Councillor Ketan Sheth, Chair of the Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC), scheduled a meeting to discuss community-based specialist palliative care, updates on the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, a new involvement strategy, a verbal update from the Chief Executive of the North West London Integrated Care System, and the committee's recommendations tracker. The meeting was scheduled to take place on Thursday, 1 May 2025, in the London Borough of Brent.

Here's a more detailed look at the topics that were scheduled to be discussed:

Community-based Specialist Palliative Care

The JHOSC was scheduled to receive an update on the consultation, emerging themes, and anticipated next steps for implementing a new, consistent model of community-based specialist palliative care (CSPC) across North West London. The report pack included an update on the ‘Compassionate care for all’ public consultation. The report pack noted that the consultation, which ran from 18 November 2024 to 24 February 2025, tested support for two implementation options, both of which were built around a shared new model of care. Key features of the new model (for both options) included:

• 12-hour (8am–8pm), 7-day-a-week specialist palliative care community teams in all boroughs
• 24/7 telephone advice and support line, available to professionals, patients and families
• Hospice at Home services expanded across all boroughs
• Specialist palliative care consultant and practitioner led outpatient clinics delivered locally
• Bereavement and psychological support available and consistent
• Lymphoedema care for both cancer and non-cancer conditions
• Culturally competent care, underpinned by staff training and community outreach
• 46 new enhanced –end of life care- beds, in addition to the 8 already available in Hillingdon
• Retain the current 57 specialist palliative care in patient hospice beds. The report pack noted that the two options that were consulted on were:
• Option A (preferred option): Fully implement the proposed model, including 46 new enhanced end-of-life care beds, while maintaining the number of existing hospice beds without reopening the Pembridge Palliative Care Inpatient Unit beds.
• Option B: Fully implement the proposed model, including 46 new enhanced end-of-life care beds and reopen Pembridge Palliative Care Inpatient Unit beds inpatient beds. The report pack stated that the most significant themes raised in the consultation were: > 1. equity of access, particularly concerns from deprived and inner-city areas about travel distances and care availability; > 2. desire for stronger community-based and home services, with high support for expanding care closer to where people live; > 3. the importance of local inpatient care, including support for introduction of enhanced end-of-life care beds.

Update on the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre

The JHOSC was scheduled to receive an update on Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, including next steps. The report pack stated that Mount Vernon Cancer Centre provides non-surgical specialised cancer care to a population of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, North West London, North Central London, and parts of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, and that it is at risk of being unable to continue providing specialist treatment without significant changes, including moving services to an acute hospital site. The report pack stated that the proposal involves relocating MVCC to a purpose-built cancer centre at Watford General Hospital, with additional services offered in local hospitals to minimise patient travel. The report pack stated that the key elements of the plan included:

• A modern, well-equipped cancer centre next to Watford General Hospital, providing access to essential acute medical services.
• Enhanced research opportunities.
• A new haematology unit to allow specialist inpatient and outpatient haematology care.
• Increased availability of chemotherapy at home for eligible patients, including in North West London.
• More diagnostic services and blood tests at local hospitals.
• A new chemotherapy unit at Hillingdon Hospital and expanded chemotherapy services at Northwick Park Hospital.
• An additional radiotherapy unit at either Lister Hospital (Stevenage) or Luton & Dunstable Hospital to reduce travel times for patients in the north.
• Increased radiotherapy capacity at Hammersmith Hospital.
• New transport options to ensure no patient misses treatment due to travel difficulties.
• Improved digital and shared care records to allow easier prescription collection and remote consultations. The report pack stated that the proposed changes aimed to:
• Ensure continued access to specialist cancer care for patients across Hertfordshire, North London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and East Berkshire.
• Improve cancer outcomes by providing better facilities and immediate medical support.
• Increase research and innovation opportunities, enabling access to the latest treatments and clinical trials.
• Reduce healthcare inequalities by making care more accessible to underserved communities.
• Expand local and home-based treatment options, minimising unnecessary hospital visits.
• Modernise cancer care facilities to support current and future medical advancements.

Introduction to a New Involvement Strategy

The JHOSC was scheduled to receive a presentation on the new Involvement Strategy. No further details were available in the agenda pack.

North West London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee Recommendations Tracker

The JHOSC was scheduled to receive the 2023-24 and 2024-25 scrutiny recommendations trackers. The tracker provides a summary of scrutiny recommendations made during the previous and current municipal year, tracks decisions made by NHS colleagues, and gives the committee oversight over implementation progress. It also includes information requests, as captured in the minutes of its committee meetings.