Norfolk board backs new five-year NHS health strategy for Norfolk and Suffolk
Norfolk's Health and Wellbeing Board has endorsed a new Population Health and Commissioning Strategy covering 2026 to 2031, which will guide NHS decisions across a proposed combined Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board. The strategy focuses on prevention, reducing health inequalities and improving healthy life expectancy.
Norfolk's Health and Wellbeing Board has formally endorsed a new five-year NHS strategy that will shape how health services are planned and commissioned across Norfolk and — under a proposed merger — Suffolk.
The Population Health and Commissioning Strategy, covering 2026/27 to 2030/31, was presented by Dr Ed Garratt, Chief Executive of NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board. It sets out ambitions to improve healthy life expectancy, reduce health inequalities, and improve access to services, with a strong emphasis on prevention and neighbourhood-based care.
Investment plans are being developed to deliver against the strategy's priorities. Examples mentioned at the meeting include assertive outreach services, mental health support teams in schools, stroke rehabilitation services, and a bid for £8 million in investment in obesity services.
The board gave a formal opinion endorsing the strategy, noting its alignment with Norfolk's own Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy across four themes: driving integration, prioritising prevention, addressing inequalities and enabling resilient communities.
Board members raised concerns about how the voices of marginalised groups in Norwich and elsewhere would feed into the work. Officers said this would be developed through neighbourhood-based discussions during implementation, and committed to ensuring those communities shaped services rather than just being consulted after decisions were made.
Questions were also raised about nutrition in maternity and early-years services, with members noting gaps in guidance during pregnancy, unequal access to antenatal classes and limited peer support. Officers confirmed these issues were reflected in the accompanying Population Health Improvement Plan and agreed to follow up.
One board member flagged that upcoming decisions on Local Government Reorganisation could affect how local areas align with NHS structures, and asked that decisions on geography remain flexible until those changes are confirmed.
Officers confirmed that the strategy aligned with provider delivery plans and that further work on neighbourhood-level delivery was forthcoming.