The Bexley Health and Wellbeing Board was scheduled to discuss the Better Care Fund return for the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, alongside a five-year strategic commissioning plan for the Bexley Wellbeing Partnership. The meeting also included an update on the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, focusing on mental health and children and young people, as well as a health needs assessment for adult substance misuse.

Better Care Fund Quarter 3 Return 2025/26

The Board was scheduled to consider and sign off Bexley's Better Care Fund (BCF) Return for Quarter 3 of the 2025/26 financial year. The report provided an update on BCF metrics, including emergency admissions for those aged 65 and over, discharge delays, and admissions to care homes for older people. It also detailed progress on winter resilience measures, admission avoidance strategies, and the development of a Transfer of Care Hub. The report noted that expenditure for 2025/26 was on track, with approximately 75% of the total planned budget spent by the end of Quarter 3. Recommendations included signing off the Q3 return, noting the update on BCF metrics, and agreeing to amend the Q3 return based on updated data. The Board was also informed of the requirement to submit the 2026-27 BCF assurance return by 19 May 2026.

Bexley Wellbeing Partnership: Five Year Strategic Commissioning Plan

This report outlined Bexley's Five-Year Neighbourhood Delivery Plan, developed collaboratively to align with the NHS South East London Integrated Care Board's (ICB) strategic direction and Bexley's population health ambitions. The plan translates population health priorities into a five-year programme of action, aligned with national neighbourhood priorities and Bexley's Joint Local Health & Wellbeing Strategy priorities for Children and Young People, Mental Health, Healthy Weight, and Ageing Well/Frailty. The plan aims to shift care from hospital to community, from treatment to prevention, and from analogue to digital, strengthening neighbourhood delivery through Integrated Neighbourhood Teams. The Board was recommended to endorse this plan.

Adult Substance Misuse Health Needs Assessment

This report presented a health needs assessment of adult drug and alcohol use in Bexley, covering individuals not known to services, those in treatment, and those in recovery. It aimed to inform the Combatting Drugs Partnership (CDP) and guide commissioning. The assessment highlighted that while opiate and/or crack use is lower than national averages, alcohol dependency is comparable. However, overall treatment numbers have fallen, particularly for alcohol, despite rising alcohol-related harm. The report noted an ageing treatment cohort, overrepresentation of men and LGBTQ+ individuals, and underrepresentation of Asian, Black, and mixed ethnic groups. It also identified unmet need, particularly among younger adults, crack-only users, and those with co-occurring mental health needs. Recommendations included deepening understanding of unmet need, widening early identification, strengthening recovery outcomes, and consolidating multi-agency working and data sharing.

Health and Wellbeing Strategy: An Overview and Progress Report - Mental Health and Children and Young People

This report provided an update on progress made against two key priorities within the Bexley Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy: Mental Health (including suicide prevention) and Children and Young People. For Mental Health, progress included commissioned programmes focusing on physical activity for mental wellbeing, installation of listening benches, and communications campaigns to tackle loneliness. Suicide prevention efforts involved a programme in secondary schools and the establishment of a Suicide Safer Schools Network. For Children and Young People, progress included the establishment of the Erith Family Hub, the launch of the Integrated Child Health Team, and restructuring of the Bexley CAMHS team around the iTHRIVE model. The report also highlighted the expansion of the SEND Children and Young Peoples Engagement and Participation Officer role and ongoing work on weight management services and young person's substance misuse support. A midway review of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy was planned for 2026.

Public Questions

The Board was scheduled to allocate time for public questions from registered electors of the London Borough of Bexley. Questions were required to be submitted in writing by 5pm on Friday 6 March 2026 and be relevant to the Board's work.

Items for Information and Any Other Business

Under this item, the Board was scheduled to consider its draft workplan for 2026/27. This included provisional dates for future meetings and specific items for discussion, such as the BCF End of Year Return, SEND Improvement Plan updates, the Director of Public Health's Annual Report, and updates from the Bexley Wellbeing Partnership. The workplan was noted as being subject to change due to potential shifts in the role of Health and Wellbeing Boards.

Next Meeting

Provisional dates for future meetings of the Board were listed: Tuesday 16 June 2026, Tuesday 8 September 2026, Tuesday 1 December 2026, and Thursday 11 March 2027, all scheduled for 2:30 pm at the Civic Offices. These dates were noted as provisional pending confirmation by the Annual Council meeting.