The Health and Wellbeing Board and Surrey Integrated Care Partnership convened on Wednesday, 9 September 2026, to discuss a range of critical public health issues. Key decisions included the adoption of a new Community Safety Agreement for 2026-2028, which outlines collaborative efforts to reduce crime and harm across Surrey, and the endorsement of continued development for neighbourhood health footprints to improve local planning and service delivery. The board also received updates on the Clearer Care health literacy pilot programme, aimed at making health information more accessible, and reviewed the latest Health and Wellbeing Strategy Index, highlighting areas of progress and concern.

Mental Health and Section 136 Powers

Aruna Mehta and Graham presented an update on the use of Section 136 of the Mental Health Act¹ in Surrey. They highlighted that Surrey has a higher than average usage of Section 136 powers, with a significant amount of police time being spent on these cases. A joint workshop involving the police, local authority, NHS, and the Integrated Care Board (ICB) identified six key areas for improvement: reducing Section 136 detentions through prevention and support for high-intensity users, ensuring timely admission to mental health beds, addressing peak load issues by opening additional places of safety, evaluating street-based handover schemes to free up police time, implementing guidance from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine to expedite medical clearance for mental health patients, and aligning the timing of mental health assessments with Section 136 detentions.

A particular concern was raised regarding children, with uncertainty about the use of places of safety for under-18s, leading to them being placed on paediatric wards or in emergency departments. The need to support children who do not meet the threshold for Tier 4 admissions but have complex needs was also identified. The presenters emphasised the importance of a new governance structure, improved data sharing, and the delivery of an improvement plan to achieve a target of four hours average police deployment and below national average Section 136 usage.

Liz, representing the local authority, confirmed that a detailed plan with three, six, nine, twelve, and eighteen-month deliverables was being developed. Sarah Kershaw, from Surrey Police, noted that crisis pathways remain challenging and expressed anticipation for tangible actions and data to demonstrate progress. Trevor Herbert, Chair of the Adults and Health Select Committee, raised concerns about potential impacts on continuity due to police governance changes and stressed the importance of outcome-based measurements. Michelle Blunsom MBE, CEO of the VCSE Alliance, inquired about Commissioner involvement in the workstreams, and Liz confirmed this would be followed up. The timeline for agreeing the detailed plan was discussed, with a presentation expected on 21 September and a commitment to update the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Deep Dive Report Card: Active Surrey

Mark Nuti, Cabinet Member for Health and Communities, presented a report card on Active Surrey's work in Stanwell². He highlighted Stanwell as an area identified for deprivation, where Active Surrey has invested over £1 million to support the community. The report noted the strong community bond in Stanwell and Active Surrey's shift towards becoming a system change partner. The deep dive into Stanwell revealed issues such as fear of crime being a barrier to using green spaces, inadequate transport options, and the need for infrastructure upgrades and better communication about existing offers. Active Surrey is now focusing on a hyper-local approach in Stanwell and expanding to other areas across East and West Surrey. Laurie, who is on the board of Active Surrey, provided further details on the organisation's role and the findings of the deep dive, including the high rates of physical inactivity among adults and children in Stanwell. Recommendations included making Stanwell safer, enhancing youth provision, improving transport, upgrading infrastructure, tackling environmental neglect, improving communication, and addressing mental health.

Health and Wellbeing Strategy Highlight Report

Mari Roberts-Wood, Chief Executive of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, and Dr. Jack Bedeman, Director of Public Health for Surrey County Council, presented the Health and Wellbeing Strategy (HWBS) Highlight Report. Key updates included:

• Priority 1: Progress in oral health programmes, including supervised toothbrushing in early years settings, and the development of an online oral health resource hub. The Smokefree Generation Grant Award scheme had engaged over 6,000 residents, with a significant proportion from Surrey's key neighbourhoods. Work with Healthwatch Surrey to gather oral health insights from care homes was progressing, with 24 care homes signed up. A physical activity clinical champion had been funded to work with professionals on conversations with cancer patients. A challenge identified was a funding risk for Centurion, a team tackling county drug lines, with potential reductions in Home Office funding.
• Priority 2: A peer research study conducted by Surrey County Council and Mentell highlighted that 55% of men surveyed reported poor well-being or a possible mental health condition, with 31% often or always feeling lonely, five times the national average. The study also found men were actively seeking connection through various means. The strategy for addressing gambling-related harm in Surrey was published, with over 7,500 Surrey residents contacting the National Gaming Helpline between 2024 and 2025. A challenge was identified regarding the ongoing commissioning of the Suicide Bereavement Service, with the current contract ending in March 2027, posing a potential gap in service provision.
• Priority 3: The Crisis Resilience Fund, replacing the Household Support Fund, was live, with progress made in launching the Route 1 Consortium Grants process for the VCSE. The Your Councillor Community Fund reopened, offering £10,000 per member until January 2027. A challenge highlighted was learning from recent events in Epsom and Hawley regarding the evolving drivers of community harm and cohesion risk, particularly concerning misinformation and its translation into real-world tension.

Clearer Care – Health Literacy Pilot Programme

Nikki Bassani, Deputy Head of Population Health and Inequalities at NHS Surrey and Sussex ICB, Kate Scribbins, CEO of Luminus, and Dr. Rebecca Bowden, CEO of the Community Foundation for Surrey, presented the Clearer Care health literacy pilot programme. They explained that low health literacy is a significant barrier to improving health outcomes and reducing inequalities, with approximately 30% of Surrey adults aged 16-65 having low health literacy, rising to 49% when numeracy is considered. This means many adults read at or below the level of a nine-year-old. The Clearer Care programme aims to make health information, services, and communication clearer, more accessible, and inclusive. Seven VCSE organisations have been selected to deliver pilot projects, focusing on areas such as improving communication for people with aphasia, enhancing accessibility to audiology services, supporting Ukrainian refugees navigating the NHS, providing clear information to vulnerable families, improving understanding of palliative care, increasing access to sight tests for Black and Asian communities, and developing accessible hypertension resources for adults with learning disabilities and autism. The programme is designed to build capacity and generate learning for future system-wide approaches.

Community Safety Agreement

Sarah Haywood, Community Safety, Serious Violence and Partnership Lead for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, introduced the updated Surrey Community Safety Agreement 2026-2028. This agreement brings together police, health, local authorities, fire and rescue, probation, and community partners to prevent crime, reduce harm, and improve community safety. It focuses on key priorities including violence against women and girls, domestic abuse, serious violence, anti-social behaviour, hate crime, and community cohesion, with an emphasis on early intervention and support for vulnerable people. The agreement aims to reduce inequalities that contribute to poor health outcomes and aligns with the Health and Wellbeing Board's commitment to creating healthier, safer, and more inclusive communities. The Board was asked to endorse the agreement and engage with it, identifying further partners for engagement.

Health and Wellbeing Board – Future Planning

Phill Austen-Reed, Principal Health and Wellbeing Lead, provided an update on the future planning for the Health and Wellbeing Board. Following a workshop in April, there was a preference for a continued joint approach. Legal advice confirmed that each unitary authority will need to establish its own Health and Wellbeing Board, but legislation allows for joint operation and functions. Engagement with the Shadow Unitary Authorities for East and West Surrey has begun, with decisions on the future structure expected at their October Shadow Executive meetings. It is likely that the current Health and Wellbeing Strategy, Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), and Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) will be adopted by the new boards, at least initially, to ensure a safe and legal transition. The Board noted the steps taken and the timeline for establishing new arrangements from April 2027, with further engagement planned.

Neighbourhood Health Implementation – Footprints

Michelle Brown, Interim Head of Commissioning for Adults Wellbeing and Health Partnerships, and Vicky Stobbart, Deputy Chief Commissioning Officer for Neighbourhood Health and Partnerships, presented an update on neighbourhood health work and the development of neighbourhood footprints. The NHS England Neighbourhood Health Framework requires the establishment of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams and neighbourhood governance arrangements. The proposed footprints aim to reflect local identity and support local planning and delivery, with a focus on prevention, early intervention, and tackling health inequalities. Opportunities include placing local need at the centre, strengthening multi-agency collaboration, and empowering the VCSE sector. Challenges include agreeing on boundaries, maintaining flexibility, aligning governance and data, and ensuring consistent VCSE engagement. The Board was asked to note progress, endorse continued engagement, and support the use of an October deep dive to review the proposed model. A final recommendation is expected in December 2026.

ICB Update

Karen McDowell, Chief Executive of Surrey and Sussex ICB, provided a verbal update on the ICB's new operating model, which is in its final implementation phase with a 57% workforce reduction. The Five Year Strategic Plan is due to be published, and work is continuing on repurposing existing estates for Neighbourhood Health Hubs. Other highlights included the success of the Mental Health Improvement Fund and recognition for the Surrey Surgical Centre at Ashford and St Peter's Hospital.

Date of the Next Meeting

The next formal meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board is scheduled for Wednesday, 9 December 2026. A deep dive session is planned for October, with an informal meeting on 11 November.