The Health and Wellbeing Board met on Monday 16 March 2026 to discuss a range of critical public health initiatives. Key decisions included noting the progress and future plans for the Health Inequalities Programme and the Health Equity Teams, approving the Lewisham Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment 2026-2029, and delegating authority to the Chair to approve the 2026-27 Better Care Fund plan. The Board also heard updates on sickle cell disorder, foster care recruitment, the joint strategic needs assessment on autism, and the Better Care Fund.

Health Inequalities Programme: Future Areas of Focus

The Health Inequalities Programme, established in 2022, acts as the operational arm for the Birmingham and Lewisham African and Caribbean Health Inequalities Review (BLACHIR) Opportunities for Action. Tara Piesetsky, Consultant in Public Health, presented an overview of the programme's cumulative impact since its inception, highlighting various projects such as the Lewisham CommUNITY Space, the elective surgery waiting list inequalities project, and the Smoke-Free Pregnancy Project. The programme has engaged nearly 4,000 residents, with over half being non-white. The Health and Wellbeing Board was asked to note the report and the plans to review and reconfigure the programme to align with current health needs and future strategies.

Councillor Denise Radley questioned the sufficiency of current insights to shift health inequalities, to which Piesetsky responded that while the programme's impact at a population level might be limited due to its discreet nature, it contributes to a broader suite of interventions. Laura, Director of System Development, noted that much of the funding for these programmes comes from the ICB, emphasizing the joint venture aspect and welcoming further investigation into support for screening and vaccination uptake. Ceri Jacob, Lewisham Place Executive Lead for the ICB, echoed this, suggesting a more holistic view of all initiatives targeting health inequalities. The Board noted the report and plans to review the programme.

Health Equity Teams (HETs) Cycle Two

Dr Aaminah Verity, Community Practice Lead for Health Equity at SEL ICB and GP at Deptford Surgery, presented an update on Cycle Two of the Lewisham Health Equity Teams (HET) programme. The programme, which partners GP leads with Black-led community organisations, has engaged 1,132 residents in community-based health activity between October 2025 and March 2026. This included 393 cardiovascular checks, identifying 113 abnormal results requiring follow-up. The initiative aims to embed community-centred prevention and proactive population health management within primary care.

Several Health Equity Teams presented their work:

• Modality PCN – Neighbourhood Four (with Therapy 4 Healing): Focused on community outreach for cardiovascular disease screening and group consultations, aiming to improve ethnicity coding in patient records.
• Aplos PCN – Neighbourhood Four (with Africa Advocacy Foundation): Co-designing annual review templates for patients with severe mental illness and cardiovascular disease, and developing community champions for outreach and screening.
• Sevenfields PCN – Neighbourhood Three (with Diversity and Wellbeing): Targeting young Black men in barbershops for hypertension and CKD screening, and developing community health events.
• North Lewisham PCN – Neighbourhood One (with Red Ribbon Living Well): Running community champions for CVD screening, healthy hearts campaigns, and support groups.
• Lewisham Care Partnership – Neighbourhood Two (with Mabadiliko): Implementing a group consultation model for CVD focusing on the CKD population and delivering cultural humility training for PCN staff.
• Lewisham Alliance PCN – Neighbourhood Two (with Coco Collective): Running a Plantain program for hypertensive patients, developing re-engagement models, and a champion outreach model.

The programme has also focused on workforce development, with over 300 primary care staff attending a Health Equity Protected Learning Time session. The HET programme has received national and regional recognition, including being shortlisted for an MJ Award. The Board was recommended to note the report and presentations.

Sickle Cell Disorder - Community and NHS perspectives in Lewisham

Isiorono Igho-Orienru, Founder of the Sickle Cell Shine Initiative, presented the community perspective on sickle cell disorder in Lewisham. He highlighted that Lewisham has one of the largest patient populations for sickle cell in Southeast London, with 11 times more people affected locally compared to the national average. Igho-Orienru outlined the challenges faced by individuals with sickle cell, including pain crisis experiences, psychological and social burdens, limited public awareness, and impacts on daily life. He recommended commissioning a Lewisham-specific needs assessment, formally embedding sickle cell in health inequality strategies, establishing a community-NHS partnership forum, strengthening primary care awareness and training, and partnering with community-led initiatives.

Michael Barns, Advanced Clinical Lead for Haematology and Consultant Paramedic at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, presented the NHS perspective. He detailed the work of the dedicated Sickle Cell Unit (ASCU) at the Trust, which operates 24/7 and has seen significant improvements in patient care, including reduced A&E waiting times and shorter hospital stays. Barns highlighted that the unit serves over 1,000 patients in Lewisham and has achieved top performance in NHS England KPIs. He stressed the urgent need for continued funding for the pilot project, which is due to end, to prevent a return to the previous status quo of poor care. Tullie Yeghen, Haemoglobinopathy Consultant Haematologist, added that while the pilot has been successful, new investment is needed to address unmet needs and understaffing.

Catherine Mbema, Director of Public Health, committed to taking forward the recommendation to include sickle cell within health and inequality strategies. The Board noted the presentations and agreed to discuss further work to support residents with sickle cell disorder.

Foster care recruitment, retention and sufficiency - working across health

Steve Chaplin presented on the urgent challenges facing Lewisham's foster carer recruitment and retention, noting an increasing reliance on residential use and independent fostering agencies. He highlighted the need for a whole-Council approach to strengthen the foster carer offer and identified opportunities for the wider health system to support this ambition. The recommendations were to endorse GP practices and other health services displaying recruitment information and for all Board members to consider opportunities within their organisations to support foster carer recruitment and retention. Councillor Aliya Sheikh emphasized the importance of promoting fostering within different cultural groups and respecting religious beliefs. The Board agreed to the recommendations.

Lewisham Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) on Autism

Trish Duffy, Health Intelligence Manager, introduced the findings from the Lewisham JSNA on Autism, highlighting that autistic people experience notable health inequalities. The assessment, informed by focus groups conducted by London South Bank University, identified key recommendations including improved data recording, enhanced awareness and training for professionals, clearer communication about assessment pathways, and consideration of neuro-affirmative mental health support.

Professor Nicola Martin from London South Bank University emphasized that autism is a form of neurodivergence, not a mental health condition, though secondary mental health issues can arise. Jo Krupa, a researcher on the project and neurodivergent herself, detailed findings from the focus groups, including a lack of post-diagnostic support, difficulties with employment due to non-inclusive environments, and the need for better support with form filling and benefit applications. Danny Clegg, also from the research team, stressed the importance of integrated services and the emotional and physical demand placed on autistic individuals and their families. Donna, the new co-chair of the Autism Partnership Board, welcomed the report, stating it reflects the lived experiences of autistic people and families in Lewisham, and called for Lewisham to be a leader in practice. The Board noted the contents of the report and agreed to receive a further report later in the year.

Lewisham Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) 2026-2029

Patricia Duffy, Health Intelligence Manager, presented the Lewisham Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) 2026-2029. The PNA assesses the need for pharmaceutical services, identifies gaps, and informs commissioning decisions. Despite a decrease in the number of pharmacies in Lewisham, the assessment concluded that overall provision of essential pharmaceutical services is sufficient, with most residents within a 20-minute walk of a pharmacy. Key themes from public and contractor consultations included concerns about pharmacy closures in specific areas (Bellingham, Forest Hill, Lee Green), accessibility needs for pharmacy users, and a lack of out-of-hours access. The report noted that while pharmaceutical services are generally sufficient, there is a potential gap in Locality 1 for smoking cessation services for hospital inpatients. The Board acknowledged and approved the Lewisham PNA 2026-2029.

Better Care Fund

Denise Radley, Executive Director for Adult Social Care and Health, provided an update on the Better Care Fund (BCF). The Quarter 3 performance report indicated that Lewisham is on track to meet targets for emergency hospital admissions, timely discharges, and permanent admissions of older people to care homes. The guidance for the 2026-27 BCF plan has been published, requiring submission by 19 May 2026. The Board agreed to delegate authority to the Chair to approve the 2026-27 BCF plan, which will be presented at the first municipal meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board.

The meeting concluded with thanks to all participants and officers for their contributions throughout the administration.