The Health & Wellbeing Board was scheduled to discuss progress on smoking cessation and tobacco control, as well as the evolving role of Health and Wellbeing Boards in shaping neighbourhood health. The meeting was also set to cover the strategic direction for these boards in the coming year.

Smoking Cessation and Tobacco Control

The board was scheduled to receive an update on progress made under Ambition 2 of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which focuses on improving wellbeing and preventing ill health. This discussion was to centre on smoking cessation, tobacco control, and the harms associated with vaping across Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea. The report pack highlighted that smoking remains the leading cause of preventable illness and premature death, contributing to over 2,000 smoking-related hospital admissions annually in the two boroughs. While overall smoking prevalence has decreased, it remains disproportionately high among certain groups, including those living in deprivation, individuals with mental health needs, some ethnic minority communities, pregnant women, and those experiencing substance misuse.

The report pack outlined a comprehensive, whole-system approach to tobacco control, which was scheduled for endorsement. This approach combines:

• Prevention: Focusing on children and young people through education, diversionary activities, and targeted interventions like the Re:start service.
• Enforcement: Led by Trading Standards, this includes action against illicit tobacco and vapes, age-restricted test purchasing, and the implementation of new powers under the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026.
• Smoking Cessation Support: Provided through services like One You Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster – Be Tobacco Free, offering behavioural support and medication.
• Integrated Delivery: Embedding smoking cessation within various health pathways, including cardiovascular, mental health, substance misuse, maternity, and neighbourhood-based prevention.

The report also noted the role of the emerging Local Tobacco Control Alliance in coordinating these efforts across local authorities, the NHS, education, housing, and the voluntary and community sector, with a particular emphasis on reducing inequalities and protecting young people. The board was invited to note progress, endorse the tobacco control approach, and support the continued prioritisation of smoking cessation as a core prevention intervention. It was also intended that the board would champion consistent messaging around vaping, distinguishing it as less harmful than smoking for adults but not harmless and not for children and young people.

The New Role of Health and Wellbeing Boards in Neighbourhood Health

The board was scheduled to consider a paper outlining the strategic role of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Board in shaping neighbourhood health. This discussion was prompted by national shifts in how health and care services are planned and delivered, as detailed in the NHS 10 Year Health Plan (July 2025), the NHS Neighbourhood Health Framework (March 2026), and Fit for the Future: Towards Population Health Delivery Models (March 2026). These documents collectively establish Neighbourhood Health as the core delivery model for the future NHS, prioritising prevention, proactive care, integration, and the reduction of inequalities.

The report indicated that the West North London Integrated Care Board (WNL ICB), in collaboration with local authorities and Health and Wellbeing Boards, is expected to lead this transition. The paper stressed that Health and Wellbeing Boards are not peripheral but are the primary place-based forums for agreeing neighbourhood priorities, outcomes, and plans, providing democratic leadership and ensuring alignment with local population needs. For Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, this presents an opportunity to align neighbourhood health with local priorities concerning inequalities, housing, the cost of living, mental health, and inclusion.

The board was asked to endorse the Health and Wellbeing Board as the strategic leader for neighbourhood health and population wellbeing in RBKC and Westminster. It was also to agree that neighbourhood health priorities and outcomes would be aligned with the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy (JHWS). Furthermore, the board was to agree to receive regular assurance from WNL ICB and the Place-Based Partnership Board on neighbourhood footprints and delivery models, and to commission a follow-up paper detailing specific governance and oversight arrangements for 2026/27. The report highlighted that these neighbourhood health models are intended to make care easier to access, reduce the need for repeated explanations of a patient's history, and help people remain healthier and more independent for longer.