The North West London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC) convened to discuss several key healthcare topics affecting the region. The agenda included dentist commissioning and children's dental health, the future of place-based partnerships, special school nursing, and a review of the committee's recommendations tracker and work programme. Councillor Ketan Sheth, London Borough of Brent, was scheduled to chair the meeting.

Dentist Commissioning and Children's Dental Health

The committee was scheduled to discuss dentist commissioning and children's dental health across North West London. The report pack included information on a number of topics, including:

• The commissioning of additional activity from general dental practices during 2025/26, targeting areas of highest need based on public health data regarding oral health inequalities.
• Two dental service pilots, one focused on children across North West London, and another providing targeted support to people living in temporary accomodation in Hillingdon.
• A recommendation for providers in certain wards to have additional NHS dental activity, including Stonebridge and Harlesden in Brent, Church Street in Westminster, and Barnhill in Hillingdon.
• GP survey data from 2024 which showed that 80% of patients who had tried to get an NHS dental appointment in the last 2 years were able to do so, which was in line with the national average of 84%.
• A dental epidemiology profile of five-year-olds, based on data from 2019.

The report pack stated that the NWL ICB was working with public health and dental professionals to develop a partnership approach, bringing together oral health promotion and improved access to dentistry.

Place Based Partnerships

The committee was scheduled to discuss a report outlining a maturity model for Place Based Partnerships (PBPs) in North West London. The report pack stated that the NHS 10 year Plan and the ICB reforms set PBPs and neighbourhood development as central to improving healthcare. The report pack also stated that the merger of NWL and NCL ICBs makes the development of PBPs even more important.

The report pack stated that by April 2026, every borough in NWL should be operating as a mature PBP with:

• Shared strategic priorities rooted in population need
• Integrated neighbourhood teams at the heart of delivery
• Clear accountability and inclusive governance arrangements
• Coordinated infrastructure and resources to deliver effectively

The report pack outlined a number of achievements that NWL PBPs had already accomplished, including:

• Hillingdon transforming fragmented services into integrated neighbourhood teams.
• Brent's frailty interventions saving £18m, and asthma support improving care for 65% of children under 17.
• Hammersmith & Fulham launching an Integrated Community Access Point (ICAP) prototype.
• Ealing's Step-Down Beds (MH) reducing over-60-day hospital stays significantly.
• Hounslow's new frailty model reducing hospital demand via admission prevention, dementia care, and integrated discharge initiatives.
• Harrow launching three Family Hub Networks.
• The Bi-Borough (Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea) resetting governance and priorities across two boroughs.

Special School Nursing

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the current position of Special School Nursing provisions across North West London. The report pack stated that a core offer for community services is a key contributor to improving outcomes and reducing variation for the NWL ICS. The report pack also stated that community providers have committed to developing a consistent core offer for any place to reduce unwarranted variation and drive service consistency across North West London.

The report pack outlined a number of actions that were scheduled to take place in September - October 2025, including:

• Reviewing SSN workforce capacity/ skill mix and agree further resource requirements per boroughs
• Agreeing a competency and training approach for school staff under new model.

Recommendations Tracker and Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to review the North West London JHOSC Recommendations Tracker, which summarises scrutiny recommendations made during previous and current municipal years. The committee was also scheduled to confirm the committee's work programme for the 2025/26 municipal year.

Other Items

The agenda for the meeting also included:

• Attendance by Reserve Members
• Declarations of Interest
• Minutes from previous meetings
• Matters Arising
• Any Other Business