The Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Wokingham Council met on Monday 16 March 2026 to discuss a range of public health and adult social care performance indicators, as well as reports from Healthwatch Wokingham Borough and lessons learned from the cessation of physical activity services. Key discussions included the health of South Asian women in the borough, the performance of public health key performance indicators (KPIs), and an update on the work of Healthwatch.

Healthwatch Wokingham Borough - South Asian Women's Health Report

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the Healthwatch Wokingham Borough - South Asian Women's Health Report South Asian Womens health.pdf. The report highlighted that South Asian communities are the largest minority group in Wokingham, yet their voices are underrepresented in local health engagement. The study found that South Asian women face layered health inequalities, including low screening rates, a higher burden of diseases like Type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease, and gendered and cultural barriers to accessing care.

Key findings from the report indicated that:

• 50% of respondents reported diagnosed long-term conditions.
• 47% wanted the option of requesting a female practitioner.
• 89% desired a wider choice of appointment times, including evenings and weekends.
• 54% wanted additional locations for receiving care to allow for flexibility.
• 82% cited easy to understand as the most important factor for useful healthcare information.
• 57% wanted more time during consultations to ask questions.
• 51% did not feel confident booking appointments online.

The report made several recommendations, including a joint awareness campaign on existing healthcare services, the establishment of a Women's Health Hub, offering longer appointment times for diverse communities, introducing a Digital Appropriateness Flag on patient records, and a culturally tailored carer identification campaign. The committee noted the importance of these findings in addressing health inequalities within the borough.

Public Health KPIs Q3 2025/26

The committee received an update on the Public Health KPIs for Quarter 3 of 2025/26 Public Health KPIs Q3 2025-26.pdf. It was noted that due to data delays, most of the KPIs reported were from Quarter 2. Of the reported KPIs, one was rated Red, one Amber, and seven Green. Additionally, two of the additional inequality metrics were Red, and one was Green.

A key area of concern was KPI PH1, Mothers who received a first face-to-face antenatal contact with a health visitor at 28 weeks or above, which had remained Red for the last four quarters. Actions to improve this KPI include working with the commissioned service provider, Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BHFT), to develop a better offer for residents within budget constraints and improve data returns. The re-procurement of the health visiting and school nursing service in 2027 presents an opportunity to improve uptake and recording of antenatal visits.

Another Red KPI was PH2, concerning the percentage of babies on a targeted caseload receiving a face-to-face new birth visit within 14 days. The report highlighted that babies on targeted caseloads may remain under midwifery care longer due to extended hospital stays, impacting the timeliness of health visitor visits. Actions to improve this include the provider monitoring the metric and investigating reasons for non-attendance.

Update on the Work of Healthwatch Wokingham Borough

Alice Kunjappy-Clifton, Lead Officer for Healthwatch Wokingham Borough, provided an update on the organisation's activities from December 2025 to February 2026 Healthwatch update.pdf. Key themes raised by residents included GP access pressures, digital exclusion, long waits for hospital care, and medication delays. Positive feedback was noted for compassionate care at Royal Berkshire Hospital and excellent home birth experiences. However, negative feedback was received regarding Woodley Centre Surgery, Wokingham Medical Centre, and Brookside Practice Group, primarily concerning appointment booking and prescription issues.

Healthwatch also reported on resident concerns regarding the withdrawal of long-term Health Gym programmes at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre and ongoing concerns about the proposed Birth Centre move at Royal Berkshire Hospital. The organisation has gathered over 900 pieces of feedback on the NHS App, with early insights indicating barriers such as login difficulties and low awareness of the app's functions. The Integrated Care Board (ICB) has acknowledged these findings and proposed collaborative work on community digital inclusion. Healthwatch's workplan for 2026-27 includes focusing on neighbourhood health, enter and view visits, men as carers, youth and GP access, and addressing racism in health and social care.

Lessons Learnt – Cessation of Physical Activity Services

Caroline Vass, Director of Public Health, presented a report on the lessons learned from the cessation of three physical activity programmes: a cardiac rehabilitation programme, the Long-Term Health Condition Gym (LTHCG), and the Steady Steps programme Physical activity lessons learnt.pdf. The decision to cease these services was made because they did not meet the national rules for spending the public health ring-fenced grant.

The report acknowledged that the cessation had a greater impact on service users than initially anticipated, as many had been attending the programmes long-term. Lessons learned included the need for a more comprehensive approach to decision-making to better understand the impacts of operational changes, improved consultation with staff and service users, and more personalised communication. The council has collaborated with Places Leisure to provide a transition programme and supported referral to alternative activities. The report concluded with an apology to affected residents and a commitment to learning from the process.

Adult Services Quarter 3 2025/26 Key Performance Indicators

The committee reviewed the Adult Services KPIs for Quarter 3 of 2025/26 ASC HOSC Q3 KPI report.pdf. Of the nine KPIs reported, seven were Green (achieving target), one was Amber (slightly off target), and one was Red (off target).

KPI AS4, New permanent admissions to residential or nursing care homes (65+), was Red. The report explained that this KPI is influenced by Deferred Payment Agreements (DPAs), which can cause delays in reporting. Efforts are being made to address these reporting delays. The target for this KPI was set by the Better Care Fund (BCF) and has been unachieved in the previous year, with the 65+ population continuing to grow in Wokingham.

KPI AS6, Percentage of CQC-registered providers that are rated Good or Outstanding, was Amber. The report noted that changes in the CQC's inspection frequency and internal challenges have led to delays in updating provider ratings, making this data less reliable for assessing current care quality. The council is working closely with providers identified as being at risk.

The committee noted the performance of Adult Services and acknowledged the ongoing efforts to manage demand and complex needs within the service.