Councillor Keith Glazier, OBE, Leader of the Council and Leader of the Conservative Group, was scheduled to chair a meeting of the East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board. The agenda included the Safeguarding Adults Board annual report, an update on the Integrated Care Board, the integration programme, a pharmaceutical needs assessment, and an all age autism action plan. The meeting was also scheduled to cover the board's work programme.

Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report

The East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board was scheduled to receive the Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) Annual Report 2024-25. The report details the effectiveness of the SAB against strategic priorities, as required by the Care Act 2014¹.

The report includes key data from Adult Social Care and Health (ASCH) for 2024/25:

• 15,385 safeguarding concerns were recorded
• 3,082 enquiries were initiated
• 53% of outcomes were fully achieved, and 42% partially achieved
• Neglect and Acts of Omission remained the most common risk type.
• Most risks occurred in the adult's own home.
• Financial abuse, neglect, and self-neglect increased, while domestic abuse decreased

The report also covers strategic themes and progress, including:

• Accountability and Leadership
• Safeguarding Policies and Procedures
• Performance, Quality and Organisational Learning
• Prevention, Engagement and Making Safeguarding Personal
• Integration, Training and Workforce Development

The report also details progress on 2024-25 SAB Strategic Priorities, including self-neglect, prevention and early intervention, and safeguarding and homelessness.

The report recommends that the board consider and note the report.

NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board Update

Stephen Lightfoot, Chair, NHS Sussex, was scheduled to present an update on the transition of NHS Sussex into a new Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) from 1 April 2026.

The proposal involves one ICB working across two Systems and the Places within them, which will be aligned to the final structure of the unitary authorities when the ongoing local government reorganisation has been completed.

The new ICB for Surrey and Sussex will need to develop a new operating model based on core functions, including:

• population insights and analytics
• quality and patient experience
• strategic commissioning, strategy and planning
• finance and contracting
• statutory and corporate services.

The update also covers the implementation of Integrated Community Teams (ICTs) across Sussex, to provide more care at or close to people's homes.

Integration Programme Update

The board was scheduled to discuss an update on the integration programme, presented by Ashley Scarff, Director of Joint Commissioning and Integrated Community Teams Development, NHS Sussex, and Mark Stainton, Director of Adult Social Care and Health, East Sussex County Council.

The report includes progress with the East Sussex priorities in the Sussex Shared Delivery Plan in quarter 1 25/26, the outcomes of the fifth informal HWB development session, and an update on wider developments influencing integration and collaboration.

The report recommends that the East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board:

1. Note the progress in quarter 1 for the East Sussex HWB Shared Delivery Plan (SDP) priorities and plans in 25/26.
2. Agree the outcomes from the informal HWB development session on reducing health inequalities and measuring the impact of our work as a health and care system.
3. Endorse the successful submission from East Sussex to be part of the Government's National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme, and our collective delivery of the programme starting in September 25 focussed on Hastings and Rother.
4. Endorse the HWB's leadership role in supporting the development of the new neighbourhood health plan, in line with further guidance that is expected from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England (NHSE), and aligning with the 5-year organisation plans for the NHS.

Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment

The board was scheduled to consider the East Sussex Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment 2025, presented by Darrell Gale, Director of Public Health. The report describes the underlying need for and current provision of pharmaceutical services in East Sussex, identifies any gaps in services, and makes recommendations on future development.

The report recognises how important and valued these services are in communities across East Sussex. The main conclusion of this PNA is that there are:

• no geographical gaps in the location of premises;
• no geographical gaps in the provision of services; and
• no gaps in the times at which, or days on which, services are provided.

The recommendations from the PNA include:

• Commissioners to support current pharmacies to enhance access to the advanced and locally commissioned services currently available in East Sussex.
• Commissioners and current providers to continue to support ongoing good quality services that are highly valued by residents in East Sussex.
• Commissioners and current providers to ensure information on available pharmacy provision, especially on Sundays and Bank Holidays, is clearly communicated, up-to-date and accessible to residents and health and care providers.
• East Sussex County Council to maintain and improve, where possible, access to public transport, particularly for villages and towns in more rural areas of East Sussex.
• NHS Sussex ICB to consider the need for an out of hours locally commissioned service from existing pharmacies, including reviewing provision in Lewes on weekday evenings and rural Rother on Sundays.
• NHS Sussex ICB to regularly review the commissioning of Bank Holiday provision in East Sussex to ensure it appropriately meets resident needs.

The report recommends that the board approve the 2025 East Sussex Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment and agree to its publication.

East Sussex All Age Autism Action Plan

The board was scheduled to discuss the East Sussex All Age Autism Action Plan, presented by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health. The plan aims to improve the lives of Autistic people, their families, carers, and wider support networks across East Sussex, through increasing autism awareness and improving education, employment, well-being and life opportunities for the Autistic community.

The plan includes 26 actions developed with stakeholders across three priority areas:

• Improving the health and wellbeing of Autistic people
• Improving Autistic children and Young People's access to education and supporting positive transitions into adulthood
• Supporting Autistic people into employment and helping them to sustain their employment

The report recommends that the East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board:

1. acknowledge the development of the East Sussex All Age Autism Action Plan and the priorities within it;
2. agree the proposal for an annual report to be presented to the East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board to update on progress; and
3. note the progress made to deliver year 1 priorities during the five months since the Action Plan was launched.

Work Programme

The board was scheduled to discuss the work programme. Mark Stainton suggested that the item on the NHS 10 Year Plan also include an update on progress around the development of ICBs.