The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission met on Tuesday 24 February 2026 to discuss learning disabilities services in Newham, and to consider partner submissions as part of the Close to Home review focusing on prevention and early intervention. The meeting also included an update on emerging matters across the health and care system and a review of the Commission's work programme.

Learning Disabilities Services in Newham

The Commission was scheduled to consider learning disabilities services in Newham. A report on this topic outlined the number and profile of residents with learning disabilities in the borough, noting that as of 17 December 2025, there were 2,382 residents on the Northeast London Integrated Care Board's Learning Disability Register. Of these, 928 were receiving Adult Social Care services, with 394 also having an Autism diagnosis. The report highlighted disproportionality in the ethnicity profile of residents with learning disabilities, with White British and Black African residents being overrepresented and Asian Bangladeshi residents underrepresented, which was attributed to factors such as identification, referral pathways, and trust in statutory provision.

The report also detailed the local offer for residents with learning disabilities, including enablement services, support for employment preparation, independent living support, and day services. It acknowledged limitations in data extraction regarding support intensity and the need to increase local supported living capacity. Challenges were identified in sourcing appropriate homes and the impact of reassessments for Continuing Health Care (CHC) funding, which could shift costs to the Local Authority. The report noted that people with learning disabilities die, on average, 19.5 years younger than the general population, with 40% of deaths being avoidable. Efforts to improve health outcomes included promoting annual health checks, cancer screening uptake, and vaccinations. The governance and accountability arrangements for the local offer were described, including quality assurance processes and monitoring of service providers. The report also outlined joint working arrangements between Health and Social Care, such as Dynamic Support Register meetings and Safeguarding Adults Forums, and detailed how residents and families access information and advice. The extent to which services are co-produced or co-designed with service users, families, and carers was also to be considered, with reference to the Learning Disability Resident Advisory Group. Finally, the report addressed issues related to stigma experienced by residents with learning disabilities and approaches to address this.

Close to Home - Part 3: Prevention and Early Intervention

The Commission was scheduled to consider partner submissions as part of the Close to Home review, focusing on prevention and early intervention. This stage of the review aimed to examine how system partners identify rising need, support residents at risk of deterioration, and reduce escalations to hospital admission. The report indicated that partners were invited to respond to structured information requests aligned to their respective roles.

Submissions were expected from:

• London Borough of Newham – Adults and Health
• NHS Northeast London Integrated Care Board
• Community Pharmacy Northeast London
• One Newham & Sustainable Newham
• Healthwatch Newham

The report highlighted that Close to Home forms part of the Commission's 2025/26 work programme and seeks to examine how the health and care system minimises the number, impact, and length of hospital stays for Newham residents. Part 3 specifically focused on prevention and early intervention, following previous discussions on acute hospital pressures and discharge processes.

Update on Emerging Matters

This standing item was scheduled to provide updates on ongoing and emerging issues across the health and care system.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The Commission was due to approve the minutes of the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission meeting held on 13 January 2026.

Work Programme

The Commission was scheduled to review and note its work programme for the 2025-26 municipal year. The work programme indicated that future meetings would cover topics such as Fit for Purpose? Newham's Leisure Inequalities and the Borough's Plans to Address Them, CQC Update – Adult Social Care Assurance, and further stages of the Close to Home review.

Date of Next Meeting

The date of the next meeting was noted as Tuesday 24 February 2026 at 7.00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, Newham Town Hall.