The Merton Council Health and Wellbeing Board met on 2 October 2024 to discuss a range of public health issues, including tackling drug and alcohol misuse, youth vaping, and the development of a new Health and Wellbeing Strategy. Key decisions included noting the Annual Public Health Report on Tackling Drugs Together, endorsing the findings of a vaping pilot project, and agreeing to a Marmot approach for the development of the new Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

Tackling Drugs Together - Annual Public Health Report 2024/25

The Board received the Annual Public Health Report, Tackling Drugs Together, which highlighted the significant impact of alcohol and drug misuse on Merton residents. The report, a statutory duty for the Director of Public Health, Russell Styles, detailed the scale of alcohol and drug-related problems in Merton, drawing on national strategies such as From Harm to Hope. Key concerns included the rising cost of alcohol-related harm to Merton (£85.8 million annually), an increase in drug misuse deaths since 2017, and emerging threats from synthetic opioids like Nitazenes, GHB, and GBL. The report emphasised prevention as a core strategy, outlining recommendations under the Seven Rs framework: Recognise, Respond, Recover, Reintegrate, Reframe, Regulate, and Review. The Board noted the report and agreed to the recommendations, including the development of an action plan and a synthetic opioid preparedness plan.

Vaping Pilot - Findings, Recommendations and Actions

Rachel Tilford presented the findings of a pilot project aimed at understanding and addressing youth vaping in Merton. The project revealed that vaping is perceived as a normalised and trendy activity among young people, with many underestimating its risks. The pilot involved insights from over 750 young people, leading to the development of Kick the Cloud workshops for young people, parents, and professionals. These workshops aim to reduce the desire to vape, increase knowledge of support services, and build confidence in resisting peer pressure. The Board noted the report and the next steps, which include the dissemination of resources and a borough-wide communications campaign.

ICB Update

Mark Creelman provided an update on the South West London Integrated Care Board (ICB), detailing a significant management cost reduction programme of 30% by April 2026. He highlighted the ICB's commitment to improving population health, tackling inequalities, and enhancing productivity. Progress on key estates projects, including the Rowan Park and Wilson Hospital redevelopment, was discussed, alongside the Better Care Fund and savings plans at St George's NHS Trust. The Board noted the report, acknowledging the ongoing financial challenges and the importance of directing cost savings to frontline services.

Winter Planning

Mark Creelman also presented plans for enhancing Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) services over the winter period. The focus is on improving A&E performance, reducing ambulance response times, and increasing bed capacity. Schemes include a 7-day ED Frailty offer, additional surge capacity in A&E, and extending the Transfer of Care hub. A key ambition is to reduce hospital length of stay by 1.5 days through improvements in frailty pathways, ED processes, and out-of-hospital provision. The Board noted the plans and discussed how these schemes can be supported to mitigate risks during the coming winter.

Borough of Sport/Actively Merton Update

Barry Causer presented an update on Merton's progress towards becoming London's Borough of Sport, aiming to increase physical activity levels across the borough. The report highlighted the success of the Activity Finder platform, exemplar projects like ParkPlay and Our Parks, and free swimming offers. Strategic partnerships with organisations such as the London Broncos, Tim Henman Foundation, and Fulham FC Foundation were detailed, alongside capital developments like the refurbishment of park tennis courts. The Board noted the progress and agreed to promote the Activity Finder and embed physical activity into health and care pathways.

Development of the New Health and Wellbeing Strategy Taking a Marmot Approach

Russell Styles introduced the approach for developing a new Health and Wellbeing Strategy for 2025-2030, focusing on the eight Marmot Place principles to tackle health inequalities. The strategy aims to build on progress made in addressing disparities in Merton and will involve comprehensive engagement with communities and partners. The Board noted the proposed approach and the inclusion of a new item in the Council Plan to develop this strategy.

Polish and Eastern European Needs Assessment Report

Dave Curtis presented the findings of a needs assessment conducted by Healthwatch Merton and the Polish Family Association. The report identified significant gaps in healthcare engagement, communication, and trust among the Polish and Eastern European community in Merton. Key findings included low engagement with mainstream NHS services, overuse of A&E, mental health concerns, vaccine hesitancy, and preventative care gaps, often attributed to language barriers and a lack of understanding of the UK healthcare system. The Board noted the report and its six recommendations, which focus on sustainable community engagement, targeted interventions, culturally sensitive promotion, training, implementation, and policy changes for better representation.