This meeting was scheduled to receive a number of reports on the work of the council and its partners. This included updates on public health initiatives, safeguarding adults at risk, and performance in responding to adult social care complaints. It was also scheduled to receive the Chief Financial Officer Report which details the projected revenue and capital budget outturn for the financial year 2024/25 as at 30 September 2024.

Public Health

The committee was scheduled to receive an introduction to the Barnet Public Health Department and its work. This was to include an update on current progress with the renewal of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

Public Health departments are responsible for improving the health of their local population. They also deliver public health services, with some services being mandatory, and others at the discretion of the local authority. Examples of mandatory services include:

• access to sexual health services
• health protection, which includes immunisation and screening plans
• the national Child Measurement Programme. ¹ Examples of services mandated to public health by central government include:
• smoking cessation
• substance misuse services
• support for rough sleepers

Other public health services are delivered by local authorities, depending on local and national priorities.

The Barnet Public Health Business Plan 2024-2027 outlines five guiding principles:

1. Making health everyone's responsibility - ensuring that health is everyone’s business, not just the responsibility of agencies primarily concerned with health and wellbeing, but also for those that work to improve wider determinants of health.
2. Collaborative partnership - Working in collaborative partnership across organisations, learning from different viewpoints across the whole system.
3. Evidence-based decisions - Using a robust evidence base to inform decisions, ensuring that our investment creates maximum value for money and our resources are distributed fairly
4. Considering everyone’s needs across the life course - Considering the needs of all parts of the population.
5. Co-design approach - Involving residents in resolving challenges, and ensuring their needs are met.

The renewal process for the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy was scheduled to be described in a presentation, and feedback on the strategy was scheduled to be requested from attendees. The strategy is scheduled to be subject to formal public consultation after feedback is received.

Safeguarding Adults Board

The committee was scheduled to receive the Barnet Multi-Agency Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2023-2024.

The Care Act 2014 ² requires each Local Authority to set up a Safeguarding Adults Board, which has to publish an annual report. The Barnet Safeguarding Adults Board (BSAB) was first set up in 2002, and became a statutory body on 1 April 2015. It is a partnership of voluntary, statutory and community organisations, working together to protect adults from abuse and neglect.

The report was scheduled to detail the work done by the BSAB during 2023-2024, and set out its plans for 2024-2025.

Adult Social Care Complaints

The committee was scheduled to receive the Adult Social Care Annual Complaints Report 2023-2024.

Councils with adult social care responsibilities are legally required to publish an annual complaints report. Effective complaints management is an important element in maintaining the Council’s reputation, and can help the council improve its services.

The report was scheduled to provide an overview of how Barnet Council manages and responds to adult social care complaints. It was also scheduled to include examples of learning from complaints, to highlight how this information can be used to improve services.

Chief Finance Officer Report

The committee was scheduled to consider the contents of the Chief Finance Officer report for 2024/25.

As part of the Council’s scrutiny arrangements, it is important that the sub-committee have oversight of the financial position of the services that fall under their remit. The report contains a summary of the council’s revenue and capital forecast outturn for the financial year 2024/25, as at Month 6 (30 September 2024).

Mid-Year Quality Accounts

The committee was scheduled to receive mid-year updates from Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust, North London Hospice and Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust following their annual Quality Accounts reports (2023-2024).

Healthcare providers who publish Quality Accounts are required to invite comments on the report from Overview and Scrutiny Committees prior to publication.

The committee was scheduled to review progress since the publication of the Quality Accounts 2023-2024, and provide feedback to the Trusts.

Discharge to Assess Task and Finish Group

The committee was scheduled to receive the report of the Discharge to Assess Task and Finish Group, which had concluded its work in October 2024.

The report is scheduled to be presented to the Cabinet on 5 December 2024.

Cabinet Forward Plan

The committee was scheduled to review the Cabinet Forward Plan.

The Cabinet Forward Plan sets out the key decisions that the Cabinet is expected to make over the next year. The committee was scheduled to identify any items they may wish to request for pre-decision scrutiny during 2024-2025.

Task and Finish Group Updates

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on all of its current Task and Finish Groups.

Adults and Health Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee Forward Plan

The committee was scheduled to review its Forward Plan and receive an update on items to be allocated.

Health and Wellbeing Board Forward Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to review the Health and Wellbeing Board Forward Work Programme.