The Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Wednesday, 3 June 2026, to discuss significant structural changes within the NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB), a review of fertility treatment commissioning, and the proposed redesign of Bedgebury Ward. The committee also reviewed the response to a Meningitis B outbreak. A key decision made was to write to the Secretary of State requesting a call-in of the ICB's revised fertility treatment policy.

Structural Changes to NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board

Dominic Cox, Deputy Chief Commissioning Officer for NHS Kent and Medway ICB, presented an overview of the upcoming structural changes to the ICB, which were due to take effect from 1 July 2026. These changes are part of a national direction to implement a new operating model, aiming for more strategic commissioning, a greater focus on inequalities, and increased clinical leadership and partner engagement. The ICB is planning to start its commissioning intentions and priorities earlier, engaging with partners and the public over the summer to agree priorities for service changes from April.

Councillor Stuart Jeffery, a representative on the Integrated Care Partnership, raised concerns about the lack of explicit integration with local authorities in the presented plans and questioned how wider inequalities would be addressed. He also queried the move away from pooled budgets for all-age continuing care, suggesting it might exacerbate existing problems. Mr. Cox explained that a focus on neighbourhood health teams and joint commissioning would be key to addressing inequalities and working with local authorities.

Councillor Shane Mochrie-Cox questioned the system of scrutiny, particularly with the abolition of Healthwatch, and expressed concern that decisions might become solely clinically led without sufficient community input. He also raised doubts about the genuine community engagement in the development of neighbourhood plans, suggesting they were already a fait accompli.

Concerns were also raised about the financial aspects of the ICB's operations, with Mr. Harry Rayner highlighting a significant debt owed to Kent County Council and questioning the lack of financial detail in the report to prevent future deficits.

The committee noted the report on the structural changes.

Changes to Commissioning of Fertility Treatments in Kent and Medway

The committee discussed significant changes made by NHS Kent and Medway to its commissioned fertility treatment policy, which came into effect on 1 April 2026. These changes include reducing the age eligibility for treatment from under 40 to before the 38th birthday, decreasing the number of funded IVF/ICSI cycles from up to two to one, and reducing the number of embryo transfers from up to four to up to two.

NHS Kent and Medway stated that these changes were based on clinical evidence, aiming to focus resources on patients most likely to benefit, maximise outcomes, and ensure the sustainability of services. They acknowledged that the previous offer was already below NICE guidance and that 69% of ICBs nationally now offer a single cycle.

However, the decision sparked considerable debate. Councillor Shane Mochrie-Cox and Councillor Stuart Jeffery strongly criticised the changes, arguing they were cost-saving measures rather than being solely evidence-based, and that they would have devastating consequences for families. They highlighted that the changes departed from NICE guidelines and that public engagement had shown strong support for maintaining the previous provision. Concerns were also raised about the impact on lower-income families and the potential increase in stress for those undergoing treatment.

Following extensive discussion, a motion proposed by Councillor Stuart Jeffery and seconded by Councillor Shane Mochrie-Cox was passed, requesting the Secretary of State to call in the decision for review. The committee voted 12 to 3 in favour of this motion.

Bedgebury Ward and Proposed Service Redesign

The committee considered a proposal to redesign the pathway for Bedgebury Ward, a 10-bed step-down rehabilitation unit located within the medium-secure estate at the Trevor Gibbens Unit in Maidstone. The current model was deemed not to align with national rehabilitation standards, and the proposal was to decommission the ward and reinvest the resource into more proactive, community-based assertive outreach services.

NHS Kent and Medway representatives explained that Bedgebury Ward's location within a medium-secure environment was suboptimal for rehabilitation, and that admissions had already been paused. The released funding would enhance community mental health provision, supporting individuals to move more directly from secure care into the community with intensive support.

Councillor Harry Rayner moved that the redesign constituted a substantial variation of service, requesting further financial details and an update from NHS Kent and Medway representatives. He argued that the report lacked sufficient financial information and that the committee needed more data to make an informed decision. This was seconded by Councillor Stuart Jeffery.

Concerns were raised about potential cost shunting and ensuring that the reinvestment truly benefited patients rather than just budget lines. Questions were also asked about the impact on local authorities and the capacity of existing community mental health teams (CMHTs) to absorb increased demand.

The committee voted to deem the Bedgebury Ward pathway redesign a substantial variation of service and requested that NHS Kent and Medway representatives be invited to attend a future committee meeting to provide an update, including the requested financial and impact information.

Meningitis B Outbreak Response

The committee received a summary of the response to a Meningitis B outbreak in Canterbury in March 2026. The report highlighted an excellent collaborative response across multiple agencies, including Kent County Council, NHS, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), schools, the University of Kent, and a local nightclub. A major incident was declared, leading to the rapid administration of 13,500 antibiotic courses and 12,000 vaccinations.

While the response was praised for its speed, scale, and effectiveness, learning points were identified regarding coordination between local and national bodies and workforce resilience.

Councillor Alex Ricketts and Oliver Bradshaw raised concerns about the initial flagging of the incident, questioning the time taken to report it and the role of the University of Kent. They requested further information on how the incident was initially flagged and any potential failures in that process. Mr. Rayner acknowledged the concerns about the slow start but commended the KCC administration for its handling of the situation and briefing of opposition leaders. Councillor Stuart Jeffery proposed thanking the teams involved and noting sympathies for the families of those who died, which was agreed.

The committee noted the report and agreed to request further information on the initial flagging of the incident.