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Dear Colleague,
We are pleased the Government has increased the public health grant for councils, acting on our concerns over the significant funding pressures public health teams have been under to maintain vital services such as sexual health services, smoking cessation programmes and drug treatment. It is important this marks a reset which sees government work in partnership with councils.
Investing in public health is key to bridging the health inequality gap, improving population health and preventing ill-health, reducing the pressure on social care and the NHS.
As public health teams continue to face increasing demand, we are calling on the Government in the Spending Review to set out a long-term sustainable funding plan for public health, which will give councils the long-term certainty they need to plan services that meet the needs of their communities.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr David Fothergill
Chairman, LGA Community Wellbeing Board
Stories
LGA calls for national health inequalities strategy
The LGA is urging the Government to introduce a national health inequalities strategy to tackle widening disparities. Councils are leading local action, but national support is essential for lasting change. These challenges were a key focus of our recent Smith Square Debate on health inequalities.
New LGA report: Marmot Places: Building fairer towns, cities, and regions
The LGA’s latest report, Building Fairer Towns, Cities, and Regions: Insights from Marmot Places, explores how councils are tackling health inequalities through place-based approaches. Featuring case studies from across England, it highlights local leadership, innovation, and collaboration in creating fairer, healthier communities. Read more: local.gov.uk/publications.
New LGA public health blogs
Explore the latest LGA public health blogs, featuring insights from local leaders and experts on tackling key health challenges. From reducing inequalities to improving and understanding health literacy, these blogs share innovative approaches and best practices from councils across the country. Read more: local.gov.uk/public-health-blogs.
Supporting health visiting teams to have effective oral health conversations with parents of young children
The HABIT intervention (Health Visitors delivering Advice in Britain on Infant Toothbrushing) supports families to adopt key oral health behaviours, such as twice-daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste and reducing sugar intake, from infancy. Co-designed with parents and health visitors in Bradford, HABIT supports oral health conversations with resources including a website, videos, leaflets, training and a recent webinar. Contact e.r.forshaw@leeds.ac.uk or p.f.day@leeds.ac.uk for more information.
Must know: Personalisation and Making It Real in adult social care
Developed by Think Local Act Personal and coproduced with people drawing on care and support and carers, this must know guide provides an overview of how to implement personalisation in adult social care. The guide offers an introduction to the principles and practices of personalisation and steps to implementing this approach including key frameworks such as Think Local Act Personal’s Making It Real statements. The guide features key questions designed to prompt reflection and discussion, helping you to identify areas for further enquiry and action within your own organisation.
Telecare National Action Plan
The Department for Health and Social Care, working with partners including the LGA, has produced the Telecare National Action Plan. The Plan will support local authorities to manage risks associated with the digital switchover.
Telecare National Action Plan: protecting telecare users through the digital phone switchover - GOV.UK
Driving health outcomes through cultural services
24 February 2025, 10.00am – 12.30pm | Virtual
The LGA and Arts Council England are running this free to attend webinar to support health and social care portfolio holders, and councillors with a strategic interest in health and wellbeing, to access valuable information about how cultural services can contribute to health and wellbeing strategies. If you would like further information, please email cts@local.gov.uk
CQC assessment: what have we learned so far?
27 February 2025 | Virtual
In 2023, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) began assessing how well councils are performing their statutory duties under Part One of the 2014 Care Act. The return of regulation to the care and support sector is a significant development so how can councils best prepare? What are the lessons to be learned from those councils who have been through the process and what are the implications of Penny Dash's review into the operational effectiveness of the Care Quality Commission.
Join this virtual event on CQC assessment to get the very latest learning from lead members and directors of adult social care; gain insight into the wider national context; and go through the assessment process successfully.
NIHR Academy regional events
Learn more about NIHR fellowships for those working in councils, public health and social care. Together with the NIHR RSS Specialist Centre for Public Health and the NIHR RSS Specialist Centre for Social Care, NIHR Academy is hosting in-person events to offer information, advice and support for individuals from councils considering applying for a NIHR Academy fellowship.
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20 March 2025, 12.00pm – 4.00pm
Reed Hall, Exeter
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25 March 2025, 10.00am – 2.00pm
Edgbaston Park Hotel, Birmingham
LGA and ADPH Annual Virtual Public Health Conference
1–3 April 2025 | Virtual
Join the LGA and ADPH Annual Public Health Conference for expert insights, policy discussions, and local government perspectives on tackling health challenges.
This year’s conference title is 'Tackling Health Inequalities Together.' For the first time, the conference will feature an afternoon Innovation Zone, showcasing cutting-edge public health initiatives and evaluations. Don’t miss out; register now for the public health conference.
Calendar of events
CQC assessment: What have we learnt so far?
27 February 2025, 10.30am - 12.30pm | Virtual
Tackling discriminatory abuse through collaboration and innovation
27 February 2025, 11.00am - 1.00pm | Virtual
People with a learning disability – better lives, better value and outcomes workshop
4 March 2025 | Midlands
BCF Support Programme's learning lunch - HICM on dementia and delirium
10 March 2025, 11.30am - 1.00pm | Virtual
UK Health Security Agency conference 2025
25-26 March 2025 | Manchester Central
LGA Annual Conference and Exhibition 2025
1 July 2025 - 3 July 2025 | Liverpool
National Children and Adult Services Conference and Exhibition 2025
26 November 2025 - 28 November 2025 | Bournemouth
For more information about these and other health-related events go to our Events page.
LGA in Parliament 2023/24
LGA
The LGA’s submission to Change NHS
LGA
Must know: Personalisation and Making It Real in adult social care
LGA
Two years on: a progress review of ‘From harm to hope': A 10-year drugs plan to cut crime and save lives’
Public Sector Access, in collaboration with the LGA
Learning from the first wave: reflections from directors of adult services who have completed their CQC assessment
Partners in Care and Health
Essential insights for effectively communicating your narrative in the adult social care CQC self-assessment
Partners in Care and Health
An analysis of local authority CQC assessment reports: What does 'good' look like?
Partners in Care and Health
Mental health performance, data and insight: Guidance for directors of adult social services
Partners in Care and Health
High Impact Change Model: Improving the timely and effective discharge of people with dementia and delirium into the community
Partners in Care and Health
Briefing: Workforce planning in a place
Partners in Care and Health
Preventive and proactive care: research report
Better Care Fund
Local Government Finance Settlement
The Secretary of State also published the Final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025/26 on 3 February 2025 which confirmed that Core Spending Power will rise by an average of 6.8 per cent in 2025/26 including Revenue Support Grant increasing in line with CPI inflation. In our response to the settlement, LGA Chair, Cllr Louise Gittins said extra money for councils next year, including compensation for employer national insurance contributions increases, will help meet some of the cost and demand pressures councils face but still falls short of what is desperately needed to cover them all.
Fixing NHS Dentistry
The LGA’s written evidence to the Public Accounts Committee inquiry on Fixing NHS Dentistry has been published. In our submission, we express concern that many people are unable to register with an NHS dentist and as a consequence are not provided with regular, restorative and preventative dental care. We propose actions needed to improve access as well as the role of ICBs.
Mental Health Bill
During a Committee Stage session of the Mental Health Bill in the House of Lords on 27 January, LGA Vice President Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party) directly referenced the LGA's briefing and our calls for investment in both Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) and council commissioned community mental health services. The LGA has stressed that this is particularly important as statutory local authority adult mental health services and much VCSE mental health provision is funded from the social care budget. We will also be making this point in our response to the Health and Social Care Committee inquiry on Community mental health services.
We continue to stress that it is essential that the new Act clearly recognises the local leadership role of councils and identifies the roles and responsibilities of councils in respect of both statutory and non-statutory mental health duties, working in partnership with the NHS and local voluntary and community services. Crucially, in our submission to the original Mental Health Act White Paper in 2021, we supported the emphasis on treating people as individuals as a fundamental principle. We welcome the intention of the Act to address the rising rates of detention and experiences of people from Black, Caribbean and African backgrounds. It is important that the Act reflects the needs of people with lived experience of mental health needs.
first magazine
first is the LGA's membership magazine, distributed to around 18,000 councillors and local authority chief executives in England and Wales.
In this issue:
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LGA calls for national strategy on health inequalities
10 February 2025
The Government is being urged to introduce a national health inequalities strategy to tackle England’s widening health gap, in a new report from the LGA.
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