The Health and Wellbeing Board met on 12 February 2026 to discuss progress on the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy, the establishment of neighbourhood health services, efforts to combat drug misuse, and the South West London Mental Health Strategy. Key decisions included noting progress on various health initiatives, agreeing to delegate the sign-off of the Neighbourhood Health Plan, and noting the progress of the Combating Drugs Partnership and the South West London Mental Health Strategy.

Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy: Live Well Update

The Board received an update on the Live Well priorities within the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which aims to improve residents' health and wellbeing, tackle inequalities, and focus on prevention. Significant progress has been made in adult immunisation programmes, including the RSV vaccination programme, with Wandsworth showing higher uptake rates than the London average. Efforts are underway to address geographical inequalities in vaccination uptake, particularly in areas like Roehampton and Tooting. The report also detailed ongoing work on bowel, breast, and cervical cancer screening programmes, highlighting collaborative efforts with partners like St. George's Hospital to improve uptake and reduce inequalities. Initiatives include community awareness sessions, primary care training, and targeted marketing campaigns. The Board was also updated on climate change and air quality initiatives, such as energy efficiency programmes for residents, the expansion of climate-resilient infrastructure like parklets, and efforts to improve indoor air quality through training for health professionals and monitoring in vulnerable homes. The Clean Air for Schools accreditation scheme is also being rolled out.

Establishment of Neighbourhood Health Services and Place Provider Alliance for Wandsworth

The Board discussed the progress made in establishing neighbourhood health services and a Place Provider Alliance for Wandsworth, which are central to the NHS 10 Year Plan's aim of shifting care from hospitals to the community. Four neighbourhood footprints have been agreed, with leadership teams being established comprising primary care, adult social care, children's services, community health services, and the voluntary sector. These teams will focus initially on supporting frail older people, with plans to integrate children's and mental health services. The Wandsworth Alliance of Providers will be supported to take on greater responsibility for resource allocation and delivery planning. Due to the impending deadline for submitting the Neighbourhood Health Plan in April 2026, the Board agreed to delegate the sign-off and submission of the plan to the Place Executive (Merton and Wandsworth) NHS South West London Integrated Care Board, in consultation with the Executive Director of Adult Social Care and Public Health, and the Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board. The final plan will be presented to the Board at a later date.

Report on the Seminar held on Health Inequalities and Learning Disabilities

A seminar was held to understand the experiences of adults with learning disabilities (LD) and autistic adults within the healthcare system and the factors contributing to health inequalities. The seminar focused on four key themes: experience of healthcare, including annual health checks; physical activity and healthy eating; mental health and wellbeing; and social isolation. Participants shared insights into the challenges faced, such as difficulties in communication and understanding medical jargon, and the need for more accessible healthcare services. The report highlighted the importance of amplifying the voices of individuals with LD, promoting independence, enhancing employment opportunities, fostering social connections, and improving health and wellbeing outcomes. The Board noted the outputs of the seminar and requested officers to consider how these could be taken forward.

Combating Drugs Partnership - Wandsworth Progress Report

The Board received an update on the Combating Drugs Partnership (CDP), which has been in place since September 2022. The report highlighted positive progress across several indicators, including an increase in treatment access and improved treatment completion rates for adults and young people. There has been stronger continuity of care for individuals leaving prison entering community treatment, and a reduction in drug-related deaths. The CDP has also developed an emergency preparedness plan for synthetic opioids and established a new in-house drug and alcohol treatment service for children and young people. The partnership's strategic delivery plan has been refreshed to address emerging issues such as co-occurring mental health conditions and chemsex-related harm. The Board noted the progress of the CDP and its associated outcomes.

South West London Mental Health Strategy

An update was provided on the South West London Mental Health Strategy, a five-year plan with ten-year outcomes, which aims to improve mental health support across all ages. The strategy focuses on prevention and early support, a bio-psycho-social model, addressing inequalities, and ensuring timely access to services. Key delivery areas for 2025-26 include improving mental health support for children and young people, transforming pathways for adults with severe mental illness, and supporting the South London Listens programme to strengthen community networks. The Board noted the progress of the strategy and agreed to continue identifying ways for partners to collaborate on mental health workstreams.

Work Programme

The Board reviewed its work programme for the upcoming year, outlining planned meetings and seminars. Key topics to be discussed in future meetings include updates on the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy, the Accelerating Reform Fund, the Prevention Framework, and patient safety. Seminars are planned on Neighbourhood Health Joint Workshops and a whole systems approach to weight management, nutrition, and movement. The Board was asked to consider topics for future seminars.