Agenda item

To receive the Health & Wellbeing Board Strategy Quarterly Progress Report.

The Board received the quarterly progress report, presented by the Service Delivery Manager for Health & Wellbeing. Members noted that at the previous meeting they had asked for a deeper focus on homelessness, mental health, and drug and alcohol harm.

The Service Delivery Manager for Health & Wellbeing reported that delivery across five programmes continued to contribute to the Health & Wellbeing Strategy 2023–2027, which emphasised tackling inequalities, prevention, and integrated neighbourhood health and care in partnership with the ICS and the voluntary sector. This approach aligned with the Board’s commitment to target the ‘Core 20’ most deprived areas and inclusion groups facing disadvantage. He highlighted successful recruitment to the Healthy Lifestyles team with staff embedded across communities, and good progress across TWIPP projects that were designed to coordinate place?based action.

Members heard that joint commissioning arrangements had been introduced to streamline Mental Health services and that the Calm Café for young adults aged 18–25 had gone live to support those below clinical thresholds. The homelessness team had reviewed the use of bed and breakfast accommodation and implemented minor security improvements to enable victims of domestic abuse to remain safely in their homes where appropriate. Drug and alcohol services had increased outreach capacity for young people, and the Telford & Wrekin Recovery Charter had been launched in September with pledges from businesses and partners.

The Service Delivery Manager for Health and Wellbeing explained that funding beyond March 2026 remained uncertain, and that short?term outcomes were hard to evidence for complex needs. The Board were informed that system?wide monitoring for mental health services also remained challenging pending national reforms. Further issues included homelessness, which remained difficult to address for families with complex needs and larger households. The domestic abuse recommissioning timetable was set out; members noted that perpetrator programmes could not be funded through the current government funding route, which presented a commissioning gap.

During the discussion, members welcomed the integration of mental health nurses within the homelessness team to address co?existing needs and sustain tenancies. Members sought clarification on signposting to the Calm Café; the Service Delivery Manager for Health & Wellbeing explained that the service primarily targeted those not meeting thresholds for specialist services and provided onward signposting. In response to questions on the domestic abuse recommissioning, he confirmed that the tender would close on 20 January, with deliberations on 23 January, and that a standstill period would run until the end of May to ensure a smooth transition. The Director of Public Health reported increased stop?smoking advisor capacity and described White Ribbon campaign activity, including pop?up events at the Princess Royal Hospital. The Chief Strategy Officer NHS Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin provided assurance of alignment with neighbourhood health priorities across the ICS, stressing prevention. Members discussed the rise in youth vaping; the Director of Public Health acknowledged that further engagement with young people and parents was needed and confirmed this would be strengthened in the strategy’s prevention work.

The Board noted the report and agreed that a substantive update focusing on homelessness and mental health, including progress on the Recovery Charter pledges and the domestic abuse recommissioning timeline, be brought to a future meeting.