The Health and Well-being Board was scheduled to consider a broad overview of health inequalities and receive an annual update on the Community Promise. The Board was also scheduled to review the Northumberland Gambling Strategy.

Health Inequalities: Fulfilling Our NHS Duty

The Board was scheduled to receive a broad overview of the Health Inequalities report. This report was expected to detail the NHS's legal duty to address health inequalities, which are defined as long-standing, avoidable, and unfair differences in health outcomes, access, and experience between different population groups.¹ The report was to outline current work driven by the NHS Health Inequalities legal duty and the 10 Year Health Plan, involving collaboration across sectors to address wider determinants of health, embedding equity in service design and delivery, and using data to identify and address gaps. It was also scheduled to cover operational priorities such as elective care and urgent and emergency care, as well as clinical priorities including maternity, mental health, respiratory disease, cancer, vaccinations, cardiovascular disease, and learning disability and autism.

Community Promise

An annual update on the Community Promise was scheduled to be presented to the Board. This initiative appears to be a broad programme by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, aiming to address economic and social challenges within the community. The update was expected to cover areas such as work experience placements, engagement with students and unemployed individuals, and the Trust's procurement spend with local suppliers. The Community Promise is described as connecting the Trust's workforce strategy, social value, net zero ambitions, and efforts to tackle the wider determinants of health.

Gambling Strategy

The Board was scheduled to consider a report summarising the Northumberland Gambling Strategy. This strategy was developed in partnership with local organisations and stakeholders, with the vision of a Northumberland free from gambling-related harms. It aims to tackle the harmful impact of gambling through a preventative approach, focusing on early identification and timely intervention. The strategy's priorities were identified as:

• Maximising Assets: Strengthening early identification through existing services and partners, and ensuring timely, accessible support.
• Education: Building workforce capacity and capability, and increasing public awareness.
• Collaboration: Mobilising communities, effective partnership working, and promoting the voice of lived experience.
• Systemwide Approach: Promoting evidence-based practice and identifying opportunities linked to regulation and advertising.

The report was scheduled to recommend that the Health and Wellbeing Board note the contents of the strategy and recommend its approval to the Cabinet.

Health and Wellbeing Board – Forward Plan

The Board was scheduled to note and discuss details of forthcoming agenda items at future meetings. The latest version of the forward plan was enclosed for review.