The Healthier Communities Select Committee met to discuss the Lewisham Neighbourhood 2 Central 24/7 Community Mental Health Centre, and to hear the findings and feedback from the Reimagining Day Opportunities project. The committee also reviewed its work programme for the year and discussed items for the next meeting.

Lewisham Neighbourhood 2 Central 24/7 Community Mental Health Centre

The committee received an update on the Lewisham Neighbourhood 2 Central (N2C) 24/7 Community Mental Health Centre, a pilot programme designed to test a new model of mental health care. The centre is one of six national pilot sites selected by NHS England¹ to deliver integrated community mental health support. Professor Derek Tracy, Chief Medical Officer at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLAM) and Senior Responsible Officer for the project, explained the principles behind the initiative:

Across the UK there's been a shared consensus that there can be high walls that deal with mental illness in a rather insular fashion. The move in the UK, which echoes international changes in mental health, has to be national pilots to be the vanguard of this.

The N2C team aims to provide patient-centred, neighbourhood-based care, improve access to services, and prevent unnecessary hospital admissions. The model includes extended hours, crisis support, collaboration with voluntary and community sector (VCSE) organisations, and culturally appropriate interventions. The centre is scheduled to be located at 1 Heather Close in Lee from May 2026.

A key component of the programme is the VCSE Cooperative, a partnership of 15 local voluntary and community sector providers. Adini Yadirinto, Service Director for collaboration with local voluntary and community sectors, explained that the cooperative aims to support people aged 18 and over in their wellness and recovery.

The committee discussed how the success of the pilot would be evaluated. Professor Tracy outlined a series of markers, including timeliness of care, experience of care, and effectiveness, measured across different demographics. He also acknowledged the historical lack of trust in mental health services among Black communities in Lewisham, and emphasised the importance of co-production and building relationships with community groups.

Councillor Rosie Parry asked about integrated working across primary care, social care, and the VCSE. Representatives from SLAM explained the governance structure and the practical steps being taken to link up services across the community.

Councillor Aisha Malik-Smith raised the issue of staffing plans for a 24-hour model, particularly regarding continuity of care. While full details were not available, it was noted that the model presents challenges for some professionals but also offers exciting opportunities for others.

Councillor Mark Ingleby questioned the long-term funding of the project beyond the pilot phase, which is scheduled to end in 2027. Professor Tracy acknowledged the funding challenges in healthcare but expressed hope that the preventative, community-based approach would prove cost-effective by reducing reliance on inpatient care.

Councillor Parry also asked about how the offer was being communicated to service users and residents, and how the council could support the initiative.

Reimagining Day Opportunities

The committee received a presentation on the findings and feedback from the Reimagining Day Opportunities project. The project looked at day opportunities for older people and people with dementia, as well as people with learning disabilities and autism. The aim was to understand what people value from current services and what they would like to see in the future.

Joan Hutton, Director of Operations for Adult Social Care, explained that the project involved workshops, one-to-one sessions, surveys, and questionnaires. The engagement reached over 150 people, including service users, carers, staff, and external providers.

Key findings included:

• Older Adults and Dementia: A desire for dignified, homely environments, community-based spaces, multi-generational and culturally diverse activities, and services inclusive of those with early-onset dementia.
• Learning Disabilities and Autism: A desire for choice and flexibility, personalised timetables, pick-and-mix activity models, skills development, friendships, confidence building, trained staff, and progression routes into work and community life.

Identified gaps and barriers included outdated buildings, limited weekend options, inflexible respite, a lack of occupational therapy², transport issues, and unclear pathways into employment. Kenneth Gregory discussed the Calabash Centre, a culturally significant service for Caribbean and Windrush elders, and African elders. He noted that further engagement was underway to update the service specification and maintain its cultural roots.

The presentation highlighted examples of best practice and inspiration, including Brighter Horizons, a local parent-led social enterprise, and the Bromley Model, which uses direct payments to offer a catalogue of diverse interventions.

The headline message was that Lewisham residents value choice, connection, and purpose in day opportunities, which should be personal, culturally rooted, and part of everyday community life.

Councillor John Muldoon acknowledged the importance of the Calabash Centre to the cultural life of the borough, noting its 40-year history. He asked about people who do not currently use services and why they don't.

Councillor Nigel Bowness asked how the co-produced priorities and identified gaps would be resourced and embedded in service contracts, and what the main risks were to delivering the new opportunities model.

Councillor Mark Jackson sought clarity on the next steps and how residents and carers would continue to shape the reimagined service.

Work Programme

The committee reviewed its work programme for the year, considering items for the next meeting and the forward plan of key decisions.

It was agreed that University Hospital Lewisham would be asked to be prepared to answer questions about maternity services at the next meeting, and that the safeguarding adults board annual report would be discussed in January.