The Healthier Communities Select Committee was scheduled to discuss the progress of the Birmingham and Lewisham African & Caribbean Health Inequalities Review (BLACHIR) and receive a final report on the Empowering Lewisham Programme. The committee was also due to review its work programme for the upcoming year.

Response to BLACHIR

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the implementation of recommendations from the Birmingham and Lewisham African & Caribbean Health Inequalities Review (BLACHIR) and the Lewisham Health Inequalities and Health Equity Programme 2022-24. The BLACHIR report, launched in July 2022, identified seven key themes and 39 opportunities for action to address health inequalities experienced by Black African and Black Caribbean communities. The Health Inequalities and Health Equity Programme acts as the vehicle for delivering these actions.

The report pack indicated that progress had been made on 26 of the 39 opportunities for action, with 13 being progressed through the two-year programme. Some opportunities were already being addressed through existing work, such as the Race Equality Programme in Lewisham Schools and work by the Lewisham Maternity Voices Partnership. The report highlighted that a community partner, the Social Inclusion Recovery Group (SIRG), had been commissioned to support co-production and engagement with residents.

Several specific opportunities for action were noted for further development, including guidance for Black African and Black Caribbean parents and young people on education applications, promoting cultural competency training across various sectors, working with faith settings to understand their role in healthier behaviours, and ensuring culturally appropriate data collection and analysis.

Empowering Lewisham Programme - Final Report

The committee was scheduled to receive a final report on the Empowering Lewisham Adult Social Care transformation and modernisation programme. This programme, which began with a diagnostic phase in April 2021, aimed to improve outcomes for vulnerable residents and deliver significant recurrent savings. The report indicated that the programme had already delivered over £4.2 million in savings, exceeding its initial forecast.

The programme focused on several workstreams: Decision Making, Enablement, Progression & Next Steps (for Adults with Learning Disabilities), Change and Culture, and Digital Delivery. The report highlighted improvements in decision-making processes, leading to a reduction in unnecessary home care hours and fewer residents requiring residential or nursing placements. The Enablement service had seen increased capacity and effectiveness, with a reduction in the hours of support needed by clients post-enablement. For Adults with Learning Disabilities, the Progression and Next Steps workstream had supported individuals to move to more independent settings and reduce their care packages, unlocking significant savings.

The programme had also been recognised with awards, including a commendation at the MJ Awards for Workforce Optimisation. The report detailed the financial benefits realised and projected, with the programme on track to deliver substantial recurrent savings.

Select Committee Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to discuss and agree its priorities for the 2024-25 municipal year. The draft work programme included items such as a final report on the Empowering Lewisham Programme, an update on the community model of mental health from South London and Maudsley NHS Trust (SLaM), and discussions on social prescribing and community care. Other suggested topics included updates from the South East London Integrated Care Board (SEL ICB) on Primary Care Networks (PCNs), and access to primary care.

The committee was also to consider suggestions from officers, including a response to the BLACHIR review and a report on Carers in Lewisham, as well as issues arising from previous scrutiny, such as an update on University Hospital Lewisham. The committee was encouraged to prioritise its work programme in line with the Council's corporate strategy and to consider opportunities for informal information gathering sessions, public engagement, and visits.

Declarations of Interest

The committee was scheduled to address declarations of interest from members regarding any personal interests in the items on the agenda. The report outlined the types of personal interests, including disclosable pecuniary interests, other registerable interests, and non-registerable interests, and the procedures for declaring and managing such interests during meetings.