The Health and Adult Social Care Policy and Accountability Committee of Hammersmith and Fulham Council met on Monday 28 April 2025. The meeting's agenda included discussions on the preparation for adulthood for young people, and the priorities and governance of the Hammersmith & Fulham Health and Care Partnership for the upcoming year.

Preparation for Adulthood in Hammersmith & Fulham

A significant portion of the meeting was scheduled to focus on the progress made in supporting young people as they transition from children's services to adult social care. This initiative, a key priority within the Hammersmith & Fulham Local Area SEND Strategy[^1], aims to ensure a seamless transition for young people up to the age of 25. The report pack detailed a commitment to strengthening the young person's voice in their transition planning, implementing a new 16-25 young people's mental health service, and developing clear protocols and pathways across education, health, and care services.

The report highlighted the establishment of a new Transitions Team, fully recruited and operational since 2023, which had supported 38 young people in the last year. This team works to build knowledge and capacity within a wider 'virtual transitions team'. The development of a Preparation for Adulthood Pathways and Protocol guide, co-produced with stakeholders, was also noted. Furthermore, the report outlined efforts to increase supported internships, apprenticeships, and employment offers, including the refreshed Inclusive Employment Forum and the Upstream London initiative. A personal account from Monique Adorno, a participant in the Hammersmith and Fulham Supported Internship programme, was included, detailing her experiences in library and retail placements and her aspirations for future paid employment. The report recommended that the Committee note the contents of this discussion.

Hammersmith & Fulham Health and Care Partnership Priorities and Governance 2025-26

The committee was also scheduled to review the overarching plan, priorities, and governance for the Hammersmith & Fulham Health and Care Partnership for the 2025-26 period. This partnership, established in 2016, brings together health and care organisations and local residents to improve health, care, and wellbeing outcomes.

The report indicated that a review of the partnership's operations, workstreams, and governance had been conducted, with feedback suggesting a need for greater clarity on collective purpose and ambition, and for refreshed workstreams and governance structures. A refreshed purpose statement and new governance structure had been agreed upon by strategic partners. The partnership's priorities include Creating Health by focusing on the wider determinants of health, reducing health inequity, empowering communities, and supporting self-care and independence, guided by the Hammersmith & Fulham Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The other priority is Integrating Services by joining up services for those with complex needs, sharing care and risk, developing accessible services, improving quality, and reducing duplication.

The report also delved into the concept of neighbourhood health, which aims to reconnect professionals from different organisations around general practice to foster a more relationship-based approach. This would involve establishing Integrated Neighbourhood Teams serving populations of 70,000 to 100,000 residents, with the aim of improving access, integration, personalisation, continuity of care, and health outcomes. The report detailed the proposed structure for these teams, outlining the GP practices and primary care networks that would form the North, Central, and South Integrated Neighbourhood Teams. Key next steps for the partnership include building relationships, implementing revised governance, developing realistic programmes, and enhancing engagement and co-production with local people.

The meeting was also scheduled to approve the minutes of the previous meeting and note the dates of future meetings.