Subscribe to updates

You'll receive weekly summaries about Bexley Council every week.

If you have any requests or comments please let us know at community@opencouncil.network. We can also provide custom updates on particular topics across councils.

Bexley Health and Wellbeing Board - Tuesday, 17th June, 2025 2.30 pm

June 17, 2025 View on council website
AI Generated

Summary

The Bexley Health and Wellbeing Board met to discuss a range of issues including an autism needs assessment, a vision and strategy for community champions, and a refresh of the joint forward integrated plan. The board endorsed the Community Champions Vision & Strategy Plan and the Joint Forward Integrated Plan from the Bexley Wellbeing Partnership. The board also received updates on safeguarding, obesity, and the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

Autism Needs Assessment

The board discussed and commented on the Autism Needs Assessment. The assessment aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of autism within the London Borough of Bexley to inform service planning and delivery, identify unmet needs, and propose recommendations for addressing gaps for autistic people in Bexley.

The assessment highlighted that the overall diagnosed autism prevalence in Bexley is 1.8% (4,624 people), higher than the South East London (SEL) average of 1.32%. It also noted variations in diagnosed prevalence based on age, sex, ethnicity and deprivation.

Other key findings included:

  • 812 children and young people in Bexley are waiting for autism assessment as of November 2024, with the current average wait time being approximately 39 weeks.
  • 27% of people diagnosed with autism by Oxleas children and young people service in 2023 were also diagnosed with ADHD.
  • People registered to a Bexley GP with a diagnosis of autism are almost twice as likely to be recorded on their practice's obesity register as those without autism, and more than twice as likely to have a diagnosis of depression.

The assessment made several recommendations, including:

  • Raising awareness of autism in the community.
  • Improving access to support and services for autistic people.
  • Providing more opportunities for autistic people to be heard and influence change.
  • Improving health and wellbeing outcomes for autistic people.
  • Improving access to education and employment for autistic people.

Bexley Community Champions Vision and Strategy

The board endorsed the Community Champions Vision & Strategy Plan from the Bexley Wellbeing Partnership. The Community Champions programme, which has been running since 2020, aims to reach diverse groups, especially those who are seldom heard, and strengthen public health responses. The vision and strategy aim to ensure that Community Champions remain a sustainable and impactful part of the local health and care landscape.

The strategy was shaped through direct engagement with community champions, collaboration with organisations and teams across Bexley, and a review of best practices.

The strategy sets out the roles and responsibilities of community champions, including promoting health initiatives, sharing information, and supporting residents in accessing services. It also outlines the expectations of the partnership in supporting community champions, such as providing training and resources.

Joint Forward Integrated Plan – Refresh 2025/26

The board endorsed the Joint Forward Integrated Plan from the Bexley Wellbeing Partnership. The plan, which was first published in 2023 and is refreshed annually, reflects the needs of the local population with a focus on reducing inequalities in access, experience and outcomes.

The plan identifies four priority areas:

  • Supporting Children & Young People Throughout Life
  • Supporting People living with Mental Health Challenges
  • Supporting People to maintain a Healthy Weight
  • Supporting older people living with Frailty

The refreshed plan reflects Bexley's response to the national drive to deliver a neighbourhood health service, working in more integrated ways at neighbourhood level through developing integrated neighbourhood teams. Prevention and early intervention will be key areas of focus during 2025/26 in supporting residents to keep well for as long as possible.

Bexley Wellbeing Partnership – Quarterly Summary

The board noted the update from the Bexley Wellbeing Partnership Committee. The update highlighted key activities by the Bexley Wellbeing Partnership, including:

  • Improving access to GP services in Bexley.
  • Developing Integrated Neighbourhoods to deliver more integrated and proactive care to residents.
  • Implementing the South East London Ageing Well Framework.
  • Progressing the development of Integrated Neighbourhoods to deliver better, more integrated and proactive care to residents.
  • Supporting communities through the Bexley Community Voice Forum.

Items for Information and Any Other Business

The board considered the Bexley Health and Wellbeing Board Workplan 2025/26. The workplan includes draft items for the next three meetings.

Public Questions

No questions had been received under the prescribed procedure.

Declarations of Interest

There was a guide provided to members on declaring interests at the meeting. It stated that interests to be declared, if relevant to any item of a meeting agenda, must also be listed in that Member's Register of Interests.

Items of Late Business

The Council's Committee Procedure Rules provide an opportunity for the Board to consider items of late business, but only if the Chairman is satisfied that, by reason of special circumstances, the item should be considered as a matter of urgency.

Attendees

Profile image for Councillor Baroness O'Neill of Bexley OBE
Councillor Baroness O'Neill of Bexley OBE  Leader of the Council •  Conservative Party •  Crook Log
Profile image for Councillor Melvin Seymour
Councillor Melvin Seymour  Cabinet Member for Adults' Services and Health •  Conservative Party •  Crayford
Dr Nicole Klynman
Paul Thorogood
Dr Clive Anggiansah
Diana Braithwaite
Rikki Garcia
Stephen Kitchman
Ben Travis
Alexandra Bode-Tunji
Dr Ify Okocha
Jattinder Rai
Andy Rabey
Yolanda Dennehy
Sandra Baxter

Topics

No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.

× Meeting image