The Health and Well-being Board were scheduled to meet to discuss community mental health transformation work, receive an update on the Public Mental Health Strategy, and discuss the forward plan for future meetings. The board was also scheduled to receive an update from Citizens Advice.

Community Mental Health Transformation

The Health and Well-being Board were scheduled to receive a presentation on community mental health transformation work from Jane Walker.

The presentation included an overview of the national initiative that began in 2019/20, designed to address health inequalities for people with severe mental illness (SMI). The initiative aims to create accessible services, improve physical health, promote collaborative working across the system for integrated mental health services (including voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations¹, local authority services, social care, primary care, and secondary care), ensure a level playing field where all involvement is acknowledged equally, avoid clients having to retell their story multiple times, and bring services closer to home.

Key pathways identified for improvement were:

• Community adult eating disorder services
• Complex emotional needs services
• Rehabilitation pathway services

The presentation also highlighted several community mental health team (CMHT) service developments and enhancements, including:

• Community Adult Eating Disorders (2021/22)
• Mental Health Practitioners (ARRS²) in GP practices (2021 & 2022)
• Enhanced Physical Health Checks for people with SMI (primary care and SMI Outreach Team) (2021 & 2022)
• Enhanced Individual Placement Support Service (2021 & 2022)
• The H.O.P.E (Help to Overcome Personal and Emotional Difficulties) team - Complex Emotional Needs (2022/23)
• Development of a group to deliver CMHT (2021 - 2024)
• Development of working groups and community workshops, introduction and development of Recovery College & Mental Health VCSE
• Alliance MDT Pathway Involvement Officers (2021-2024)
• Developing a Trauma Informed Care e-learning approach for all levels across the system (2025/26)
• Northumberland Safehaven - The Bothy (2023/24)
• Development of multi-agency meetings across Northumberland
• Developing Collaborative Communities Approach to deliver services in local areas (2024/26)

The presentation also included information about the Northumberland Recovery College, which allows adults to access activities and learning experiences, build mutual support, and enjoy a sense of purpose to help with their emotional and/or mental health. The Recovery College is available to all adults living in Northumberland and offers a preventative approach to mental ill health, looking to empower individuals, reduce isolation, help people feel valued, and build communities.

Information was also provided about the Northumberland Safe Haven - The Bothy, which opened on 1 April 2024. The Bothy is located in a former GP surgery close to Ashington High Street and provides in-person, telephone, and virtual support to anyone aged 18+ experiencing a mental health crisis or emotional distress in Northumberland. It operates from 2pm to 10pm, 365 days a year, and no referral is necessary.

Public Mental Health Strategy Update

The Health and Well-being Board were scheduled to receive an update on the Public Mental Health Strategy from Yvonne Hush, Public Health Manager.

The presentation defined public mental health as:

the art and science of improving mental health and wellbeing and preventing mental illness through the organised efforts and informed choices of society, organisations, communities and individuals.

The presentation noted that mental health is vital to public health, profoundly important to quality of life, impacts the capacity to cope with life's ups and downs, and is protective against physical illness, social inequalities and negative health behaviours.

The presentation also provided an overview of the current position in Northumberland, including the:

• Northumberland Suicide Prevention Strategy 2021-2025
• Dementia Strategy 2025 (10 Year Strategy)
• Inequalities Plan 2022-2025
• All Age Autism Strategy 2023-2026
• Director of Public Health (DPH) Report 2024 Physical Activity
• Physical Activity Strategy (in development)
• Suicide Prevention Toolkit for Autistic People
• Children & Young People (C & YP) Emotional Health Wellbeing & Mental Health Strategy 2022-2025

The presentation also highlighted several Northumberland Partnerships focused on mental health, including:

• Northumberland Better Mental Health, Crisis Care and Suicide Prevention Strategic Partnership
• Mental Health Promotion & Suicide Prevention Steering Group
• Community Mental Health Transformation Leadership
• Safe Haven Steering Group The Bothy, Ashington
• Northumberland C & YP Emotional Health and Wellbeing Meeting

The presentation outlined the focus and aims of the strategy, which will broadly focus on:

• Promoting well-being across the population
• Preventing mental illness
• Early intervention
• Supporting recovery
• Reducing inequalities

The overall aim of the strategy is to:

provide a population-based approach to adult mental health focusing on improving and promoting health and wellbeing for communities in Northumberland working collaboratively with partners and the population.

The strategy will:

• Be adult focused
• Be based on robust evidence (local/national/international)
• Demonstrate local need informed by data and intelligence
• Identify gaps in data and intelligence and where increased focus on data capture is needed
• Identify, optimise and increase the use of local assets
• Keep resident voice central to the work along with including stakeholder and community feedback
• Promote stronger partnership working, valuing a holistic approach to mental health and wellbeing

The presentation also included emerging themes from a workshop held in September 2025, including the need to connect data/data sharing, better use of local assets/facilities, and build resilience, self-help and empowerment.

A community survey was developed to gather the views of residents to help shape the strategy.

The next steps for the strategy include:

• Continue to collate feedback from workshop
• Seek views from residents community survey (closes Friday 28th November)
• Identify key themes
• Update to Health & Wellbeing Board (November 2025)
• Work with steering group to shape priorities
• Develop draft strategy /share for feedback
• Final strategy to be completed early 2026
• Present to Health and Wellbeing Board (April 2026)
• Develop action plan to deliver strategy priorities

Health and Well-being Board Forward Plan

The Health and Well-being Board were scheduled to note/discuss details of forthcoming agenda items at future meetings.

Forthcoming items included:

• IHE Best Start in Life (11 December 2025)
• Health Protection Assurance report, Northumberland Tobacco control Partnership, Health Impact Assessment, Inequalities Plan (22 January 2026)
• Healthy Weight Alliance Annual Update, Sexual Health Strategy (12 February 2026)
• Physical Activity Strategy Mental Health Strategy, DPH Annual Report – Rural and Coastal Health Inequalities (12 March 2026)
• Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy – starting and growing up well, Tackling the Wider Determinants of Health in the Northumberland Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy - Building Blocks theme annual review, Annual Report of Principal Social Worker (Adults) (14 May 2026)
• Gambling Strategy (June 2026)
• Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) prevention plan (July 2026)

Regular reports included:

• Joint Health & Wellbeing Strategy Refresh Thematic Groups – Update (Quarterly – Apr/July/Oct/Jan)
• Public Health Annual Report
• Child Death Overview Panel Annual Report
• Healthwatch Annual Report
• Northumberland Childrens and Adults Safeguarding Partnership Annual Report
• Annual Report of Senior Coroner
• Annual Health Protection Report
• Tobacco Control
• Healthy Families Plan
• Healthy Weight Alliance
• Mental Health
• System Transformation Board Update – Annual progress Report
• Annual Report of Principal Social Worker (Adults)
• Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment Update (2 Yearly Report)

The Health and Well-being Board were also scheduled to review the Northumberland County Council Health and Wellbeing Monitoring Report 2025-2026, which included resolutions from previous meetings.

Citizens Advice Update

The Health and Well-being Board were scheduled to receive an update from Citizens Advice.