The Health & Wellbeing Board is scheduled to discuss significant updates on the Neighbourhood Plan and the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment. The meeting will also cover the Forward Work Programme for the upcoming year.

Neighbourhood Plan Update

A key focus of the meeting is expected to be an update on the Neighbourhood Plan, following the publication of new guidance in March 2026. This guidance outlines the move towards a Neighbourhood Health Service, aiming to organise care around defined neighbourhood populations by bringing together NHS, local authority, and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) partners. The aim is to deliver more preventative, joined-up care closer to home. The report pack indicates that the London Target Operating Model has already influenced how Barnet's systems need to transform to enable the delivery of these plans. Barnet Borough Partners have endorsed Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust (CLCH) and Barnet GP Federation as the Integrator Organisation leading this transformation.

The Health & Wellbeing Board is expected to be asked to approve strategic direction for Neighbourhood Health plans and consider how the Board will support the development and implementation with partners. ¹ The report highlights that the West & North London Integrated Care Board (ICB) has retained its four-pillar approach to proactive care for Neighbourhood Health planning. These pillars focus on People-centred, joined-up care, a clear focus on risk and equity, targeted and flexible delivery, and better value and outcomes through cross-sector collaboration. The report also details the five agreed Barnet neighbourhoods and their socio-demographic profiles, alongside data on long-term conditions. Progress against the plan includes the establishment of Neighbourhood Managers in all five neighbourhoods, who are funded by the Barnet Borough Partnership. The report also outlines draft plans for Children & Young People (Start Well), Cardiovascular Disease Prevention (Live Well), and Community Ageing Well (Age Well), as well as initiatives for Enhanced Virtual Care through Project Myria.

Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment Update

The Board is scheduled to consider an update to the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA). The PNA is a statutory duty requiring the Health and Wellbeing Board to assess the need for pharmaceutical services in its area and publish this assessment every three years. Since the publication of the Barnet PNA in 2025, it has been confirmed that Fairview Pharmacy at Finchley Memorial Hospital will cease trading in September 2026.

The report pack indicates that an assessment of this closure's impact has concluded that it is likely to result in a gap in pharmaceutical provision within the Finchley Memorial Hospital locality. ² This is due to the pharmacy's integration with hospital and walk-in centre services, the range and intensity of NHS and additional services it delivers, and its accessibility for patients with complex or mobility-related needs. The Board is therefore expected to be asked to note the confirmed closure of Fairview Pharmacy at Finchley Memorial Hospital in September 2026, note the assessment that this closure will result in a gap in pharmaceutical provision, and agree that a supplementary statement to the PNA, presented in Appendix A, is required and should be published. ³ This supplementary statement will set out the impact of the closure and identify the resulting gap in provision, in line with the NHS (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013.

Forward Work Programme

The Board is also scheduled to review its draft Forward Work Programme for 2026-2027. This document outlines the planned reports and discussions for future meetings. The report pack indicates that an update on the Neighbourhood Plan from the integrator is proposed for the next meeting, ensuring the Board remains informed following the publication of new guidance.