The Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission were scheduled to discuss a range of topics, including an update from the Independent Chair of the Southwark Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB), a briefing on damp and mould in council housing, and an update on pain management services. Also on the agenda were updates on access to medical appointments, cancer prevention and early diagnosis, and safeguarding.

Damp and Mould

The commission was scheduled to receive an update from the Housing department on damp and mould issues in council properties. Public Health were also scheduled to provide information on research into the potential return on investment in damp and mould prevention.

The report pack included background information, noting that a previous report was presented to the commission in July 2024. The commission requested further information from Housing on several areas, including:

• How the council uses data from the reactive damp and mould service.
• How this data dovetails with stock condition surveys and major works.
• Links to planned retrofit work to improve insulation and ventilation.
• Cost and budget implications related to capital investment.
• Sources of external funding, such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund¹, carbon offset funds, and the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) flex².
• How damp is assessed and addressed in temporary accommodation.

The report pack stated that Responsive Repairs is planning for the implementation of Awaab's Law[^4], which is scheduled to be implemented in October 2025. The service is also looking at data and proactive measures to eliminate mould.

The council has committed to undertaking stock condition surveys of its blocks and individual homes, beginning in June 2025. The tender for this work is expected to be awarded in April 2025, with a pilot programme taking place between April and June 2025. The surveys will look for damp and mould, as well as factors that may cause it, such as heating, structure, and windows and doors.

The report pack stated that the planned works programme is under review and will be heavily influenced by the stock condition surveys. The damp and mould team within Reactive Repairs input into these schemes, and collaborative working will increase as the stock conditions are completed across the borough.

The council submitted a bid for the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) as part of the pan-London Strategic Partnership led by the Retrofit London programme at London Councils, in November 2024. Southwark will deliver energy efficiency and carbon reduction measures to 250+ street properties in Nunhead & Peckham, including installing air-source heat pumps to 40 homes. The council is also seeking funding through the ECO/GBIS programme, which will deliver insulation and other energy efficiency measures to a further 80 homes.

Following the Scrutiny Commission meeting in July 2024, the Responsive Repairs team looked at the service offering around damp and mould in temporary accommodation. Damp and mould works required to temporary accommodation homes are now undertaken by the dedicated damp and mould team, not the temporary accommodation repairs team.

The report pack stated that living in homes that are warm, dry, and safe and free from damp and mould enables individuals and communities to thrive. Damp and mould in the home has consequences for social, physical, and mental health.

Pain Management Update

The commission was scheduled to receive an update on the Pain and Neuromodulation Service at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.

The report pack noted that on 25 April 2024, the commission received an update on South East London (SEL) and Southwark chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain services. During the committee’s discussion, members raised concerns about patients being lost to follow-up, which were believed to be related to administrative issues.

The Pain and Neuromodulation Service at Guy’s and St Thomas’ is recognised nationally and internationally as a leading centre of pain medicine. It is a NHS specialist service for Spinal Cord Stimulation and for residential psychology-based pain management programmes.

The service offers or supports a number of multidisciplinary subspecialist services, including:

• Neuromodulation
• Spinal Pain
• Neuropathic Pain
• Headache and Facial Pain
• Cancer pain
• Pelvic Pain
• Urological Pain
• Refractory Angina
• Sickle Cell Pain
• Opioid reduction
• Paediatric Pain

The service is staffed by 10 consultants, 18 nurses, 13 psychologists, 3 occupational therapists, 11 physiotherapists, and 18 administrative staff.

From early 2022 to 2023, the Pain and Neuromodulation Service at GSTT faced administrative staffing challenges due to long-term sickness absences and turnover. In addition, in 2022, a significant Trust-wide IT incident disrupted service administration. In 2023, the Trust introduced a new electronic healthcare record system, Epic. During this transition, the service experienced multiple issues with appointment booking and omissions.

As a result of these problems, approximately 80 patients have been identified and seen whose follow-up appointments were “lost.” The report pack stated that these issues have now been resolved.

Southwark Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report

Anna Berry, Independent Chair of the Southwark Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB), was scheduled to attend for her annual interview. The Southwark Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report was to follow.