes, refining targeted interventions, and improving understanding and commitment to Creative Health among stakeholders.

Anti-Racism Work Programme

This report is set to outline the strategic approach for developing and implementing a comprehensive anti-racism framework for Croydon. It highlights that establishing an anti-racism framework is a priority within the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The work also supports key council priorities related to promoting independence, health and wellbeing, reducing health inequalities, and fostering a sense of community. The report details discussions from a recent workshop involving senior leaders from Croydon Council, NHS partners, and the voluntary, community, and faith sector (VCFS). Key themes included personal reflections on barriers to discussing race, defining anti-racism leadership and system change, characteristics of courageous leadership, and identifying what is working well and what is not. The report proposes recommendations for the Health and Wellbeing Board to approve the co-development of an anti-racism vision and position statement, a governance and accountability framework, a five-year programme of work and action plan, and key equity indicators for monitoring progress.

Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS) Update

This report is scheduled to provide an update on Croydon's Community Hubs and their Neighbourhood Health in Action initiatives. Community Hubs are presented as a transformative approach to improving population health and reducing health inequalities by focusing on relationships, local strengths, and resident-led action. The report details how these hubs bridge the gap between the VCFS and health services, working with neighbourhood health teams to support people away from service dependency and towards community-led activities. It highlights the role of Community Facilitators in increasing social support networks, promoting healthier lifestyles, building trust, and increasing engagement with digital health tools. The report also outlines the outcomes achieved through the Community Hubs network, including a broader range of health and wellbeing topics and strengthened partnership working to enable local support and free up specialist services.

Better Care Fund 2025-26 Quarter 2 Submission

This report is to ensure that both national and local governance for the Better Care Fund (BCF) are completed correctly. The Health and Wellbeing Board is asked to ratify the BCF Quarter 2 submission for 2025-2026 for Croydon to NHS England. The Better Care Fund is a national vehicle for driving health and social care integration, requiring joint plans and pooled funds governed by agreements under Section 75 of the NHS Act (2006). The report indicates that Croydon is projecting to meet national metrics targets for Residential Admissions and Emergency Admissions. However, data for Quarter 2 is not yet sufficient to determine if the target for Discharge Delays will be met, with improvements expected by the Quarter 3 submission. The report also confirms that BCF allocations are on track to be spent in line with the plan, with no over or underspend reported.

Healthwatch Croydon Annual Report 2024-2025

This report introduces Healthwatch Croydon's Annual Report for the period between 1st April 2024 and 31st March 2025. Healthwatch Croydon is commissioned by Croydon Council and works independently to gather residents' views and experiences of health and social care services, providing this feedback to commissioners and providers to drive improvements. The report summarises five major projects undertaken during the year, focusing on the experiences of neurodiverse residents, the role of the voluntary sector in supporting health and social care, insights for community diagnostic services, experiences of reablement and intermediate care services, and the use of primary and secondary care services by vulnerable migrants. Additional engagement work covered health inequalities, eye care services, and diabetes services for Black African and Black Caribbean communities. The report highlights that 752 people shared their experiences or views, and 316 people sought advice or information.

Healthwatch Croydon Briefing on Proposed Future Arrangements for Patient Engagement

This briefing note summarises proposed changes to the Healthwatch network following the publication of the 10-year Health Plan and the Dash Review. The proposals include transferring Healthwatch England's responsibilities to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), ending the requirement to commission local Healthwatch organisations, and instead requiring Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and local authorities to ensure patient voice and engagement activities. The briefing raises concerns about how the independence of patient voice will be maintained, the potential weakening of integrated care pathway feedback due to separate health and social care responsibilities, and the challenges in reaching seldom-heard communities. Healthwatch Croydon is working with partners to ensure residents' voices continue to be heard and acted upon, and a petition has been created asking the Government to review the decision to abolish independent local Healthwatch arrangements.

Health and Wellbeing Board Forward Plan

This forward plan outlines the workplan for the Health and Wellbeing Board and identifies items for future meetings. It is a live document that is regularly reviewed and updated. The plan details upcoming board meetings, including specific agenda items such as updates on the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy, the Better Care Fund, the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment, and the Healthwatch Croydon Annual Report. It also lists planned workshops and seminars, including an Anti-Racism Framework Workshop Session and a Creative Health Workshop. Considerations for developing the forward plan include delivery of the JLHWS, JSNA updates, commissioning intentions, and annual reports from various partnerships and organisations.