The Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to discuss the new Superloop bus route and receive updates on health services and cancer care across North East London. The meeting's agenda also included a review of the previous meeting's minutes.

Superloop Bus Route

Healthwatch Havering requested to discuss the new Superloop bus route SL12, which is being consulted on by Transport for London. This route is planned to run from Gants Hill to Rainham via Romford. The discussion was intended to explore how the route could be better utilised to serve residents of Outer North East London (ONEL). The report pack indicated no financial, legal, human resources, or equalities implications for the covering report itself. The committee was recommended to scrutinise the information presented and make any appropriate recommendations.

Health Update

The committee was scheduled to receive a health update providing highlights and information from various NHS providers. This update was intended to cover a range of health issues impacting residents of Outer North East London. The report pack noted that this item would be taken as read unless urgent business was raised. No financial implications were associated with this covering report.

The health update included information on several key areas:

• Careers Hub for NEL: The launch of a new careers hub aimed at helping residents explore adult social care and health careers, find job opportunities, and learn about work experience and apprenticeships. The hub offers tools such as skills assessments, career guides, and information for students with learning difficulties, disabilities, and/or Autism.
• Medication Shortages: Awareness of supply issues for ADHD medications and pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) medicines was noted. Actions being taken included working with pharmacies, GPs, and hospitals, providing advice to prescribers on alternatives, and working with a regional procurement centre to import PERT.
• Staff Survey Results: The 2024 staff survey results showed positive shifts, with improvements in appraisal rates, staff recommendations of the organisation as a place to work, shared team objectives, and positive views of managers. Areas for continued focus included staff health and wellbeing, bullying and harassment, and support for staff with protected characteristics.
• Changes to ICBs: An announcement regarding NHS England's reduction in size and merger into the Department of Health and Social Care was noted, with implications for Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to reduce their resource by half. This necessitates a fundamental rethink of operating models.
• Good News from NEL: Several positive developments were highlighted, including transforming diabetes care for young adults, NEL being shortlisted for an award by Student Nursing Times, delivering cutting-edge treatments, recognition for ELFT colleagues as 'Amazing Social Work Leaders', the launch of a new crisis support service in Redbridge, and Homerton's Research and Innovation capabilities receiving funding.
• Finance Overview: The report detailed the financial summary for NEL ICS for 2024/25, indicating a year-to-date deficit of £91.5m, with a forecast deficit of £80m by the end of the financial year after additional resource from NHS England. Key pressures identified included efficiency and cost improvement targets, run rate pressures (particularly in mental health and acute providers), and pay costs. The 2025/26 operating plan principles were also outlined, including a cost uplift factor and efficiency requirements, with trusts required to plan for a break-even position.
• Provider Updates: Updates were provided from Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospital NHS Trust, highlighting performance in urgent and emergency care, waiting list reductions, and cancer targets. Other updates included a 24/7 service for stroke patients and positive news regarding apprenticeships and staff survey response rates.
• North East London Collaborative Updates: Information was provided on the North East London Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism (NEL MHLDA) Collaborative and the North East London NHS Community Collaborative (NELCC). These collaborations aim to improve outcomes, quality, value, and equity across various health services. Updates covered dementia improvement, neurodiversity services, and plans for mental health, learning disability, and autism services in 2025/26. Specialised commissioning delegation for inpatient child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and perinatal mother and baby unit (MBU) services was also noted.
• Local Developments: Specific local initiatives were mentioned, including the opening of 'Well House' in Redbridge for mental health crisis support, extending hours for the Mental Health Crisis Assessment Hub at Goodmayes Hospital, and the tendering process for mental health crisis cafés in Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge, and Waltham Forest.

NEL ICB Deep Dive - Cancer

The committee was scheduled to receive a deep dive into cancer services provided by the North East London Integrated Care Board (ICB). The report aimed to provide details and updates on cancer services across the region. The overarching aim presented was to drive equity of access to cancer services and treatment outcomes for the population of north east London by March 2026.

Key areas covered in the report included:

• Introduction to the Cancer Alliance: The North East London Cancer Alliance works with various partners to improve cancer services, focusing on prevention, early diagnosis, timely treatment, and support for those affected by cancer.
• Cancer Statistics: In 2023-2024, 7,735 people were diagnosed with cancer in North East London. The most common tumour sites were prostate, breast, and lung. The total number of people living with cancer in the region was 52,979.
• Referrals and Diagnosis: In the first nine months of 2024-2025, 66,118 people were referred via the Faster Diagnosis Standard for suspected cancer, with 96.5% being given the all-clear.
• Performance Against National Cancer Standards: The report detailed performance against key targets, including the 28-day faster diagnosis standard, the 31-day decision to treat-to-treatment standard, and the 62-day referral to treatment standard. Performance varied across different providers and targets.
• Early Diagnosis and Cancer Screening: Information was provided on uptake rates for bowel, breast, and cervical screening across different boroughs. The lung cancer screening programme showed positive uptake, with a high attendance rate and a significant number of lung cancers diagnosed at early stages. Initiatives to raise awareness and increase screening uptake, particularly in diverse communities, were highlighted, including work with Turkish and Turkish Cypriot communities, the Charedi Jewish population, and Gypsy and Roma Travellers.
• Diagnosis and Treatment: The report outlined the use of Artificial Intelligence in chest X-rays to prioritise urgent cases, the rollout of multilingual clinical animations for treatment options, and the implementation of teledermatology. Improvements in histopathology turnaround times and the progress of Multidisciplinary Team Meetings (MDTs) were also noted. Specific pathways for breast pain, oncology, and gynaecology were mentioned.
• Personalised Cancer Care: The implementation of Personal Stratified Follow Up for breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers was reported, along with the live status of remote monitoring systems. Prehabilitation services had been sustained, with over 1,600 patients receiving support. National Cancer Patient Experience Survey results showed improvements in areas such as how patients are told they have cancer and involvement in treatment decisions.
• Workforce: A review of the oncology workforce in North East London was conducted, identifying strategies for involving Allied Health Professionals and pharmacists. Training and support for Cancer MDT chairs and coordinators, and a pilot for a Pan-London Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist Development Lead role were also mentioned.
• Communications and Engagement: The report detailed community engagement activities, including attending events and reaching diverse communities. The Patient and Carer Community of Practice had grown significantly, and patient stories were being captured. Support materials for patients and carers, including a 'Ten Top Tips' guide, were developed. The reach of podcasts and the success of the Cancer Alliance's HSJ Awards nominations were also highlighted.
• Priorities for 2025/2026: Key priorities included operational performance against national standards, early diagnosis, increasing screening uptake, reducing health inequalities, improving priority cancer pathways, optimising AI use, implementing national recommendations, supporting people living with and beyond cancer, and maintaining a comprehensive approach to community and public engagement.