This meeting included a range of reports from NHS North East London and its providers, including the East London NHS Foundation Trust.¹ The Committee was also scheduled to discuss how the NHS proposes to delegate the responsibility for specialised services to local Integrated Care Boards.

NHS Proposal: Joint Committee Merger

The Committee was scheduled to hear a proposal from Zina Etheridge, Chief Executive of NHS North East London, to merge the Inner North East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee with the Outer North East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The report pack says that this merger would:

...reflect changes in the local healthcare landscape and the collaborative work that spanned NE London...

Health Update – November 2024

The Committee was scheduled to receive a presentation from Ms Etheridge on recent developments in the NHS in North East London, including new facilities that had recently opened at Beam Park, Lower Clapton and Ilford Exchange.

The meeting was also scheduled to include a discussion on improving outcomes for people with long-term conditions. The report pack describes the challenges of population growth in North East London and suggests that:

...between 2022/23 and 2041/42, the number of people in NEL set to be living with one, two, or three LTCs is expected to grow by 20.4%, 34.5%, and 49.3%, respectively...

There was also scheduled to be a discussion on how to increase the uptake of NHS Health Checks, and an overview of a range of initiatives that are already underway to help people stay well and avoid needing access to specialised services.

Finally, the meeting was scheduled to hear a presentation on the elective surgery contract specification review that is currently underway. This review is focused on specialties like ear, nose and throat, gastroenterology, general surgery and gynaecology.

Finance Overview

The Committee was scheduled to receive a report from Henry Black, Chief Finance Officer of NHS North East London, on the financial position of the Integrated Care System. The report pack describes significant financial challenges, and says that:

...NEL ICS is reporting year-to date deficit of £87.2m (ICB £9.1m, providers £78.1m), which is a variance to plan of £53.2m.

The report pack also suggests that:

...The year-end forecast is in line with the plan (£35.6m deficit for providers and a £0.6m surplus for the ICB).

Provider Updates

The Committee was scheduled to hear reports from all three major acute NHS Trusts in Inner North East London, including Barts Health NHS Trust, Homerton Healthcare NHS Trust and East London NHS Foundation Trust

Focus on Specialised Services

The Committee was scheduled to hear a report from Archna Mathur, Director of Specialised Services and Cancer, NHS North East London. Ms Mathur was scheduled to discuss how the NHS plans to delegate the responsibility for specialised services to local Integrated Care Boards by April 2025.

The report pack explains what specialised services are, and says:

Specialised services are a diverse portfolio of c150 services generally accessed by people living with rare or complex conditions.

Ms Mathur's report was also scheduled to describe some new ways of working to prevent people from needing to access specialized services in the first place. The report pack includes examples of early intervention in HIV and Hepatitis testing, a pharmacist-led hypertension review project and a project to reduce the number of babies who need neonatal care.

Best Start in Life: Shaping Future Maternity and Neonatal Services

The Committee was scheduled to hear a presentation from Diane Jones, Chief Nursing Officer of NHS North East London, on the Best Start in Life programme. This programme has been looking at ways to improve maternity and neonatal care in North East London.

The report pack explains why the programme is needed and says:

In north east London we have a growing population, more complicated pregnancies and births, more babies needing medical care when they are born, and health inequalities that impact pregnancies, birth and babies.

The report pack also suggests that:

We are not proposing any solutions at this stage and no decisions about services have been made.

The Scrutiny Report

The Committee was scheduled to review a report from its Scrutiny Policy Assistant, Rosie Whillock, on the Committee's work programme and action tracker.