The Joint Consultative Committee with Ethnic Minority Organisations was scheduled to discuss bowel cancer screening, the Disability Forum, and the street names project at its meeting on 17 June 2025.

The committee was also scheduled to review the minutes from its last meeting, receive updates from JCC members, and discuss agenda requests and any other business.

Street Names Project

The committee was scheduled to discuss the Merton Street Names Project. According to the report pack, street names in Merton with links to the transatlantic slave trade have been identified, and this has sparked national debates and local reflection.

The council has launched an initial engagement and consultation, and an advisory group was established in early 2024 to guide the development of a fair and inclusive approach, centring communities historically affected by the transatlantic slave trade. The advisory group is now moving into the delivery phase, with a continued focus on values, community engagement, and historical reflection.

Disability Forum

The committee was scheduled to discuss the Merton Disability Forum. The report pack states that the forum responds to the borough's EDI ¹ Strategy and Action Plan, and recognises that systemic barriers persist across services and spaces. It aims to embed lived experience in council decision-making, influence council policy, planning, and delivery, and champion equity, access, and inclusive design.

A co-design workshop was held with prospective members to explore the purpose, values, and expectations of the Forum, with key themes including accountability, transparency, and shared learning. The next steps are to finalise the Terms of Reference and hold an official kickoff session.

Bowel Cancer Screening

The committee was scheduled to discuss bowel cancer screening. Jennifer Murphy, Health Improvement Specialist from St George's University Hospital, was scheduled to present bowel cancer facts, signs and symptoms, and information on the screening programme.

According to the report pack, bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with almost 44,000 people diagnosed every year, and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths. It was noted that 54% of bowel cancer cases are preventable.

The Bowel Cancer Screening Programme involves sending a FIT ² kit to people aged 50-74 every two years, while those aged 75+ can request a kit. The report pack stated that:

A FIT (Faecal Immunochemical Test) kit for bowel cancer screening is a simple, home-based test that detects hidden blood in the stool.

For every 100 people getting their home test kit results, 97 to 98 do not need further tests and 2 to 3 will need further tests.

The report pack included data on bowel cancer screening coverage and uptake in Merton, with 65.4% of people participating in 2024, compared to 71.8% in England. Key focus areas for health improvement include providing training to primary care and community organisations, sharing health promotion materials in different languages and formats, and delivering community awareness sessions targeted at ethnic minority groups, East Merton, and Graveney.