The Adults, Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee were scheduled to discuss the Adult Social Care Service Improvement Plan, winter planning, NHS dentistry and the Healthwatch County Durham Annual Report. Representatives from the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDFT) and the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) were expected to be in attendance to deliver presentations.

Winter Planning Assurance

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on winter planning assurance from Jen Steel, Director of Integrated Community Services, County Durham and Darlington.

The report in the agenda pack, Winter Planning - Report, noted that the County Durham Winter Planning Group, a multi-agency group convened since 2021, was responsible for overseeing health and social care system preparedness for winter. The group's plans were said to have the shared aim of preventing excess winter deaths and cold-related ill health by:

(a) Managing demand on health and social care systems and other related services over the winter season. (b) Protecting populations against surges in winter illnesses such as flu, COVID-19 and other respiratory infections. (c) Reducing the impact of cold related ill-health on vulnerable populations. (d) Planning and responding to severe cold weather events.

The OSC Winter Planning Assurance Full Slide Set 2025-26 presentation slides, which were included in the report pack, provided further details. These slides noted that the Met Office's three-month forecast for October to December 2025 indicated a higher-than-normal chance of mild weather overall for the UK, with a balanced chance of windy or calm periods. The UKHSA Virus Watch data reportedly showed no adverse flu or Covid projections for the season.

The presentation also outlined key actions in health plans, including those for the NHS/CDDFT, primary care, social care, and public health. Wider partner plans included those for the Civil Contingencies Unit (CCU)/Local Resilience Forum (LRF), community groups, welfare and financial support, housing, and highways.

The presentation identified priority areas based on the Durham Index of Need (DIoN) for winter vulnerability related measures. These areas, listed by decile, included:

• Decile 1 (10% highest need): Cornforth & Ferryhill, Dalton-le-Dale & Deneside, Horden, Easington Colliery South & Eden Hill, Thornley Deaf Hill & Wheatley Hill, Blackhalls, Henknowle & Woodhouse Close.
• Decile 2 (11-20% highest need): Newton Aycliffe East, Shildon, Coundon & Willington South, Crook North, Howden-le-Wear & Tow Law, Annfield Plain North & Dipton South, Aycliffe Village & Newton Aycliffe South.
• Decile 3 (21-30% highest need): Chilton & Ferryhill Station, Fishburn & Trimdons, Acre Rigg & Peterlee Central, Craghead & South Stanley, Shotton Colliery, Chester-le-Street West & Pelton Fell, Newton Aycliffe Central.

The DIoN measures used included attendance allowance, DLA and PiP claimants aged 16-74, emergency hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, social vulnerability, prevalence of CHD and COPD, and council tax benefit.

The presentation also summarised universal and targeted interventions, such as Met Office weather warnings, health and social care winter plans, DCC/LRF plans, public health surveillance, community support via Welcome Spaces¹ and community connectors, welfare and financial support, warm homes initiatives, and highway gritting.

Adult Social Care Service Improvement Plan Update

The committee was scheduled to receive a presentation on the Adult Social Care Service Improvement Plan (SIP) from Michael Laing, Corporate Director of Adult and Health Services, and Councillor Howard Brown, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Adult and Health Services.

According to the report in the agenda pack, AWH Overview and Scrutiny Committee Adult Social Care Update November 2025, the SIP was approved by Cabinet in October 2024 and strengthened to reflect findings from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessment. The Adult Social Care Service Improvement Plan Update November 20 presentation slides, which were included in the report pack, indicated that 86% of actions within the plan had been completed.

The presentation outlined progress in both strategic and transformational projects (Part A) and CQC-focused improvement activity (Part B). Part A priorities included transforming care, extra care housing, digital innovation, and older people's care. Part B themes included working with people, providing support and innovation, ensuring safety, and leadership.

The presentation also highlighted outcomes such as reablement transformation, the Transfer of Care Hub, AI transcription tool pilots, the opening of Whitebeam Gardens supported living, and the Bluebell Unit at Hawthorn House².

The presentation was also expected to spotlight the development of a new Adult Social Care Strategy and involvement and co-production efforts.

NHS Dentistry Update

Pauline Fletcher, Strategic Head of Dental Contracting (Primary Care), and Tom Robson, Dental Clinical Lead, North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, were scheduled to deliver a presentation on the NHS Dentistry Update.

The presentation, Durham Adults Wellbeing and Health OSC 17 November 2025, which was included in the report pack, noted that the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) had been responsible for commissioning dental services since 1 April 2023. Most dental practices hold general dental services contracts that are not time-limited, commissioned based on Units of Dental Activity (UDAs).

The presentation acknowledged dental access recovery challenges and outlined national mandates and reforms, including the NHS 10 Year Plan's focus on digital transformation, prevention, and community-based care.

The presentation also detailed the ICB's efforts to improve oral health and access to NHS dental care, including increasing preventative oral health interventions, increasing access to urgent dental care, improving access to routine dental care, and improving dental workforce recruitment and retention.

Initiatives mentioned included expanding the network of Urgent Dental Access Centres (UDACs), offering online and telephone booking, targeting support to practices in deprived areas, and working with Managed Clinical Networks. The presentation noted that there were three UDAC sites in County Durham, in Durham City, Barnard Castle and Peterlee, providing a total of 210 appointments per week.

Healthwatch County Durham Annual Report 2024-25

Gail McGee, Healthwatch County Durham Manager, was scheduled to present the Healthwatch County Durham Annual Report 2024-25.

The report in the agenda pack, Healthwatch County Durham Annual Report 2024-25 - Cover Report, stated that Healthwatch County Durham (HWCD) is the independent consumer champion for people using health and social care services. The HWCD workplan includes providing information and signposting, public engagement, Enter and View visits, and feeding back public opinion to decision-makers.

The Healthwatch Annual Report 2024-25 OSC presentation slides, which were included in the report pack, noted that HWCD's 2024-25 work was based on feedback about mental health (including community mental health transformation, young people, and suicide prevention) and primary care (including public information, Pharmacy First³, and farming outreach).

The presentation also highlighted regional work, such as the Women's Health - the Big Conversation, North East Ambulance Service review, and Change NHS.

The Healthwatch - Appendix 3 document outlined the proposed 2025-26 work plan, which included primary care (medication changes, shared care, and right to choose), hospital services (appointment booking system), and mental health (transformation evaluation).

The Healthwatch - Appendix 2 document provided an overview of the work between the NENC ICB and Healthwatch, highlighting collaborative efforts to enhance health services, promote wellbeing, reduce health inequalities, engage the community, and innovate and improve.