The Health and Wellbeing Board approved a new borough-wide Carers Strategy for 2025-2030 and received updates on the Complex Care Programme and the refresh of the Sutton Health and Care Plan. The Carers Strategy aims to ensure that unpaid carers are recognised, valued, and supported, with key priorities including carer identification, assessment, support, and specific provisions for young carers. The Complex Care Programme update highlighted successes in supporting individuals with complex mental health needs to live more independently and achieve significant financial savings for both the council and the NHS. The refresh of the Sutton Health and Care Plan is progressing, focusing on key priorities such as cardiovascular disease prevention, proactive care, supporting hospital discharge, improving SEND services, and enhancing collaboration with the charity, faith, and community sector.

A Borough-Wide Carers Strategy 2025-2030 Approved

The Board approved the new borough-wide Carers Strategy for 2025-2030, developed through extensive engagement with carers, stakeholders, and partners. The strategy aims to ensure that carers are recognised, valued, and supported to lead fulfilling lives, acknowledging their vital contribution to the health and social care system. Key priorities include improving carer identification and recognition, ensuring timely and thorough assessments of carer needs, providing tailored support services, and developing specific pathways for young carers. The strategy also emphasises co-production, with carers being actively involved in shaping service design and delivery. An annual report will be presented to track progress on the strategy's implementation.

Update on the Complex Care Programme

The Board received an update on the Complex Care Programme (CCP), a collaborative initiative by the South London Mental Health and Community Partnership (SLP) to support individuals with complex mental health needs. The programme has achieved significant successes, including increased joint reviewing activity, substantial financial savings for both Sutton Council and the NHS, and improved outcomes for residents who are now living in less restrictive settings and experiencing greater independence. The CCP has also facilitated the stepping down of individuals from high-cost placements to more appropriate community-based support.

However, challenges remain, including a growing cohort of individuals requiring specialist placements, insufficient access to these placements within Sutton, and a lack of independent and step-down accommodation, which can lead to individuals remaining in overly restrictive settings. The programme is working towards developing a more consistent approach to commissioning and contracting across South West London to improve market management, enhance access to community-based provision, and develop specialist services.

Refresh of the Sutton Health and Care Plan

An update was provided on the ongoing refresh of the Sutton Health and Care Plan (SHCP), which aims to provide a roadmap for integrated care in the borough. The plan is being developed amidst challenging financial and operational pressures within the health and care system, as well as evolving national policy. Key priorities for the refreshed plan include:

• Healthy Hearts: Focusing on the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
• Proactive Care: Providing earlier support for people with complex health and care needs, including frailty.
• Supporting Hospital Discharge: Ensuring timely and coordinated care to enable people to live independently at home, including end-of-life care.
• Improving SEND Services: Enhancing the experience of children, families, and carers accessing special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services.
• Working Together Better: Strengthening collaboration with the charity, faith, and community sector.

The refresh process involves ongoing engagement with partners and stakeholders, and the plan will be agile to adapt to future policy developments and funding uncertainties. The Board noted the update and agreed to the direction of travel for the work going forward.

Other Business

The Board also noted the NHS and Council's joint responsibility under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act to arrange aftercare for individuals discharged from NHS inpatient care. This includes the work completed by Sutton Adult Social Care Services and the South London Mental Health and Community Partnership (SLP) in managing complex care mental health placements, and the continued commitment of both parties to collaborate in this area.