The Health and Adult Services Scrutiny Committee are scheduled to meet to discuss the use of digital technology in adult services, the 10 year health plan, and proposed changes to secondary care orthodontics. They will also review the committee and steering group work programmes for 2025/26.

Secondary Care Orthodontics Transformation

The committee is scheduled to discuss a proposal to transform NHS secondary care orthodontics across Lancashire and South Cumbria. The report pack states that a review in November 2023 identified orthodontics as a fragile service both nationally and locally.

The proposed model involves:

• A new commissioning model: Instead of commissioning all four hospital trusts for services, just one trust, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT), would be paid to provide all services in multiple locations.
• A new location plan: Two main (hub) locations in East Lancashire (Burnley General Hospital and Royal Blackburn Hospital) and Central Lancashire (Chorley and South Ribble Hospital), and two satellite locations offering clinics one day a week at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and Furness General Hospital.

The report pack claims that a new model will:

Support the service to deliver equitable care to all residents of Lancashire and South Cumbria, allowing access to specialist treatment, regardless of a patients place of residence.

The committee is asked to decide whether the proposed transformation constitutes a substantial variation to the service which would require a formal public consultation.

Ten Year Health Plan

The committee is scheduled to receive an overview of the 10 Year Health Plan and discuss how the plan could shape health services in Lancashire and South Cumbria. The plan, published in July 2025, was shaped by the experiences and expectations of the public, patients, the health and care workforce and partners.

The plan is based on three shifts:

• From hospital to community
• From analogue to digital
• From sickness to prevention

The committee is asked to consider the information and discuss any recommendations for consideration by the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB). Senior Officers from Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board will be in attendance to provide further information and answer questions.

Digital Technology in Adult Services

The committee is scheduled to discuss a report providing an overview of the opportunities to use enabling digital technologies in Adult Services within the Adult, Health and Wellbeing Directorate.

The report pack states that Adult Services is working to align its transformation activity to the six core ambitions of Lancashire County Council's Digital Strategy (2024-2029).

The report pack highlights a number of ongoing projects, including:

• Expanding Digital Social Care in Lancashire and South Cumbria, with 85% of regulated care providers now using a digital social care record.
• Digitising In-House Care Provision: the Nourish app has been rolled out across 16 residential care homes, enabling 1,000 staff to work digitally and flexibly.
• Introducing Smart Technology in Care Settings: the rollout of the Nobi Smart Lamp to 50 residential care homes with the highest fall rates.
• Copilot AI Adoption: Copilot AI has been deployed to 332 practitioners in Adult Social Care to support tasks such case prioritisation, risk management, and report writing.

The committee is asked to provide feedback on the proposed approach to the use of digital technologies in Adult Services, monitor progress, and consider areas for focus in future years.

Work Programme 2025/26

The committee is scheduled to review and confirm the work programmes for the 2025/26 municipal year for both the committee itself and the Health Scrutiny Steering Group. The next meeting of the Health Scrutiny Steering Group on 6 January 2026 is scheduled to include updates on public health and the NHS Health Checks Programme.