The Health and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Leicestershire County Council met on Wednesday 3 June 2026 to discuss a range of health-related topics. The meeting's agenda included a report on improving hospital discharge, an update on learning disability annual health checks, and a comprehensive review of vaccination and immunisation programmes across the county.

Improving Hospital Discharge

The committee was scheduled to consider a report from Healthwatch Leicester and Leicestershire concerning the experiences of patients and carers regarding hospital discharge. The report aimed to highlight what was working well and identify areas for improvement in the discharge process. Key findings from patient and carer feedback indicated that while a majority felt involved in discharge discussions, a significant proportion did not receive clear information about follow-up care, medication, or support after leaving hospital. Medication delays were noted as a common cause of frustration, and a low percentage of carers were informed of their right to a Carers' Assessment. The report recommended that the committee note these findings and support system partners in using the learning to inform ongoing discharge improvement, patient experience, and inequality-reduction work. Healthwatch Leicester and Leicestershire planned to continue gathering feedback to assess progress.

Learning Disability Annual Health Check Progress Update

An update was scheduled on the work of the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) Learning Disability and Autism (LDA) Collaborative to increase the number of people with a learning disability (aged 14 and over) receiving an Annual Health Check (AHC) from their primary care provider. The report highlighted that people with a learning disability experience poorer health outcomes and a higher rate of avoidable deaths. The LDA Collaborative's approach prioritises access through a person's own GP to strengthen relationships and ensure holistic assessments. The report detailed progress in increasing the number of AHCs carried out, exceeding national targets. It also covered initiatives to improve the quality of AHCs and Health Action Plans (HAPs), a project focused on increasing uptake among 14-19 year olds, and efforts to reduce inequalities for individuals from deprived communities. A significant part of the update was dedicated to a national pilot combining health checks for severe mental illness (SMI), learning disabilities, and autistic people.

Vaccination and Immunisation Programmes

A joint report from the NHS LLR ICB Vaccination & Immunisation team and the Director of Public Health was to provide an overview of life-course vaccination delivery across Leicestershire. The report detailed current arrangements, recent activity, challenges, and future directions for vaccination services, with a particular focus on reducing persistent inequalities.

Key areas covered included:

• Pregnancy and Early Years: Generally strong uptake for vaccinations offered during pregnancy and early childhood, though variations were noted, with lower uptake in more deprived communities.
• Children and Young People: Routine childhood and adolescent vaccinations, including MMR and HPV, were discussed. While coverage had improved in some cohorts, HPV and older childhood boosters remained priority areas, especially for those who missed school-based delivery.
• Young and Working-age Adults: The report noted that young adults are less likely to engage with routine healthcare, leading to missed vaccinations. Efforts to expand community-based and walk-in offers were highlighted.
• Older Adults: Vaccinations for older people, including flu, COVID-19, pneumococcal, and shingles, showed strong uptake, though variations by place and population group persisted.
• Cross-cutting Themes: The report detailed significant issues related to inequalities in uptake, with a strong socioeconomic gradient and widening gaps in some programmes. It also addressed challenges posed by rurality, which can create practical access barriers, and highlighted lower uptake in some ethnic minority groups due to factors including cultural and linguistic differences, and confidence in vaccination services.

Specific vaccination programmes were examined in detail:

• HPV Vaccination Programme: Uptake remained higher among girls than boys, with challenges in reaching students who missed school sessions. Efforts to expand post-school catch-up and improve consent pathways were outlined.
• Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR): Two-dose coverage remained below the 95% threshold required to prevent outbreaks, with significant inequalities in protection evident at Primary Care Network level. The report noted a material outbreak risk due to this sub-optimal coverage.
• Meningococcal Group B (MenB) Vaccination: While Leicestershire performed relatively well overall for the infant MenB programme, a gradual decline in coverage had been observed. The adolescent programme against other meningitis strains (MenACWY) showed a more marked decline.
• Seasonal Vaccinations (COVID-19 & Flu): Uptake in those aged 65 and over was broadly consistent with national levels, but considerably lower in other eligible cohorts, such as individuals under 65 in clinical risk groups and pregnant women. Declining trends were noted in younger children, and significant inequalities were evident across ethnic groups for COVID-19 vaccination.

The report also detailed Capacity Enhancing Support initiatives, including the Roving Healthcare Unit (RHU) and the Supervaccinator Workforce, designed to improve access and support targeted interventions. Recent projects like the Local Immunisation Street Team (LIST) and the Public Health Investment Fund (PHIF) were highlighted for their work with Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) partners to address barriers to vaccination uptake in communities experiencing inequality. The committee was invited to note the progress and provide comments on how life-course vaccination delivery could continue to improve.