The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Southwark Council met on Monday 22 June 2026 to discuss the performance of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust following a CQC inspection, review scrutiny arrangements for the upcoming year, and begin planning the committee's work programme. Key decisions included the appointment of the Chair and Vice-Chair for the Housing Scrutiny Commission and the renaming of the Health and Community Safety Scrutiny Commission.

Update on South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust CQC Inspection

The committee received a presentation from Professor Derek Tracy, Chief Medical Officer, and Chief Ajipoe, Service Director for SOTOC Services at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLAM), detailing the outcomes of a recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection. The inspection identified areas requiring improvement in adult community, acute, and crisis services, as well as the overall well-led aspect of the organisation. Specific concerns included issues with seclusion room documentation, enhanced care records, care plans, privacy and dignity, staff training compliance, and waiting times for community mental health services.

SLAM has developed an action plan to address these findings, which includes initiatives such as the construction of a garden at the Health Based Place of Safety, improving mandatory training compliance to 85%, reviewing the personal alarm system for community staff, and implementing a standardised protocol for zoning patients in the community. For inpatient services, a new system has been rolled out to monitor patients under close observation, and new teams have been established to focus on physical health monitoring, working in collaboration with acute trusts like King's College Hospital and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.

Councillors raised concerns about the well-led rating, staff morale, and the need for greater clinical leadership. Professor Tracy acknowledged that addressing the cultural aspects of the well-led rating would take time and outlined plans to enhance the role of clinicians in leadership positions. The Trust is also rebalancing responsibilities within its executive team to ensure stronger clinical input. Specific examples of improved clinical practice were provided, including the increased use of long-acting injectable medication for schizophrenia and efforts to address ethnic disparities in prescribing clozapine. The committee requested quarterly progress reports from SLAM and proposed the establishment of a working group with the council to ensure patient voices are heard.

Scrutiny Arrangements for 2026-27 and Housing Scrutiny Commission Appointments

The committee discussed proposed scrutiny arrangements for the upcoming municipal year, including the appointment of the Chair and Vice-Chair for the Housing Scrutiny Commission. A debate ensued regarding the interpretation of the council's constitution, specifically Procedure Rule 2.2, concerning whether chairs of scrutiny commissions must be members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC). While an initial interpretation suggested this was a requirement, a subsequent review indicated this was not the case.

Councillor Victoria Mills proposed deferring the appointments until constitutional ambiguities were clarified and legal advice was shared. However, this proposal was not carried. Following nominations, Councillor Hellen Benavides was appointed Chair of the Housing Scrutiny Commission, and Councillor Pascale Mitchell was appointed Vice-Chair.

Work Programmes and Commission Remits for 2026-27

The committee began discussing potential scrutiny topics for the 2026-27 work programmes for the OSC and its commissions. It was agreed that the formal agreement of the annual work programmes would be deferred until the October meetings to allow for further information gathering and consultation, particularly in light of the new administration and the pending finalisation of the Borough Plan.

A wide range of potential scrutiny topics were suggested by councillors, including:

• Council Plan: Pre-scrutiny of the council's strategic priorities.
• Community Councils: Examining their budget implications and shaping their development.
• Fair Funding Review: Analysing the impact of reduced government funding on council services.
• Medium Term Financial Strategy: Understanding projected budget gaps and financial risks.
• Insourcing: Overview of contract provisions and their management.
• Regeneration: Updates on housing regeneration projects, including the Ellsbury and Marie Curie estates, and broader estate regeneration across the borough, with a focus on resident engagement.
• Housing Regulator's Report: An update on changes made following the housing regulator's report.
• Procurement: Reviewing general procurement practices for potential cost savings.
• Temporary Accommodation and Homelessness: Examining budgetary pressures and increasing costs.
• SEND Transport Policy: Reviewing the agreement with the Department for Education and the impact of government proposals.
• Children's Early Intervention: Benchmarking services against other boroughs.
• Transition from CAMHS to Adult Mental Health Services: Investigating the age range for transition.
• Drug Use and Vulnerable Populations: Examining joined-up thinking between vulnerable youth, drug use, and community safety.
• Integrated Neighbourhood Work: Understanding the health aspect and its connection to the new neighbourhood model.
• Secondary School Closures: Analysing long-term impacts and the use of the primary school estate.
• Cleaner Southwark Pilots: Following up on commitments made regarding pilot programmes.
• Repairs and Improvement Plan: Scrutinising the progress of housing repairs and improvements.
• Boyes Turnaround: Examining the turnaround of the Boys' service.
• High Street Regeneration: Focusing on initiatives like the Renew the Blue campaign.

The committee also discussed the proposed remits for the scrutiny commissions, which are based on executive member portfolios. A key point of discussion was the placement of community safety, with consideration given to its relationship with health and adult social care. It was agreed that the Health and Community Safety Scrutiny Commission would retain responsibility for crime and disorder, a statutory function.

Renaming of the Health and Community Safety Scrutiny Commission

The committee agreed to rename the Health and Community Safety Scrutiny Commission to the Health, Adult Social Care, and Community Safety Scrutiny Commission. This change was proposed to reflect the significant budgetary item and importance of adult social care, which is currently spread across different commission remits.

Scrutiny Protocol and Member Engagement

The committee discussed the importance of the scrutiny protocol, particularly regarding relationships and meetings between councillors and cabinet members. It was confirmed that efforts would be made to arrange meetings between executive members and scrutiny chairs before the next round of meetings in the autumn, building on previous pilot schemes. The aim is to ensure effective dialogue and information sharing to support meaningful scrutiny.