The Health Scrutiny Committee of Hertfordshire Council is scheduled to meet on Tuesday 15 September 2026. The agenda includes discussions on patient experience in GP services, the experiences of carers accessing primary care, and improving communication pathways for deaf patients. The committee will also review its work programme for the upcoming year.

Patient Experience in GP Services

A report is scheduled to be presented on patient experience, access, and improvement in GP services across the Hertfordshire neighbourhood of the NHS Central East ICB¹. The report aims to provide an overview of how patient feedback is collected, understood, and acted upon. Key themes identified from patient feedback include access and choice of contact routes, telephone contact, appointment navigation, communication, continuity of care, and variations between practices. The report will also detail actions planned through the Primary Care Action Plan, including strengthened access requirements in the 2026/27 GP contract, such as clinically urgent requests being dealt with on the same day and patients not being asked to call back another day. The committee will be asked to note how the ICB collates patient feedback, the key themes arising from it, and the actions to be taken forward. Initial analysis of the 2026 GP Patient Survey for Hertfordshire practices will also be presented, highlighting areas for further analysis to support specific practices.

Carers' Experience of Primary Care Services

The committee is set to consider a report detailing the experiences of unpaid carers accessing primary care services in Hertfordshire. The report, from Carers in Hertfordshire², highlights that while carers are essential partners in health and care delivery, caring can significantly impact their own health and wellbeing, with access to primary care support remaining inconsistent. The report notes that examples of excellent practice exist but wider adoption and greater consistency are needed. Recommendations for the committee to consider include reaffirming the ICB's commitment to improving health outcomes for unpaid carers, encouraging GP practices to actively identify and register carers, promoting consistent countywide standards for carer support through Primary Care Networks (PCNs), and continuing to commission and monitor annual carers' health checks. It is also suggested that Carer Champions³ be provided with protected time and training, and that good practice examples are shared across PCNs. The report further recommends that digital access arrangements be supplemented by accessible telephone and face-to-face alternatives, and that General Practice strengthens referral pathways to Carers in Hertfordshire and other support services.

Improving Communication for Deaf Patients

A report titled Beyond Barriers to Better Health: Improving Communication Pathways in Primary Care for Deaf Patients is scheduled for discussion. This report focuses on the challenges faced by profoundly Deaf patients who use British Sign Language (BSL)⁴ as their primary means of communication when accessing primary care. The project involved engagement with Deaf clubs and networks across Hertfordshire, with a survey completed by Deaf individuals and primary care professionals. Key findings indicate that communication difficulties lead to delays in accessing help and a poorer quality of care, with many Deaf people relying on pen and paper or family members for communication, which is not always appropriate or conducive to independence. The report highlights that access to face-to-face BSL interpreters or Video Remote Interpreting (VRI)⁵ services is inconsistent, and that issues with booking interpreters and technological barriers, such as the NHS App⁶ lacking a BSL interpreter request setting, create significant challenges. The report includes recommendations for actively tackling communication exclusion, ensuring individual choice and agency, creating more welcoming spaces, and introducing regular and mandatory staff training on Deaf awareness and BSL. The committee will be asked to consider these findings and recommendations, potentially writing to MPs in support of the initiative and engaging with local primary care providers.

Health Scrutiny Work Programme

The committee will also review its work programme for 2026-27. This includes considering additions, deletions, and prioritisation of items for scrutiny. A proposal form for new scrutiny topics is available, and specific attention is drawn to appendices concerning the Palantir Federated Data Platform⁷, following concerns raised by East Herts Council and a resident regarding data security and privacy. The committee will be asked to approve the work programme with any agreed amendments and additions, and to agree a clear scope for the items included.