The Merton Council Health and Wellbeing Board met on 11 November 2025 to discuss prevention strategies, safeguarding, and approaches to tackling health risk factors. The board was scheduled to review updates on actions from the Merton Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-2030, and to consider annual reports from the Merton Safeguarding Children Partnership (MSCP) and the Merton Safeguarding Adults Board (MSAB). Updates on actions to address behavioural risk factors and to maintain a multi-agency approach to tackling the harm caused by alcohol and other drugs were also scheduled.

Focus on Prevention Actions

The Health and Wellbeing Board was scheduled to note updates against actions 1, 4, 5 and 6 from the Focus on Prevention priority of the Merton Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-2030. These actions are:

• Action 1: Utilise existing and new delivery plans, to implement preventative approaches with a focus on alignment of the revised Merton Local Health and Care Plan with the Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-2030.
• Action 4: Work with communities and across the health and social care system to raise awareness of the benefits of vaccination to residents, focusing on those who are vulnerable, those at higher risk of serious disease or death and groups that face health inequalities.
• Action 5: Commit to 'prevention being everyone's business' across Merton, with renewed efforts in Making Every Contact Count¹ and the promotion of information, advice and guidance that supports self-care.
• Action 6: Work in partnership to prevent, reduce and delay the need for adult social care; working with residents, voluntary and community sector and providers to deliver universal and targeted prevention programmes e.g. mid-life interventions.

The report pack included details of work carried out to date, progress, challenges and relevant data. It also looked ahead to priorities for years 2-5.

Regarding Action 1, discussions between Public Health and the Integrated Care Board (ICB) had taken place to ensure the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Health and Care Plan (HCP) were aligned and embedded in system-wide governance. Longer term plans looked to embed the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and HCP into Neighbourhood Health Plans. Metrics being considered included:

• Smoking cessation rates
• % of physically active/inactive adults
• 5-a-day consumption
• Alcohol dependency
• Hospital admissions due to alcohol specific conditions
• Cancer screening programmes (bowel, breast, cervical)
• Immunisation and vaccination uptake rates

Regarding Action 4, the report pack noted that immunisation programmes are commissioned and delivered by the NHS, with Merton Council having an assurance role through the Director of Public Health. The South West London ICB immunisations and engagement teams had undertaken programmes to raise awareness about the benefits of vaccination, including a community engagement programme where community organisations across the Borough have been awarded grants to run engagement programmes with their communities.

The London Borough of Merton immunisation communications plan was providing the framework for its work to share and amplify messaging about immunisations developed by the NHS and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Regarding Action 5, a multidisciplinary Task and Finish Group had been established with commitment from all partners including LBM, ICB and VCS on the objectives and scope. There was work underway to review and update the universal MECCLink website.

Regarding Action 6, Merton had continued to strengthen its approach to prevention and early intervention, working in close partnership with residents, carers, the voluntary and community sector, and care providers. Key highlights included:

• Carers Support and Engagement
• Extension of the Civic Pride Fund
• Household Support Fund
• Pilot Community Reablement Service

Merton Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report

The Health and Wellbeing Board was scheduled to discuss the Merton Safeguarding Children Partnership (MSCP) Annual Report, which covers the period April 2024 to March 2025.

The report provides an overview of the work of safeguarding partners as per Working Together² and aligns with all three of the Council's strategic priorities.

The annual report outlines:

• The delivery of statutory responsibilities such as local child safeguarding practice reviews (LCSPRs) and Section 11 (S11) audits.
• Progress on the MSCP Business Plan priorities: domestic abuse, mental health and wellbeing, early intervention, contextual safeguarding and neglect
• Training and other learning activities
• Themes emerging from scrutiny, reviews and audit
• The work of key partners and partnership bodies such as the Merton Safeguarding Adults Board, the Child Death Overview Panel, the LADO service etc.

During 2024-25 the MSCP developed its priorities and cross-cutting themes in consultation with partners as follows:

• Strong Leadership and Strong Partnership
• Early Help and Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Domestic Abuse and Neglect
• Contextual Safeguarding

Merton Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report

The Health and Wellbeing Board was scheduled to note the content of the Merton Safeguarding Adults Board (MSAB) Annual Report for the period 2024/25.

The Merton Safeguarding Adults Board (MSAB) is an independent board which operates at a strategic level to oversee safeguarding arrangements in Merton and ensures that adults at risk are being supported and protected from neglect and abuse.

Key highlights of the partnership's work include a focus on multi-agency approaches to complex and high-risk cases, including challenges around self-neglect and assessing capacity in such cases. The MSAB has also expanded its learning and development offer and continued to develop its Community Safeguarding Adults Champions Network.

During 2024/25 the MSAB completed and published one Discretionary Safeguarding Adult Review – the Beatrice Palmer SAR. The review found that a breakdown in the relationship between the family and services had affected the coordination of care and support of Beatrice at a critical time when she experienced a significant deterioration in her health, mobility and independence.

The MSAB Annual Report provides detailed analysis of safeguarding data, including analysis by ethnicity. This year has seen an increase in safeguarding concerns and decrease in the proportion of enquiries taken forward.

Addressing Behavioural Risk Factors

The Health and Wellbeing Board was scheduled to note the approach to, and progress being made on the delivery of Health and Wellbeing Strategy Priority 2: Focus on Prevention; Action 2: Place a strong emphasis on addressing behavioural risk factors like smoking, poor diet, alcohol use, and physical inactivity while promoting mental wellbeing. Focus on equity in services and support those at higher risk of poor health.

The report pack included a brief overview of current prevalence and outcomes data in this first year of the strategy delivery. It then described actions being taken by partners against Action 2 of the HWB Strategy structured through three themes – offering choice, listening to residents' voice and working in partnership.

The report pack noted that Merton has an overall smoking prevalence rate of 12.4% amongst adults aged 18+, which is lower than the rates for London (14.97%) and England (13.58%). Merton has seen an increase in adults classified as overweight and obese over the past nine years and a significant rise between 2020/21 and 2022/23 (50.4% to 61.2%). The Active Lives Adult Survey (Nov 2023–Nov 2024) showed that 67.6% of Merton's adults are active.

Tackling the Harm Caused by Alcohol and Other Drugs

The Health and Wellbeing Board was scheduled to note the approach to, and progress being made on the delivery of Health and Wellbeing Strategy Priority 2: Focus on Prevention; Action 3: Maintain a multi-agency approach to preventing and tackling the physical, mental and societal harm caused by alcohol and other drugs, through delivering on the actions set out in the 2024/25 Annual Public Health Report 'Tackling Drugs Together'.

The report pack noted that alcohol use is one of the leading risk factors driving the UK's high burden of preventable ill health and premature mortality and drug use can significantly increase the risk of developing a range of serious and chronic health conditions .

The report pack included 15 recommendations for system change from the Annual Public Health Report 2024/25 Tackling Drugs Together.