The Adults, Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Durham County Council met on Friday 10 July 2026. The meeting agenda included discussions on the transition to strategic commissioning by the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, the Care Quality Commission's inspection framework for GP practices, and performance management for the 2025/26 financial year. The committee was also scheduled to review its work programme for the upcoming year and receive an update on adult social care services.

North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board Transition to Strategic Commissioning

The committee was scheduled to receive a presentation on the transition of the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) to strategic commissioning. This transition involves a streamlined operating model focused on outcomes, value, and impact, with commissioning undertaken by multi-professional teams supported by enhanced insight, strategy, and policy capabilities. Place partnerships are moving to locally led governance, with the ICB retaining strategic oversight. The presentation was to be delivered by Lynn Wilson, Director of Commissioning for the Central Neighbourhood Team, and Anya Paradis, Deputy Director of Commissioning for the Central Neighbourhood Team.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) Inspection Framework

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to understanding the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) inspection framework for GP practices. A report from the Director of Legal and Democratic Services and a presentation by Gill Cockram, CQC Inspector, were scheduled to inform committee members about the CQC's vision and purpose, its regulatory activities, the draft Primary and Community Care Framework, how quality statements are scored, and a summary of ratings for GP practices in County Durham. The CQC's role as the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England, ensuring services provide safe, effective, compassionate, and high-quality care, was to be outlined. The framework involves registering providers, monitoring, inspecting, and rating services, and taking action when standards are not met. The presentation was expected to cover the five key questions the CQC asks of all care services: Is it safe? Is it effective? Is it caring? Is it responsive to people's needs? And is it well-led?

Quarter 4 Performance Management 2025/26

The committee was to review the Quarter 4 Performance Management Report for 2025/26, which provides an update on progress towards the strategic ambitions and objectives set out in the Council Plan 2025-30. The report, compiled by the Chief Executive, details performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) through 'easy to read' dashboards, focusing on trends, direction of travel, benchmarking, and performance against targets. The data presented was from 31 March 2026, alongside contextual information on activities during the fourth quarter of the financial year. The report highlights areas that are going well, such as the high percentage of service users achieving desired outcomes from the adult safeguarding process and an increase in reablement packages. It also addresses issues we are addressing, including the rate of admissions to permanent residential or nursing care, which was noted as being higher than the Better Care Fund target.

Refresh of the Work Programme 2026/27

The committee was asked to consider and comment on the proposed draft work programme for 2026/27. This programme is designed to reflect the objectives and outcomes identified in the Council Plan 2025-2030 and the County Durham Vision 2035, focusing on the strategic ambitions of 'more and better jobs', 'long and independent lives', and 'connected communities'. The work programme is intended to be flexible to accommodate emerging issues throughout the year. Key themes relevant to the committee include 'Caring for our People' and 'Building Better Communities'. The report also listed the various reports and presentations scrutinised by the committee during the 2025/26 year, providing context for future planning.

Adult Services Update

An update on adult social care services was scheduled, focusing on progress with service improvement activity, particularly the development of an adult social care service user forum. This forum aims to provide a space for individuals to share their experiences and ideas to improve services. The report noted that the first meetings of the forum were held in June 2026 and were well-received. The update also covered the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) updated approach to local authority assessment, which introduces a more flexible and relational approach with a greater focus on listening to people's voices, including unpaid carers. The report indicated that progress with the current Service Improvement Plan (SIP) for adult social care is good, with no risks highlighted.