The Adult Care and Health PDS Information Briefing on 9 September 2025 included updates from the Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee, an annual complaints report, and a market position statement on housing with care and care homes for older adults. No debates were held as part of the briefing.

Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee Update

The minutes from the Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee meeting on 3 July 2025 included updates from King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Bromley Healthcare, and the NHS South East London Integrated Commissioning Board (SEL ICB).

Angela Helleur, Chief Delivery Officer of King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, reported that the trust had achieved £50.8 million in cost savings for the 2024-25 financial year and was working to secure a further £82.4 million in savings by the end of March 2026.

Dr Adjoa Appiah, Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Lead for Obstetric Governance, Trust-wide, presented findings from a recent audit into postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), which showed that most cases within the Trust were managed well, with 85% adherence to protocol.

Jacqui Scott, Chief Executive Officer of Bromley Healthcare, provided an update on Bromley Healthcare and its Community First Strategy, including key metrics for the 2024/25 financial year.

Dr Angela Bhan, Place Executive Lead of the NHS South East London Integrated Commissioning Board (SEL ICB), gave an overview of key work, improvements, and developments undertaken by the SEL ICB and partners within the One Bromley collaborative.

The Sub-Committee also received the Quarter 4 Patient Experience Report for Healthwatch Bromley, covering January–March 2025.

Finally, the Sub-Committee discussed the Work Programme and Matters Outstanding, including an update on weight loss drugs. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is now available on the NHS for weight management, but access would be limited to those with the highest clinical need and prescribed by specialist weight management services.

Councillor Alison Stammers asked whether any of Bromley's GP practices were taking part in a pilot to identify patients most at risk of pancreatic cancer. The Sub-Committee heard that the South East London Cancer Alliance applied on behalf of Bromley and the surrounding areas but was unsuccessful.

Annual Complaints Report

The Annual Complaints Report for 2024/25 provides statistics on the complaints the council received and an overview of the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman's (LGSCO) annual review letter and accompanying data sheets.

The council received 607 complaints during the year (excluding Environment & Public Protection), a 14% increase from the previous year, and 49% were fully or partially upheld. 61% of complaints were responded to on time, 5% worse than the previous year. The total financial consequences of upheld complaints amounted to £32,452.17, a 40% drop from the previous year.

The number of referrals made to the Ombudsman rose by 12% to 173, but only 43 became the subject of an investigation. Of those, 38 were upheld against the council (88%), higher than the London average of 84%.

The report notes that the primary area of concern for Bromley was the timeliness in providing responses to the Ombudsman's enquiries.

The most frequent cause for complaint was a lack of action (33.9%), with nearly half of those upheld. Quality of service issues (31.7%) were the next most prevalent.

Market Position Statement for Housing with Care and Care Homes for Older Adults

The Market Position Statement outlines the council's strategic approach to meeting the needs of its older adult population through collaboration with residents, partners, and communities. The council is committed to providing a range of housing with care and care home options to meet current and future needs.

The council's priorities include:

• Growing the housing with care and supported living market.
• Developing additional Extra Care Housing schemes.
• Developing short stay models of care for people requiring respite.
• Ensuring sufficient provision for self-funders.

The council's commissioning priorities for the next 12 to 24 months include:

• Developing strategic partnerships with housing associations.
• Implementing new supported housing regulations.
• Recommissioning care and support contracts for Extra Care Housing provision.
• Engaging with social landlords to develop additional Extra Care Housing schemes.
• Identifying potential new sites for Housing with Care schemes.
• Commissioning a supply of dedicated Discharge to Assess (D2A) recovery beds.
• Developing options for residential respite and short breaks to support unpaid carers.

Bromley has the second largest older people population in London, with 60,100 residents aged 65+. The number of people aged 65+ living with dementia in Bromley is expected to increase from 4,542 in 2023 to 6,024 in 2040.

The council is committed to only placing residents in care settings with a good or outstanding Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating.