The Oxfordshire Health and Wellbeing Board met on Thursday 12 March 2026 to discuss a range of important public health matters. Key topics included an update on the Mental Health Motion passed by Oxfordshire County Council, progress on the Age Well priorities within the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, and the annual reports from the Safer Oxfordshire Partnership and the Director of Public Health. The Board also considered the Community Insight Profile Development Framework and an update on the Marmot programme for embedding health equity.

Update on Mental Health Motion

The Board was scheduled to consider a motion passed by Oxfordshire County Council on 9 December 2025 concerning the rising prevalence and impact of poor mental health among adults and children in Oxfordshire. The motion requested that the Health & Wellbeing Board invite the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee to investigate and report on how mental health services, provided by Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and wider system partners, are addressing this issue. The investigation was intended to cover accessibility to services including prevention, assessment, therapeutic support, medication, emergency intervention, and inpatient beds. It was also to assess the impact of poor mental health on other public services such as community safety, public health, housing, schools, fire and rescue, and the police. The Board was recommended to agree to request the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee to undertake this investigation.

Health and Wellbeing Strategy Update - Age Well Priorities

Progress on priorities 5 and 6 of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, focused on Age Well, was scheduled for discussion. Priority 5, Maintain Independence, aims to support older residents to remain independent and healthy for longer, ensuring they are treated with dignity and valued. Priority 6, Strong social relationships, seeks to enable everyone in Oxfordshire to flourish by building, maintaining, and re-establishing social connections, with a particular focus on reducing loneliness and social isolation, especially in rural areas. The Board was recommended to note the progress on these priorities and to agree proposed amendments to the Health and Wellbeing Board Shared Outcome metrics.

Safer Oxfordshire Partnership Annual Report

The Board was scheduled to receive the annual report of the Safer Oxfordshire Partnership, which serves as the strategic framework for enhancing community safety and reducing crime and anti-social behaviour throughout Oxfordshire. This partnership collaborates with various stakeholders, including the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and district-led Community Safety Partnerships. The report was expected to detail the activities and outcomes of the Safer Oxfordshire Partnership and the Oxfordshire Domestic Abuse Strategic Board. The Domestic Abuse Strategic Board is responsible for providing strategic leadership for domestic abuse in Oxfordshire, overseeing the delivery of the Overarching Oxfordshire Domestic Abuse Strategy and Safe Accommodation Strategy.

Director of Public Health Annual Report 2025/26

The Director of Public Health Annual Report for 2025/26 was presented, offering a review of Oxfordshire's progress in tackling health inequalities since the 2019/20 report, Some Are More Equal Than Others. This earlier report had identified ten priority wards where joint action was deemed essential to improve health and wellbeing for those facing the greatest disadvantages. The 2025/26 report, presented in an interactive website format, draws on hyper-local information from Community Insight Profiles, the work of Community Health Development Officers, and collaborative efforts across districts and the voluntary and community sector, as well as wider health partners. The Board was recommended to note the report and support its interactive format for informing future service delivery plans.

Community Insight Profile Development Framework (CIPs Toolkit)

The Board was scheduled to consider the Community Insight Profile Development Framework (CIPs Toolkit). This toolkit is presented as a core legacy product of the Public Health-led Community Insight Profiles (CIP) programme. It provides a step-by-step, asset-based, community-led approach to enable local areas to create their own Community Insight Profiles and translate insight into action plans aimed at reducing health inequalities. The Toolkit aligns with the Board's prevention and inequalities priorities, the Marmot Place work, and the Director of Public Health Annual Report 2025/26. The Board was recommended to note the Toolkit and support its dissemination and use across partners and communities.

Marmot Update

An update on the progress made through the Marmot programme and the partnership with the Institute for Health Equity was scheduled for discussion. The Marmot approach aims to embed health equity across Oxfordshire by addressing the social determinants of health and reducing avoidable health inequalities. The report was expected to highlight the need to embed further accountability for addressing inequities, particularly in relation to upcoming reports on Maternity, Babies, Children and Young People, Rural Inequalities, and Fair Employment. The Board was recommended to note the progress made and the need for further accountability in these areas.

Update on the future of an independent patient voice for Oxfordshire - working group report

The Board was asked to formally establish a working group to explore and evaluate models for a future independent patient voice function in Oxfordshire. This follows the national announcement of the abolition of Healthwatch. The working group's remit includes mapping statutory functions, identifying core principles to be preserved, exploring feasible future models for Oxfordshire, and overseeing a public engagement exercise. The Board was recommended to agree to the establishment of the working group, its membership, and to delegate the power to commission the public engagement exercise using available Healthwatch grant underspend.

Reports from Partnership Boards

Updates were scheduled to be received from various Partnership Boards, including the Place-Based Partnership (written update), the Health Improvement Board (verbal update), and the Children's Trust Board (verbal update).

Forward Work Plan

The Board was asked to note the forward work programme for upcoming meetings.