Hillingdon Council is set to launch a public consultation on its draft Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for 2026-2031, aiming to create a fairer and healthier borough. The Hillingdon Health and Wellbeing Board approved the draft strategy as a basis for engagement at its meeting on Tuesday, 2 December 2025. The council aims to use the consultation process to reach diverse and underrepresented communities within Hillingdon. Engagement will be delivered through neighbourhood workshops, Family Hubs, community groups, online tools and targeted outreach in areas with the greatest inequalities. A plain-English version and translated summaries will be produced.
The strategy, developed by the Hillingdon Health and Care Partnership (HHCP), outlines a shared vision for a fairer, healthier, more integrated Hillingdon
and focuses on four key life-course outcomes: Best Start in Life, Live Well, Age Well, and Healthy Places. The public consultation, scheduled for January and February 2026, will gather feedback to refine the strategy before final approval.
According to the Draft Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2026-2031, seven high-impact programmes will be prioritised, including neighbourhood proactive care, hypertension detection, mental health early intervention, frailty and falls, and reducing No Criteria to Reside (NC2R) – patients in hospital who no longer meet the criteria to remain there. The strategy outlines specific delivery measures for each life-course priority, which can be used to assess the success of these programs. For example, under the 'Live Well' priority, the strategy includes measures such as increasing hypertension prevalence capture and maintaining blood pressure control.
The strategy also details how these outcomes will be delivered through Hillingdon's Place Operating Model, which includes Integrated Neighbourhood Teams, Local Access Hubs, Family Hubs, and the Borough-wide Reactive Care Service. This model is supported by enabling work on workforce, digital infrastructure, estates, data management, and community partnerships.
One key target within the strategy is reducing the number of NC2R (No Criteria to Reside) patients, aiming to sustain the number at or below 34. Interventions to achieve this target include:
- Daily multi-agency ward reviews
- Weekly Gold Command oversight
- Revised standard operating procedures
- Strengthened discharge pathways
During the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting, members discussed the importance of clear communication and community involvement in shaping the strategy. Councillor Jane Palmer, Cabinet Member for Health & Social Care, emphasised the need to articulate the strategy in plain English so that residents can understand and support the proposed changes.
The board also discussed the importance of addressing health literacy and ensuring that residents understand how to navigate the healthcare system. Tony Zaman highlighted the need to simplify communication about available pathways and initiatives, noting that the current system can be confusing for residents.
Gary Collier noted that the aim is to use a plain English version of the strategy as a primary vehicle for engagement with residents, service users, carers voluntary and community partners through January and February.