The Health and Well-being Board of Northumberland Council met on Thursday, 12 March 2026, to discuss the Director of Public Health's annual report on rural health inequalities, review the forward plan for the board, and receive an update on the Healthy Weight Alliance. The meeting also included a discussion on the embedding and sustaining of Northumberland's community strengths and assets-based approach to tackle inequalities.

Rural Realities - Director of Public Health Annual Report 2025

The Board was scheduled to consider the independent Director of Public Health (DPH) Annual Report for 2025, titled Rural Realities. This report focuses on health inequalities in rural Northumberland, highlighting key issues such as mental health within farming communities and gender inequalities. The report aims to explore the differences in health outcomes between rural and urban areas, acknowledging the complexity and nuance of rural life. It also emphasises the importance of collaboration with community partners and building on existing support networks. The report makes six recommendations to support rural communities, including empowering rural communities, ensuring rural considerations in all policies, scaling up prevention and early intervention, enhancing community-led solutions for transport and housing, expanding rural economic development, and investing in localised data and insight. The Board was asked to comment on the contribution that partners could make to support rural communities' health and to endorse the report's findings.

Addressing Inequalities in Northumberland

The Board was scheduled to receive an update on the progress of the Northumberland Inequalities Plan 2022-2025. This three-year plan aimed to embed a sustainable, system-wide approach to addressing inequalities by fostering a community strengths and asset-based approach. Key points from the presentation indicated that the plan had delivered progress across 23 specific actions and had led to the convening of the Northumberland County Partnership, a senior system forum tasked with reducing the gap in health, education, employment, and social outcomes. The report highlighted that addressing inequalities was no longer a standalone task but a core part of system working and strategic decision-making. The Board was asked to note the report, agree that the Inequalities Plan 2022-2025 be signed off as completed, ensure its principles continue to be applied, and receive updates on the work led by the County Partnership.

Healthy Weight Alliance Annual Update

An update was scheduled to be provided on the progress of the Healthy Weight Alliance, which was established in 2024 with the aim of improving healthy weight within a 10-year period. The presentation was expected to cover progress made against recommendations from the alliance's first year and additional work undertaken in its second year. The alliance acknowledges the long-term, system-wide approach needed to make healthy weight everybody's business and stresses the importance of agency representation and collaboration. The report highlighted that maintaining a healthy weight is a key determinant of long-term health and wellbeing, with significant benefits for public health, social cohesion, and economic productivity. It noted that parental influence plays a significant role in children's eating behaviours and that overweight and obesity across the life course are influenced by societal, environmental, biological, and individual factors. The Board was asked to note the update and continue to link system components to ensure a thorough and joined-up response to healthy weight issues, ensuring the alliance's actions align with system-wide priorities.

Health and Wellbeing Board Forward Planning

This agenda item was scheduled to facilitate a discussion with Board members to agree on the forward plan for reporting on and monitoring the progress of the Northumberland Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy. It also aimed to introduce guidance for agenda items presented by system partners. The discussion was expected to cover proposals to replace the current annual report on the strategy's core themes with a two-year forward plan, proactively identify how actions and indicators will be reported, consider closed development sessions for deeper discussions, avoid duplication, and provide opportunities for all partners to present. Standard guidance for agenda items, including reference to three key questions, was also to be introduced. The Board was asked to support the proposed approach to forward planning and reporting.

Health and Wellbeing Board – Forward Plan

The Board was scheduled to review its forward plan for the 2025/26 council year. The forward plan outlines forthcoming agenda items for future meetings, including updates on the Physical Activity Strategy, Carers Strategy, Annual Report of the Principal Social Worker (Adults), Public Mental Health Strategy, Gambling Strategy, Sexual Health Strategy, and the Local Plan. Regular reports and annual reports from various partnerships and services were also listed. The Board was asked to note the Forward Plan.