The Merton Council Health and Wellbeing Board convened to discuss a range of topics, including winter planning, the implementation of the Children and Young People's Plan, and the development of a child poverty strategy. The board also considered an update on changes within the Integrated Care Board¹ (ICB) and joint commissioning priorities with health services.

Winter Planning and ICB Update

The board was scheduled to discuss the South West London (SWL) Winter Plan for 2025/26, which is underpinned by the recently published Urgent and Emergency Care Plan and the National Winter Letter. The plan outlines actions for health and care partners to ensure continued access to safe services throughout the winter period.

The July 2025 National Winter Letter requests that ICBs:

Develop the ICB plan with appropriate levels of engagement across all system partners, including primary care, 111 providers, community, acute and specialist trusts, mental health, ambulance services, local authorities, and social care provider colleagues.

The plan includes key objectives such as improving vaccination programmes, providing targeted care for vulnerable patients, and modelling winter-related patient demand. It also addresses ambulance handover delays and the implementation of new schemes like the Integrated Care Co-ordination (ICC) Hub for SWL and the expansion of frailty services.

The report pack also contained an update on the ICB changes. In March 2025, all ICBs in England were asked to reduce their management costs. For SWL ICB, the reduction required is 58%. A national model for Integrated Care Boards was published in May 2025, and the functions currently performed by ICBs have been grouped into those that will grow, be retained and adapted, or transferred.

Children and Young People

Implementing the Children and Young People's Plan

The Health and Wellbeing Board was scheduled to receive an update on the progress of the Children and Young People's Plan. The plan is based on evidence and consultation with children and young people, and it outlines six outcome areas: Being Healthy, Staying Safe, Getting Involved & Having a Say, Supporting Futures, Enjoying & Achieving, and My Merton.

The Children's Trust Board is responsible for delivering the Children and Young People's Plan. Under the Board delivery model, a young inspector takes responsibility for an outcome area. They are supported by senior officers from health, police, the voluntary sector, business, schools and the council who act as outcome champions using their influence and resources in support of CTB objectives.

The report focused on progress against the 'Being Healthy' and 'Staying Safe' outcome areas. Key activities undertaken in response to the 'Being Healthy' outcome area include a project run by Public Health Young Inspectors to understand why children started vaping and identify the support that children would need to prevent them starting to vape. In response to concerns raised about healthy eating, the Participation Team set up a project called 'cooking with friends'.

Police officers have collaborated with detached youth workers to engage with children reaching over 200 young people to support the 'Staying Safe' outcome. The Participation Team worked with the Police to set up a MET Youth Forum across Merton secondary schools.

Developing a Child Poverty Strategy

The board was scheduled to discuss the approach to developing a child poverty strategy for Merton. The government intends to tackle child poverty through a new national strategy to be published in Autumn 2025. The national strategy will focus on 4 core areas for change: increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience, and better local support.

In Merton, the percentage of children in relative poverty before housing costs in 2024 was 13.3%. It was recommended that Merton's strategy is developed in line with the main priorities within the national strategy, but with a clear action plan that focuses on addressing local needs and making best use of local strengths, services, infrastructure and partnerships.

Reviewing Mental Health Pathways for Children with SEND

The Health and Wellbeing Board was scheduled to receive an update on the review and communication of emotional and mental health pathways for children and young people (CYP) with special educational needs and disabilities² (SEND). The aim of the review is to increase equity and ensure an understanding of these pathways by professionals, voluntary, community and faith sector organisations, families and carers.

The report outlined that mental health services, SEND and neurodevelopmental provision and pathways in Merton are complex and can at times be challenging to navigate for professionals and more importantly families and young people. Key challenges include children and young people with complex needs not having a clear identified pathway, and long waiting times to access specific specialist service provision.

Joint Commissioning Priorities

The Health and Wellbeing Board was asked to note the approach to developing joint commissioning principles for children and young people's services with health. The report pack included Merton's principles for joint commissioning across health and children's services, setting out priorities for jointly improving outcomes for children and young people. It was co-developed with Public Health, CLLF and the ICB and supports joint duties with health to commission services jointly for children and young people (up to age 25) with SEND.

Across children's services and health, 11 joint principles have been agreed. These include co-production with children and families, embedding prevention and reducing demand, and responding to common challenges and opportunities for cross system improvement and cost effectiveness through joint approaches.