The Health and Wellbeing Board meeting scheduled for Wednesday 25 March 2026 was set to cover a range of significant public health topics. Discussions were planned around the Better Care Fund, the Director of Public Health's quarterly report, and a mid-point review and refresh of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy. Other key items included updates on governance reviews, the King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust's five-year strategy, the Act Early South London initiative, and the Best Start in Life Perinatal Mental Health Pathway.

Better Care Fund (BCF) Quarter 2 and 3 Reports 2025-26

The meeting was scheduled to review the Better Care Fund (BCF) reports for Quarters 2 and 3 of the 2025-26 financial year. The BCF aims to integrate health and social care budgets to support individuals in remaining at home and independent for longer. The report was expected to detail whether national conditions for the fund were met, provide an overview of income and expenditure, and present metrics against activity associated with the BCF. A key recommendation was to ratify Councillor David Bridson's decision as Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board to sign off these reports as a Chair's Action. The report highlighted that Lambeth's BCF plan was meeting the four national conditions, and expenditure was at 75% of the planned income by Quarter 3. However, issues with data collection and reporting from Guy's and St Thomas' hospital and King's College Hospital were noted as affecting the validation of metric performance.

Director of Public Health Quarterly Report

The Board was scheduled to receive the Director of Public Health's quarterly report, covering October 2025 to March 2026. This report, authored by Ruth Hutt, Director of Public Health, was intended to provide an update on various public health initiatives and concerns within the borough. Key areas of focus were expected to include mental health and wellbeing, with specific mention of the Lambeth Mental Health and Wellbeing Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and ongoing suicide prevention training. The report was also set to cover initiatives related to older residents, such as the International Day of Older Persons and the Age-Friendly Lambeth Action Plan, as well as physical activity programmes. Updates on health protection, including seasonal vaccination programmes and concerns around measles, were also anticipated.

Health and Wellbeing Strategy Mid-Point Review and Refresh

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to a mid-point review and refresh of Lambeth's Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2023-28. This report, presented by Bimpe Oki, Consultant in Public Health, and Ethan Williams, Speciality Registrar, aimed to assess progress made in the first half of the strategy's implementation and propose a refreshed approach for the remaining years. The review considered stakeholder feedback, policy changes, and lessons learned. The proposed refresh aimed to maintain the core priorities while reflecting new areas of activity, a sharpened focus due to resource constraints, and emerging policies. Recommendations included reviewing and approving the refreshed strategy, noting achievements, and delegating monitoring responsibilities to the Staying Healthy Board.

Update on the Governance Review of the Lambeth Health and Wellbeing Board and Lambeth Together Care Partnership Board

The Board was set to receive an update on the governance review of the Lambeth Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) and the Lambeth Together Care Partnership Board (LTCPB). This review, prompted by national guidance on health and care system reform, aimed to create a more coordinated and streamlined model for both boards. The goal was to improve alignment, join up planning and decision-making, and foster greater collective ownership of the refreshed Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the Lambeth Together Health and Care Plan. The report outlined proposed forward plans for joint meetings and a revised public forum, with implementation of the new governance model planned from Q1 2026/27.

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: Five Year Strategy 2026-2031

An update was scheduled on the development of King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust's five-year strategy for 2026-2031. The report aimed to provide information on engagement activities undertaken to date and introduce the emerging strategic framework and values. The Trust was seeking feedback from partners, including the Health and Wellbeing Board, to ensure the strategy reflects local priorities, supports partnership working, and aligns with borough and system ambitions. The proposed refreshed values included Caring, Inclusive, Collaborative, and Innovative, with strategic objectives focusing on high-quality care, research, timely patient care, a positive work environment, strong partnerships, and financial sustainability.

Act Early, South London

The Board was to be introduced to the Act Early South London programme, a partnership initiative led by the Evelina London's children's population health team. This programme aims to improve outcomes and equity for children and young people in Lambeth and Southwark by taking a population health and systems approach. The report highlighted the production of a child and young person outcomes report and identified four priority areas for deep dives: mental health needs and services, autism needs and services, school attendance, and healthy weight. The Board was asked to note the progress of Act Early and support these priority deep dive areas.

Best Start in Life - Perinatal Mental Health Pathway

The meeting was scheduled to discuss the Best Start in Life Perinatal Mental Health (PNMH) Pathway in Lambeth. This coordinated system of support is designed to identify, assess, and provide timely care for expectant and new parents experiencing mental health and wellbeing challenges. The pathway outlines three levels of support: universal, targeted, and specialist, with additional provisions for fathers, non-birthing partners, and pre-conception support. The report emphasised the importance of early identification and intervention to prevent escalation of mental health difficulties and promote positive parent-infant relationships, aligning with borough-wide outcomes for children and families. The Board was asked to endorse the pathway and support its implementation.