The North West London Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC) is scheduled to meet on Thursday 19 March 2026. The meeting's agenda includes discussions on significant changes to specialist children's services, cancer prevention, and the transformation of a mental health ward.

Planned Temporary Move of Specialist Children's Heart, Lung, and Critical Care Inpatient Services

A key item for discussion is the planned temporary move of specialist children's heart, lung, and critical care inpatient services, currently provided by Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust (GSTT). This move is being considered due to clinical risk escalation regarding the safety and sustainability of the paediatric cardiac surgical service. The proposal is to consolidate these services at the Evelina London Children's Hospital and St Thomas' Hospital site. The report outlines that this move is driven by the need to maintain patient safety and comply with national Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) standards, which mandate the co-location of certain services. The document details the current patient safety risks, including an unsustainable 1:2.5 on-call rota for cardiac surgeons, and the impact on paediatric respiratory services which rely on the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at the Royal Brompton Hospital (RBH). The report also covers the proposed facilities to accommodate the move, governance and regulatory oversight, and patient involvement strategies. This temporary change is intended as a safeguard until a formal, commissioner-led long-term service reconfiguration process is completed.

Cancer Prevention and Early Diagnosis Across North West London

The committee is scheduled to review plans for cancer prevention and early diagnosis across North West London. While the specific details of this discussion are marked as To follow in the agenda, it indicates a focus on strategies to address cancer rates within the region.

Transforming the Crystal House Specialist LD CAMHS Ward

Another significant topic for discussion is the proposed transformation of the Crystal House Specialist Learning Disability Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) ward. The report indicates that the current inpatient model is no longer meeting the needs of patients or aligning with national priorities and upcoming legislation for the care of children and young people with learning disabilities. The document highlights the low usage and high cost of the current 5-bed unit, which has admitted very few patients over six years. A proposal for a new model of care is presented, focusing on earlier, community-based support to improve outcomes and provide better value. This new model aims to reach significantly more children and young people, prevent escalation of needs, and reduce costly admissions. The report details how resources will be reinvested into the CAMHS pathway within North West London, with a focus on prevention and early intervention.

North West London JHOSC Recommendations Tracker

The committee will review the North West London JHOSC Recommendations Tracker. This item provides an update on recommendations and information requests made by the committee in previous years, tracking the decisions made by NHS bodies and the progress of their implementation. The tracker includes appendices detailing recommendations from the 2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26 municipal years.

North West London JHOSC 2025/26 Work Programme

The committee will also consider its Work Programme for the 2025/26 municipal year. This agenda item outlines the health policy areas the committee plans to review during the year, based on a prioritisation process. The programme is designed to be flexible, allowing for the inclusion of emerging items. The report notes that the Planned Temporary Move of Specialist Children's Heart, Lung, and Critical Care Inpatient Services and the Transforming the Crystal House Specialist LD CAMHS Ward have been added to the programme for the 19 March 2026 meeting. Items such as Digital Health, Data Use, AI and Digital Inclusion and Weight Loss Drug Supply and Roll Out have been deferred to the 2026/27 municipal year.