Report to:                  East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board

Date:                           10 March 2026

By:                              Director of Joint Commissioning and Integrated Community Teams Development (East Sussex), NHS Sussex and Director of Adult Social Care and Health, East Sussex County Council

Title:                           Neighbourhood Health Plan development

Purpose of Report:  To brief the Health and Wellbeing Board on the implications of the emerging national requirements for neighbourhood health planning, and the proposed approach ahead of national guidance and legislation. 

Recommendations:

East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) is recommended to:

1.    Endorse the expected role of HWBs and Place in the health system reforms and neighbourhood health planning.

 

2.    Note the expected content of the new neighbourhood health plan that will be developed under the leadership of HWBs for 2026/27 and that, at the time of writing, guidance is still awaited from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

 

3.    Endorse the proposed working arrangements to support thedevelopment the East Sussex Neighbourhood Health Plan with key stakeholders, as set out in paragraphs 2.12 – 2.16 of the report, and the timetable in Appendix 1.

 

4.    Delegate responsibility to the East Sussex Health and Care Partnership to coordinate the detailed interim Neighbourhood Health Plan development on behalf of the HWB.

1.         Background

1.1       Earlier reports to the HWB in 2025/26 have set out some of the implications of health system reform under the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future (10YHP), which was published in July 2025. In summary, the key points are as follows:

1.2       These elements have been explored further as part of our recent informal HWB development sessions in January and February 2026, to support the HWB’s consideration of its refreshed role as part of the reforms, based on the national guidance and information that has been available to date. This report briefly summarises this and brings the proposed working arrangements and suggested timetable for developing the East Sussex Neighbourhood Health Plan in 2026/27 for formal endorsement.

2          Supporting information

Role of HWB and Place in health system reform

2.1       Following the publication of the 10YHP, many of the associated changes to structures and processes are starting to be implemented, for example the move to the NHS Surrey and Sussex ICB from April 2026. The new national Strategic Commissioning Framework (NHS England, November 2025) sets out the new functions of ICBs in the reformed health system. On the relationship with local government, in summary it notes that:

·         Engagement and co-design with local government are essential. ICBs should maintain strong partnerships across adult social care, children’s services, housing and public health to understand their populations, reduce inequalities and improve neighbourhood health outcomes.

·         As ICBs evolve and local government reforms progress, Health and Wellbeing Boards will be the key forums for joint planning with upper-tier local authorities, complemented at system-level by working in partnership with strategic authorities discharging their new health duties.

2.2       The Strategic Commissioning Framework highlights that Place-based partnerships - bringing together health, social care, local government, the VCSE sector and wider partners - are central to planning and improving services within each ICS, using population health management and coordinated multidisciplinary care to meet local needs. The Framework suggests that these partnerships need to be supported through greater delegation over time and clearer leadership and operating models - including how this interacts with local government - to thrive.

2.3       Our existing East Sussex Health and Care Partnership performs this role to support integrated commissioning and delivery and is reviewing its governance to ensure it can maintain a clear focus on Place delivery in the context of the health system reforms.  

2.4       In addition, the 10YHP strengthens the role of place partners through two main mechanisms:

·         Planning at Place level: local government, the NHS and its partners at single or upper tier authority level will draw up a neighbourhood health plan under the leadership of the HWB, incorporating public health, social care, VCSE partners and the Better Care Fund (BCF). This will set out shared objectives across Place partners, how the model of care will change based on local need, and how commissioners and providers will reorganise themselves to deliver services in a more integrated way.

·         New delivery models: Place partners will work together to define the optimal delivery model for their population and configuration, including the development of single and multi-neighbourhood provision and, in some parts of the country, Integrated Health Organisations (IHOs). ICBs will commission these models and will play a key role in shaping and supporting providers to work collaboratively and develop the necessary capabilities to implement them.

Neighbourhood Health Plan development

2.5       Neighbourhood Health plans are anticipated to set out the next phase of system reform, positioning neighbourhood health as the operating model for health services. Further national guidance is awaited with the HWB potentially being asked to:

Health and Wellbeing Board Strategies

2.6       As part of delegated responsibilities the existing statutory functions of HWBs include:

2.7       These statutory duties originated in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 and the Health and Care Act 2012, and were maintained by the Health and Care Act 2022. Our rolling East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board Strategy Healthy Lives, Healthy People (2022 – 2027) is informed by insights from the East Sussex Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA).

2.8       In Sussex, the three HWB Strategies and JSNAs for East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove informed the Sussex Integrated Care Strategy Improving Lives Together (2022). A single Shared Delivery Plan (SDP) was agreed by partners in June 2023 and has been updated annually to support this vision. Progress with the HWB objectives in the SDP is the subject of a separate, regular report on the HWB meeting agenda.

2.9       A key objective in the SDP has been to strengthen the HWB’s role as the system’s primary strategic stewardship forum for health, care and wellbeing. To support this, seven informal JSNA-themed development sessions have been delivered between September 2024 and February 2026, aimed at building a shared understanding of population health and care needs and strengthening the partnership relationships necessary for system stewardship. Session briefings are published on the JSNA website JSNA: Health and Wellbeing Board briefing notes 2025

2.10     It is anticipated that 2026/27 will be a transitional year, pending a new Health and Care Bill. As such Neighbourhood Health Plans will potentially be an addendum to the HWB Strategy. Further Guidance is anticipated about the long-term expectations for HWB Strategies, including whether the Neighbourhood Health Plan will in effect replace the need for a HWB Strategy.

Approach to neighbourhood health in Sussex

2.11     Discussions at our most recent informal HWB development session on 12 February 2026 have acknowledged that our early work to implement Integrated Community Teams (ICTs), as part of the Sussex-wide approach set out in Improving Lives Together, provides a strong foundation on which to build our interim strategic neighbourhood health plan. The core features of this include:

Proposed working arrangements for 26/27

2.12     Acknowledging this will be further informed by national Guidance when it is published, the following next steps will need to be taken to fulfil HWB statutory duties and new expectations under the 10YHP:

2.13     To enable health and care system stewardship and accountability through the HWB, it is proposed that a further four informal HWB development sessions are scheduled to take place 6 weeks ahead of the formal HWB meetings in July, September, November 2026 and March 2027. The aim of this next programme of development sessions would be to oversee and support the co-production and agreement of our East Sussex Neighbourhood Health Plan and HWB strategy refresh.

2.14     To build on and further develop the successful model, it is suggested that these sessions use a two-part agenda model:

2.15     The anticipated activity and timetable to support neighbourhood health plan development in 26/27 is set out in Appendix 1.

2.16     The proposed approach was agreed in principle at the informal HWB development session on 12 February 2026, with the following suggestions to support the development of a shared Neighbourhood Health Plan based on local priorities, needs and strengths:

3             Conclusion and reasons for recommendations

3.1         The 10YHP and national Strategic Commissioning Framework reaffirm the role of HWBs and Place as the key forum for political, clinical, professional and community leaders to improve health, tackle wider determinants and reduce inequalities. They also confirm HWBs and Place health and care partnerships as central to integrating health, care and wellbeing, including oversight of pooled and aligned budgets such as the BCF.

3.2         Developing a Neighbourhood Health plan as a central part of our HWB strategy refresh exercise will allow the HWB to build on the insights, themes and strategic priorities driven by our JSNA, and the work already being progressed through Improving Lives Together and our SDP. Over time, this will help support a sustainable, neighbourhood-based model of integrated care and reduce reliance on more costly services.

3.3         The plan will support a more joined-up approach to health, care and wellbeing by better aligning our collective vision, ambition and resources for our population. The proposed arrangements for 2026/27 build on the strong partnership working across health and care in East Sussex, and our earlier work to strengthen the HWB’s strategic leadership of our system - maintaining this in the context of the wider system reforms and at the same time streamlining meetings and strengthening oversight and stewardship.

ASHLEY SCARFF

Director of Joint Commissioning and Integrated Community Teams Development (East Sussex), NHS Sussex

 

MARK STAINTON

Director of Adult Social Care and Health, East Sussex County Council

 

Contact Officer

Email: Vicky.smith@eastsussex.gov.uk

Tel: 07827 841063

 

Appendix 1: Potential Neighbourhood Health plan development timetable

 

 


[1] In Sussex the Joint Forward Plan is known as the Shared Delivery Plan