The Health and Wellbeing Board of Derbyshire County Council was scheduled to discuss a range of important topics, including support for young people who vape, strategies to tackle child poverty, and updates on the Neighbourhood Health Model. The meeting agenda also included reports on health protection, the Better Care Fund, and the Director of Public Health's annual report.

Support to Young People in Derbyshire who Vape

The board was scheduled to receive an update on the prevalence of vaping among young people in Derbyshire. Data from the 2025 My Life My View Survey indicated that an estimated 30% of Year 10 students had tried vaping, a decrease from 44% in 2022. National estimates suggest approximately 3,000 pupils in Derbyshire aged 11-17 vape regularly. The report highlighted that while vapes can be a quit aid for adults, they are not risk-free for young people and can lead to nicotine addiction, potentially impacting educational attainment. National measures, such as the banning of disposable vapes and proposed changes to marketing and flavour regulations in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, were noted as expected to reduce uptake. The report also detailed the commissioning of a new cessation service for young people who smoke or vape, which is expected to be operational later in the year and will primarily be based in schools. A vape free schools pilot, launched in September 2025 with 21 secondary schools, was also mentioned as an initiative to address concerns around vaping.

Update on Tackling Child Poverty and Enabling Children and Young People to Start Well

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to an update on the strategic priority to Tackle child poverty and enable children and young people in Derbyshire to start well. This update covered several key areas:

• National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP): The report detailed the purpose of the NCMP in monitoring children's weight and obesity prevalence, highlighting significant inequalities, with children in the most deprived areas being more than twice as likely to be living with obesity.
• Healthy Pregnancy and Healthy Start: The NHS Healthy Start scheme, which provides financial assistance for healthy food and vitamins to eligible families, was discussed. Despite its benefits, uptake remained low nationally due to lack of awareness and digital barriers. Efforts to increase uptake through a Healthy Start Steering Group were noted. The report also addressed smoking in pregnancy, identifying it as a leading modifiable risk factor for poor birth outcomes, and highlighted a reduction in smoking rates at the time of delivery across the Derby and Derbyshire ICB.
• Childhood Poverty and Good Level of Development (GLD): The report outlined the government's Giving Every Child the Best in Life strategy, focusing on early years development. It detailed the target for 75% of children nationally to achieve a Good Level of Development (GLD) by 2028, with specific targets for Derbyshire. Current GLD figures for Derbyshire were presented, showing a need for improvement, particularly for disadvantaged children. The report also identified specific Early Learning Goals where Derbyshire performs less well than the national average, such as reading, writing, and motor skills.
• Family First and Family Hubs Plan Development: The national rollout of Family Hubs, building on initiatives like Sure Start, was discussed. These hubs aim to provide integrated, accessible support for families from conception to age 19. Derbyshire has been allocated £4.3 million for Best Start Family Hubs, with plans to implement a hub-and-spoke model, prioritising Chesterfield and Ilkeston for initial sites. The report also covered the Families First Partnership Programme, which aims to create an integrated system of Family Help and Multi-Agency Child Protection, focusing on early intervention and support.

Neighbourhood Health Model and the Role of the Health and Wellbeing Board

The board was scheduled to receive updates on the development of the Neighbourhood Health Model, a key component of the 10 Year Health Plan for England. This model focuses on shifting services from hospitals to communities, embracing digital solutions, and prioritising prevention over sickness. The Health and Wellbeing Boards are expected to play a crucial role in supporting planning at a local level through the establishment of NHS Neighbourhood Health Plans, linked to the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The board was informed that Derbyshire had secured support from the Local Government Association (LGA) to aid in the development of these plans and to strengthen the board's capacity for oversight. The report also outlined potential options for the sign-off of the Neighbourhood Health Plan addendum, should normal governance arrangements not allow for timely approval.

Health Protection Board Update Report

This report was intended to provide the board with an overview of key discussions and messages from the Derbyshire Health Protection Board's meetings on 19 September and 21 November 2025. The Health Protection Board acts as a sub-group of the Health and Wellbeing Board, providing assurance on arrangements for preventing, surveilling, planning, and responding to health protection issues. Updates were expected on screening and immunisation programmes, including the rollout of Mpox and varicella vaccines, and the autumn/winter flu and COVID-19 vaccination programmes. The report also included details on the inclusion of a new condition in the Newborn Blood Spot Programme and the annual air pollution monitoring report, noting positive trends in air quality across Derbyshire. Concerns were raised regarding the lack of a comprehensive community Infection Prevention and Control service.

Better Care Fund Quarterly Update Report

The board was asked to approve the Quarter 2 mandatory return for the Better Care Fund (BCF) in Derbyshire. The BCF aims to support the integration of health and social care, focusing on person-centred care, sustainability, and better outcomes. The report detailed progress against three key metrics: emergency admissions to hospital for people aged 65+, average length of discharge delay for acute adult patients, and long-term admissions to residential and nursing homes for people aged 65+. Expenditure for the BCF was reported as being in line with expectations.

Director of Public Health Annual Report 2025: The Importance of Good Work and Good Health

Ellie Houlston, Director of Public Health, was scheduled to provide a verbal report on the 2025 Director of Public Health Annual Report. This report focuses on the health of Derbyshire's working population and the interconnectedness of work and health, with the central messages that work is good for health and health is good for business. The report includes calls to action for employers, business leaders, healthcare providers, and local authorities to collaborate on ensuring residents are ready for work, enabling entry or return to work, supporting working-age people to stay healthy, recruiting a representative workforce, and sharing experiences. The report also summarises progress on recommendations from the previous year's report, which focused on smoking cessation and tobacco control.

Amber Valley Locality Partnership Work Programme Update

A verbal update was scheduled from Jane Sheppard on the work programme of the Amber Valley Locality Partnership. As a sub-group of the Health and Wellbeing Board, locality partnerships present updates on their main projects and priorities, highlighting activities that address health outcomes and any challenges that the board might be able to assist with.

Health and Wellbeing Round Up Report

This report provided a summary of key progress on health and wellbeing issues and projects not covered elsewhere on the agenda. It included updates from the County Place Partnership Board, focusing on a multi-agency neighbourhood approach to reduce health inequalities in Chesterfield and the implications of population growth in South Derbyshire. An update from the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) was also included, covering the Start Well initiative and system changes such as the Neighbourhood Health Model. The report also highlighted national and local policy updates, including the Chief Medical Officer's reports on health trends and infections, the Men's Health Strategy for England, and the Our Children, Our Future: Tackling Child Poverty Strategy. The Index of Multiple Deprivation 2025 for Derbyshire was presented, identifying areas of significant deprivation. Proposed changes to the Health and Wellbeing Board's terms of reference were also to be discussed. Finally, the report included intelligence from Healthwatch Derbyshire regarding feedback from parents and carers of young people with additional needs, and summaries of the Section 75 Annual Reports for Public Health Commissioned Services.