The Health and Wellbeing Board and Surrey Integrated Care Partnership met to discuss a range of public health initiatives and strategic planning for the future of health services in Surrey. The meeting included discussions on mental health and Section 136 powers, a deep dive report card on Active Surrey, an update on the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, a pilot programme for health literacy, the Community Safety Agreement, future planning for the Health and Wellbeing Board, neighbourhood health implementation, and an update from the Integrated Care Board.

Mental Health and Section 136 Powers

Aruna Mehta and Graham presented a joint plan with shared ownership to address concerns raised about police time spent on Section 136 detentions. Surrey has a higher than average use of Section 136 powers, despite lower levels of deprivation and underlying mental health needs. The plan outlines six key areas for improvement:

1. Reduce Section 136 usage: Through improved prevention work, police decision support, and interventions for high-intensity users. Models from Kent and Hampshire will be explored.
2. Improve mental health bed admission: To reduce police time spent in emergency departments with patients needing admission.
3. Address peak load problems: Two additional health places of safety will be opened to manage fluctuations in demand.
4. On-street handover to healthcare: Schemes in other parts of England where police can hand over Section 136 detentions to healthcare professionals on the street will be evaluated.
5. Reduce emergency department waiting times: Guidance from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine will be used to expedite medical clearance for mental health patients.
6. Align Mental Health Act assessments: The timing of assessments will be brought closer to the timing of Section 136 detentions.

A particular focus was placed on children, with a recognition that health places of safety should be an all-age service. The system currently lacks clear solutions for supporting children who do not meet the threshold for Tier 4 admission but have complex needs. The plan also includes improving data sharing between partners and delivering the improvement plan to achieve an ambition of four hours average police deployment and below the national average for Section 136 usage.

Active Surrey Deep Dive Report Card

Mark Nuti, Cabinet Member for Health and Communities, presented a report card on Active Surrey's work in Stanwell. Stanwell was identified as an area of deprivation where poverty significantly impacts physical activity and health. Key findings included:

• One in three adults in Stanwell are physically inactive, and 63% do not achieve 150 minutes of physical activity per week.
• 30% of children and young people are less active than recommended, with increasing levels of obesity.
• While green spaces exist, safety concerns are a barrier to their use.
• Recommendations included making Stanwell safer, enhancing youth provision, improving affordable transport options, upgrading infrastructure, tackling environmental neglect, improving communication about existing offers, and improving resident mental health.

Active Surrey is now shifting its strategy from a delivery body to a system change partner, working in a hyper-local way in Stanwell and six other areas across Surrey.

Health and Wellbeing Strategy Highlight Report

Mari Roberts-Wood, Dr Lucy Gate, and Phillip Austen-Reed provided an update on the Health and Wellbeing Strategy (HWBS) Highlight Report.

Priority 1: Progress was noted in oral health, with a supervised toothbrushing programme engaging children in six early-year settings. An online oral health resource hub is being developed. The Smoke-Free Generation Grant Award scheme has engaged over 6,000 residents. Challenges include a funding risk for Centurion, a team tackling county drug lines.

Priority 2: A collaborative peer research project with Mentell highlighted that 55% of men surveyed reported poor well-being or a possible mental health condition, with 31% often or always feeling lonely, five times the national average. The strategy for addressing gambling-related harms has been published. A challenge identified is the potential commissioning gap for the Suicide Bereavement Service, with the current contract ending in March 2027.

Priority 3: The Community Safety and Prevention Board has approved the Community Safety Agreement, which sets out priorities including violence against women and girls, domestic abuse, serious violence, anti-social behaviour, hate crime, and community cohesion. Recent events in Epsom and Hawley have highlighted learning around the evolving drivers of community harm and cohesion risk, particularly related to misinformation.

The HWBS Index shows improvements in some areas, such as adult physical activity and under-75 cancer mortality rates, but declines in others, including healthy life expectancy for males and inequality in life expectancy for females. The attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils in early years and Key Stage 2 also worsened.

Clearer Care - Health Literacy Pilot Programme

Nikki Bassani, Kate Scribbins, and Dr Rebecca Bowden presented on the Clearer Care health literacy pilot programme. Low health literacy is a significant barrier to improving health outcomes and reducing inequalities, with approximately 30% of Surrey adults aged 16-65 having low health literacy, rising to 49% when numeracy is considered. The programme aims to make health information, services, and communication clearer, more accessible, and more inclusive. Seven VCSE organisations have been selected to deliver pilot projects, focusing on areas such as improving communication for people with aphasia, enhancing accessibility for disabled individuals, supporting Ukrainian refugees, providing clear information for vulnerable families, improving understanding of palliative care, increasing access to sight tests for Black and Asian communities, and developing accessible hypertension resources for adults with learning disabilities and autism.

Community Safety Agreement

Sarah Haywood introduced the updated Surrey Community Safety Agreement 2026-2028. This statutory document brings together police, health, local authorities, fire and rescue, probation, and community partners to prevent crime, reduce harm, and improve community safety. It focuses on seven priority areas: violence against women and girls (including domestic abuse), anti-social behaviour and community harm, serious violence, Prevent, serious and organised crime, hate crime and community cohesion, and road safety. The agreement aims to reduce inequalities by improving partnership working, data sharing, and access to support services.

Health and Wellbeing Board Future Planning

Phill Austen-Reed provided an update on the future planning for the Health and Wellbeing Board. Legal advice confirms that each new unitary authority will need to establish its own Health and Wellbeing Board, but legislation allows for joint operation and functions. Engagement with the Shadow Unitary Authorities has begun, with decisions on the future structure expected in October. It is likely that the current Health and Wellbeing Strategy, Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), and Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) will be adopted by the new boards, at least initially, to ensure a safe and legal transition.

Neighbourhood Health Implementation: Footprints

Michelle Brown and Vicky Stobbart presented an update on the development of neighbourhood health footprints. This work aligns with the NHS England Neighbourhood Health Framework, which expects integrated neighbourhood teams and governance arrangements to be established. The aim is to organise services around recognisable communities and places where people live their daily lives, fostering broader community partnerships and prevention. Challenges include agreeing on boundaries that work for all partners and communities, maintaining flexibility, and aligning data and governance. The next steps involve continued stakeholder engagement, a deep dive in October to review proposed models, and a final recommendation to the Board in December.

ICB Update

Karen McDowell, Chief Executive of the Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB), provided a verbal update on the ICB's new operating model, which is in its final implementation phase following a 57% workforce reduction. The ICB's Five Year Strategic Plan is due to be published, and work is continuing on repurposing existing estates for Neighbourhood Health Hubs.