The Health and Adult Social Services Scrutiny Panel was scheduled to discuss several key areas, including a strategy to address childhood healthy weight, updates on community health services, and improvements to primary care access. The panel was also set to review the evolving structure of Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in North West London and North Central London.

CYP Healthy Weight Programme

The panel was scheduled to review the draft Ealing Children and Young People (CYP) Healthy Weight Strategy for 2026-2031. This strategy aims to support children and young people in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight through a whole systems approach that involves collaboration across various sectors and the community. The report highlighted that in Ealing, one in five children aged 4-5 and one in three aged 10-11 are overweight or obese, with higher rates in deprived communities and among certain ethnic groups. The strategy's vision is to enable children and young people to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, live healthy lives, and be empowered to make healthy choices. Key objectives include developing a comprehensive plan, co-production with partners and communities, identifying opportunities and gaps, clarifying roles, improving pathways and signposting, ensuring effective communication, reducing inequalities, and embedding data, monitoring, and research. The action plan is organised around cross-cutting themes such as co-creation, communication, workforce development, tackling inequalities, and data sharing, as well as specific topic areas including physical activity, environment, nutrition, multi-component programmes, and care pathways. The strategy aligns with broader frameworks like the Building Blocks of Health and the London-wide Every Child a Healthy Weight ambitions.

Ealing Community Partners Community Health Services

An update was scheduled on Ealing Community Partners (ECP), which delivers community health services commissioned by the North West London Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Ealing Council from West London NHS Trust. The report covered three areas:

• Ealing Bladder and Bowel Service (EBAB): This specialist nursing service for all ages aims to optimise bladder and bowel health. The update was expected to cover recent actions to improve service delivery, alignment with the North West London Core Specification, and potential challenges and mitigations.
• Community Core Offer: This section was to detail ongoing work across North West London to improve collaboration between providers of community and mental health services and to develop core specifications for more consistent service delivery.
• Tier 2 Paediatric Audiology: Following an assurance visit in March 2025 that identified quality and safety concerns, the service was temporarily suspended. The report was to outline the impact on service delivery, immediate actions taken, the current status, and the forward plan, including a Look Back review of previous assessments and a recall process for children identified as needing further assessment.

Primary Care Access

The panel was to receive an update on the work being undertaken by NHS North West London (NWL) to improve access to primary care. The report highlighted that improving access to primary care remains a top priority, aligned with the 10 Year Plan and national planning guidance, with the aim of embedding Modern General Practice principles and reducing system pressure. The Access Programme has evolved through several phases, with extensive engagement with patients, staff, and system partners shaping the revised 2025/26 Access specification. Key priorities include enhancing the role of Dentistry, Optometry, and Community Pharmacy (DOPs) in delivering integrated care, building on Neighbourhood Health, expanding digital access via the NHS App, and utilising existing pathways while maintaining continuity of care. The report also detailed performance metrics, including call answer times, e-submission response times, appointment coding, continuity of care for high-risk patients, NHS App registrations, and patient engagement. It also covered wider primary care access, including improvements in dentistry, community pharmacy services (such as Pharmacy First), and optometry services.

NHS NCL and NWL ICB Place and Neighbourhoods

The panel was scheduled to review key changes and the high-level operating model for Place and Neighbourhoods within the North Central London (NCL) and North West London (NWL) Integrated Care Boards (ICBs). These ICBs are undergoing significant change, with a focus on strategic commissioning and a required reduction in running costs. A new West and North London ICB is set to be established on 1 April 2026. The document outlined that the ICB will focus on strategic commissioning, population health strategy, resource allocation, evaluation, governance, and corporate functions, moving away from direct clinical delivery. The principles for Place and Neighbourhood were to reinforce the ICB's role as a strategic commissioner, with a lighter touch and delivery-focused provider-led partnerships. The report also detailed the spectrum of ICB roles at Place and Neighbourhood, and the target operating model, which includes a new Neighbourhood Commissioning and Transformation Unit (NCTU) to strengthen support for neighbourhood and borough-level work.

Panel Work Programme

The panel was also scheduled to review its work programme, which outlines the issues the panel intends to consider as part of its oversight role in monitoring NHS and Council performance and policy implementation. The work programme is a rolling plan that is updated at each meeting to allow flexibility for new issues.