The Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission were scheduled to meet on 16 October 2025 to discuss cancer prevention and early diagnosis, the cabinet response to a report on nursing care home delivery, nursing care home space standards, their work programme, and the Asylum Road Care Home. The meeting was scheduled to take place at 160, Tooley Street, SE1 2QH.

Asylum Road Care Home

The Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission were scheduled to discuss the proposed disposal of the Asylum Road site by way of a long-leasehold interest with a selected party to deliver and operate a new care home.

A cabinet report from 14 October 2025 included recommendations for the Cabinet:

• To confirm the disposal by way of a long lease to Andover Care Ltd, who will subsequently build and deliver a care home at the Asylum Road site.
• To agree to the council entering into an agreement for lease and subsequent lease for a 999 year period with Andover.
• To delegate authority to the Director of Planning and Growth to finalise the terms of the agreement for lease and lease grant.
• To delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Children's Adults' Services, to finalise the terms of the supplementary agreement for the care service for an initial 10-year period.

The report stated that the Andover offer met the council's expectations, with its approach to care and its commercial offer. The delivery of the proposed new care home is anticipated to generate a number of jobs, boost footfall in the locality, support local businesses and enhance the urban environment.

Alternative options that were considered and not recommended included:

• Land Disposal of the site on the market.
• Not deliver a care home.
• Explore alternative options to deliver a care home with council-funded bedspaces.
• Not proceed with the land-transaction.

The report also set out a timeline for implementation, with the target opening date of the new care home in late 2029.

The report noted that the site was approved as a suitable location for a nursing home under the 09 April 2024 IDM report, and that the refreshed Nursing Home Needs Assessment, 14 August 2024 concluded that the opening of a new care home at Asylum Road will contribute to meeting the rising demand for nursing care provision in the borough.

The report stated that a steering group was set up to monitor the bid process, comprising: the Assistant Director of Property, the Head of Sustainable Growth North, the Director of Adult Social Care, the Assistant director, Children's and Adults' Services, the Acting Director of Integrated Commissioning, Southwark Council and South East London Independent Care System, and the Head of Age Well Integrated Commissioning, SE London Independent Care Board.

A bid pack was issued in April 2025, via Jones Lang LaSalle, to sector market entities suitable for this size of development. The pack set out the site at Asylum Road as a development opportunity for a nursing home, expected to be circa 90 bedspaces, of which 50% would be used for council-funded bedspaces (30% Nursing Dementia; 20% Residential Dementia); the council-funded fee rates/ bedspace/week plus a further 10% first refusal; and that the council was seeking a block-bed booking for 10-years, with an option to renew thereafter.

Bids were received from four of the interested bidders, and the steering group assessed each bid and ranked them. The ranking of Andover as 'first' was unanimous.

The Andover offer presents a favourable commercial offer, demonstrating best consideration, and includes a land receipt to the council, 50% bed-block (30% ND; 20% RD), with first refusal on a further 10%, on a 10-year contract with an option review and agree further thereafter. It also includes the commitment to London Living Wage and to endeavour to recruit locally.

The Andover bid offer presents a good offer in terms of quality and social value, with an approach to care that aligns broadly with the council's Residential Care Charter¹. The Andover bid assumes that the Queens Road element of the site may be included; they would seek to use this site for offices and staff training space.

An agreement for lease is a mechanism that enables both the landlord and tenant to commit to a property ahead of it being constructed or available for use, and the supplementary agreement for the care service will be finalised in the period leading into the completion of the construction works, anticipated to be late 2029.

The report stated that the delivery of the new care home at Asylum Road reflects current planning policy, as set out in the Southwark Plan 2022².

The council commissioned an Equalities Impact and Needs Assessment in order to understand the potential equalities needs and impacts in relation to a new care home at Asylum Road with respect to people with the protected characteristics as defined under the Equality Act 2010³.

Cabinet Response to the Nursing Care Home Delivery Scrutiny Review Report

The Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission were scheduled to discuss the cabinet response to the Nursing Care Home Delivery Scrutiny Review Report.

Councillor Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for New Homes and Sustainable Development, thanked the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission for their work on the plans to facilitate the delivery of a further Nursing Home in the borough.

The recommendations for Cabinet were:

• That the Cabinet thanks the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission for its work on the Nursing Care Home Delivery Scrutiny Review Report.
• That the Cabinet approves the officer response to the recommendations within the Nursing Care Home Delivery Scrutiny Review Report, as set out in the 'Key issues for consideration' section of this report.

The five recommendations made by the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission to the Cabinet were:

1. That a Gateway 0 options appraisal report be produced for Cabinet to ensure a more thorough process is followed, and that all the delivery options are fully considered.
2. The Gateway 0 ought to include consideration of a Direct Delivery approach; in order to investigate and consider all possible sources of capital (Community Infrastructure Levy⁴, Section 106⁵ etc.) plus a loan.
3. The Gateway 0 ought to include consideration of an appraisal of the impact of each delivery model on the revenue account
4. The Gateway 0 ought to include consideration of a partnership with the NHS.
5. The Gateway 0 ought to include consideration of a partnership with a charitable association.

The officer response to each of these recommendations was that they were not accepted.

Nursing Care Home Space Standards

The Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission were scheduled to discuss nursing care home space standards. No further information was provided.

Cancer Prevention and Early Diagnosis

The Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission were scheduled to discuss cancer prevention and early diagnosis. A headline report was to follow.

Work Programme

The Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission were scheduled to discuss their work programme.