The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee of Camden Council met on Tuesday 15 September 2026 to discuss a range of important issues concerning the health and wellbeing of residents. Key topics included the annual reports of the Camden Safeguarding Adults Board and Healthwatch Camden, as well as the council's response to extreme heat events. The committee also reviewed its work programme and considered updates from the Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care.

Camden Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2025-26

The committee was scheduled to consider the annual report of the Camden Safeguarding Adults Board (CSAB) for the 2025-26 period. This report, a statutory requirement under the Care Act 2014, details the board's activities in achieving its objectives and implementing its strategic plan. It also outlines the contributions of member organisations and the findings of any safeguarding adults reviews. The report highlighted a significant increase in safeguarding concerns, with 'Neglect' and 'Acts of Omission' remaining the most prevalent types of abuse investigated. Challenges faced included the increasing complexity of safeguarding concerns, often involving multiple disadvantages, and ensuring recommendations from reviews were embedded into practice. The report also detailed the board's priorities for 2026-27, focusing on amplifying individual voices, strengthening prevention, enhancing practice, building partnerships, and improving accountability.

Response to Extreme Heat

A report was presented summarising the heatwave preparedness and response activities across Camden's health and care system in light of the unprecedented hot weather experienced during the summer of 2026. The report detailed the council's Severe Weather Corporate Response Plan, including coordination arrangements and the distribution of alerts. It also outlined a workshop held in April 2026 to prepare services for extreme heat, with follow-up sessions for specific teams. Training materials and resources were made available to staff, and a webpage was developed for residents with guidance on preparing for hot weather. The council's support for the Cool Spaces programme, providing public respite areas, was also discussed, along with the pilot Cool Kits programme offering practical support to vulnerable residents. The report also touched upon enhanced outreach for rough sleepers during heat alerts and the efforts of Adult Social Care and Housing and Estates teams.

Healthwatch Camden Annual Report

The committee was scheduled to review Healthwatch Camden's annual report for 2025-2026. This report provided an overview of campaigns, statistics, activities, and impact during the year ending March 2026. It marked the conclusion of Healthwatch Camden's 2022-2026 strategic plan and introduced priorities for 2027, acknowledging that 2026-2027 would be its final year of operation if government legislation progressed as intended. The report highlighted significant achievements, including extensive reach through public health campaigns, in-depth research into the experiences of specific community groups such as diabetic Bengali women and seldom-heard groups accessing sexual health services, and the impact of its work on service changes. Healthwatch Camden estimated delivering £1.35 million in social value during the 2025-26 period.

Update of the Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care

An update was provided on the portfolio of the Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care, Councillor Kemi Atolagbe. This included information on service pressures within Adult Social Care, with increasing demand noted across various services, particularly in neighbourhood teams, occupational therapy, and safeguarding. The report detailed efforts to reduce long waits and address review backlogs. It also covered safeguarding activity, including the number of safeguarding concern episodes and statutory enquiries, and the ongoing review of safeguarding functions, responsibilities, and processes. Updates on the Carers Action Plan, highlighting progress in co-production and partnership working, were also included. Furthermore, the report touched upon initiatives within Health and Wellbeing, such as efforts to support smokers to quit and address health inequalities, and the Active for Life physical activity campaign targeting adults aged 60 and over.

Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee Work Programme and Action Tracker

The committee was presented with its work programme for 2026-27, developed to align with corporate priorities and identified areas of focus. The report also included an action tracker, detailing progress on actions from previous meetings. The work programme was noted as a flexible document, subject to regular changes. The report also provided draft work programmes for the Housing Scrutiny Committee and the Health and Wellbeing Board to facilitate the identification of cross-cutting issues.

The meeting was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Judd Street, London WC1H 9JE.