The Outer North East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (ONEL JHOSC) met to discuss a health update from various NHS providers and to examine integrated neighbourhoods. The meeting was scheduled to include updates on NHS performance, finances and collaborative projects, as well as a deep dive into the integrated neighbourhood model designed to improve local healthcare delivery.

Here's a breakdown of the key items that were listed on the agenda:

Integrated Neighbourhoods

The committee was scheduled to discuss the North East London (NEL) model for integrated neighbourhood working. The stated vision for this model is:

Everyone in north east London lives in a neighbourhood which supports and actively contributes to their physical and mental health and wellbeing.

The plan involves integrating existing staff into teams that support different population cohorts, drawing on local resources and assets. These teams would be co-produced with, and connected to, their communities, and take a population health approach¹. The model is designed around four strategic goals:

• Working with and for local communities
• Working proactively and preventatively to address rising need
• Delivering integrated, accessible care
• Supporting service sustainability

The integrator role, vital to the delivery of neighbourhood working, would host and facilitate the design and implementation of the team, bridge the fragmentation across existing teams, deliver key enabling infrastructure and support and enable a population health management approach.

Health Update

The committee was scheduled to receive a health update from Zina Etheridge, Chief Executive, NHS North East London.

The update included a discussion of organisational changes, including a national decision made in March 2025 to reduce Integrated Care Boards' (ICB) running costs by 50% by the end of the year. ICBs are required to develop a new operating model focused on strategic commissioning.

The presentation also included a review of NHS North East London's work over the previous three years, measured against its four statutory aims:

• Improve outcomes in population health and health care
• Tackle inequalities in outcomes, experience and access
• Enhance productivity and value for money
• Support broader social and economic development

Achievements highlighted included the implementation of women's health hubs², funding to modernise and expand several GP surgeries, and the ranking of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) as second nationally. The committee was also scheduled to discuss a system-developed Homeless Health Strategy, co-designed with experts from lived experience and system partners, which aims to address the serious health inequalities faced by people experiencing homelessness.

Henry Black, Chief Finance Officer, was scheduled to provide a finance overview. The month 12 reported outturn position across the NEL system was a deficit of £79.7m. The key system risks identified were that all organisations are planning for reductions in substantive staff, which will reduce capacity and will impact day to day service delivery, and that demand pressures include very limited growth funding included within plans.

The committee was also scheduled to receive provider updates from Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospital NHS Trust (BHRUT) and Barts Health NHS Trust.

BHRUT reported that in May, 79.2% of patients were admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours of attending A&Es, higher than the London and national average. The average length of stay in A&E for patients with mental health conditions was 16 hours, and 157 patients were in for over 12 hours. BHRUT ended 2024/25 with a deficit of £31 million, and needs to save £61 million this year.

Barts Health NHS Trust reported that since introducing the patient portal across Barts Health, they've seen a significant drop in missed appointments – from 12.1% in March to 9.7% in April.

Superloop Bus Route

Ian Buckmaster, representing Healthwatch Havering, requested for the Members to discuss the proposed Superloop Bus Route³. Members received a presentation on the proposed TfL Superloop bus service SL12: Gants Hill to Rainham via Romford and a suggested alternative route serving St George's Health and Wellbeing Hub, Hornchurch submitted by Havering Healthwatch.