Wandsworth Council is in the process of becoming one of the first local authorities in the UK to take charge of it’s own public health services.

The first meeting of the new Wandsworth Health and Wellbeing Board, which is made up of the council, NHS Wandsworth and local GPs, took place last month.

After the meeting, leader of the council, Councillor Edward Lister, said: “Wandsworth is at the forefront of this new way of working. We have set up this board at the earliest possible opportunity so that when these changes come into effect we will hit the ground running.

“We will be able to integrate our new public health role with work we are already doing in areas such as social care, housing and leisure to help people lead healthier, more fulfilled lives.”

Under the changes, local authorities will take control of public health services and will get ring-fenced budgets and the licence to set local priorities.

Health ministers believe councils are ideally placed to direct public health initiatives as they have closer links to their communities and can influence a range of factors affecting health.

Public health services are currently managed by Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) but these are being phased out as part of the Government's NHS reform programme. However, the borough’s PCT, NHS Wandsworth, will be active in the board's development.