The Health and Wellbeing Board of Sutton Council met on Monday 08 June 2026 to discuss the evolving roles and responsibilities of the board in light of national NHS policy changes, and to review progress on health and care integration. The board was asked to agree to approve the 2026/27 Better Care Fund plan and to note its submission, and to note the submission of the 2025/26 Better Care Fund end-of-year return.

Health and Wellbeing Board - Roles and Responsibilities

The board reviewed its purpose, role, and responsibilities in the context of significant national policy changes within the NHS. Imran Choudhury, Strategic Director of Public Health and Wellbeing, explained that the board's statutory role is to provide strategic leadership to improve the health and wellbeing of the local population and reduce health inequalities. This involves bringing together senior leaders from the council, NHS, and other sectors to agree priorities, align plans, and monitor progress. The board's responsibilities include overseeing the Strategic Needs Assessment and the Sutton Health and Care Plan, as well as reviewing joint commissioning matters like the Better Care Fund. The report highlighted that recent NHS reforms, including the shift towards community-based care, prevention, and digital services, alongside structural changes to NHS Integrated Care Boards, mean the board will play an increasingly crucial role in local health and care leadership. The board was asked to note the board's roles and responsibilities in light of these national policy changes.

Health and Care Integration in Sutton

This item provided an update on how Sutton Council partners with the NHS to improve the integration of health and care services. Imran Choudhury, Strategic Director of Public Health and Wellbeing, outlined that integration is essential due to residents' increasingly complex needs, the need to shift from reactive to preventative services, and national policy expectations for closer collaboration in local neighbourhoods. The council's Adult and Children's Social Care services, along with the Public Health team, are key partners in this integration. The report detailed the challenges identified in the Strategic Needs Assessment, including an ageing and diverse population with increasing long-term conditions, and rising demand for children's services. The evolving NHS landscape, with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) focusing on strategic commissioning, was discussed. The Sutton Alliance, a partnership between the council and NHS partners, plays a crucial role in planning and integration at a borough level. The board was asked to note the update on health and care integration.

Update on the Better Care Fund

The board received an update on the Better Care Fund (BCF) for 2025/26 and the plan for 2026/27. Michelle Rahman, Sutton Place Director, and Vicky Kent, Health Integration Programme Lead, presented the report. The BCF is a key mechanism for integrating health and social care services, focusing on supporting people to stay well and independent at home, and ensuring safe and timely hospital discharges. The 2025/26 end-of-year return showed continued pressure on non-elective admissions, though Sutton performed comparably well against regional averages. Discharge delays remained a focus, with efforts to reduce short delays through the Transfer of Care Hub. The 2026/27 plan aims to stabilise non-elective admissions, reduce discharge delays, and maintain strong performance in preventing admissions to long-term care homes. The board was asked to agree to approve Sutton's 2026/27 Better Care Fund plan and to note its submission, as well as to note the submission of the 2025/26 Better Care Fund End of Year Return to NHS England.

Neighbourhood Working in Health and Care

This item briefed the board on neighbourhood working in health and care in Sutton, in response to the national Neighbourhood Health Framework. Michelle Rahman, Place Lead for Sutton Alliance, explained that Sutton's approach builds on existing strengths, focusing on accelerating and strengthening current neighbourhood arrangements. The six priority areas for 2026/27 include reducing non-elective admissions for frail residents and improving GP access. Sutton's delivery model is a Team of Teams approach, centred around four Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) aligned with Primary Care Network footprints. Challenges such as workforce capacity, financial pressures, and the need for cultural change were acknowledged, but opportunities for more joined-up, preventative care closer to home were highlighted. The board was asked to note the Sutton Alliance's response to the Neighbourhood Health Framework and the development of neighbourhood working in health and care in Sutton.