The Scrutiny Health & Social Care Sub-Committee of Croydon Council was scheduled to discuss the council's winter contingency plans for 2025/26, receive an update on the budget position for Adult Social Care and Health, and review the outcome of a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection. The meeting was also set to include a deep dive into Direct Payments and an update from Healthwatch Croydon.

Winter Contingency Plans 2025/26

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to receive an update on the winter contingency plans for the upcoming season, which included information on the vaccination programme. The plans were designed to manage seasonal pressures, improve patient flow, and maintain care quality across acute and community settings, while also protecting elective pathways. The strategy involved a mix of additional capacity, maximising current resources, and implementing initiatives to enhance overall effectiveness. Key local initiatives mentioned included additional staffing for emergency departments, medical and frailty nursing, and the use of the Medical Acute Assessment unit to alleviate pressure on the emergency department. System-wide schemes supporting these efforts included a commitment to Home First with daily packages of care, the Integrated Care Co-ordination Hub, and strengthened mental health crisis response. The flu vaccination programme was also to be discussed, highlighting the roles of the Southwest London ICB, NHS England, and the London Borough of Croydon in promoting uptake and protecting vulnerable individuals.

Budget Position and Adults Living Independently Programme

A briefing was scheduled to cover the Adult Social Care and Health Directorate's financial position at Period 3 (June 2025). The report indicated a forecast underspend of £3.3 million against a net budget of £194.2 million. This underspend was attributed to various factors, including income overachievement and staffing vacancies, although pressures remained due to high demand from acute hospitals and increased care needs for older and working-age adults. The report also detailed the Adults Living Independently (ALI) transformation programme, which aims to support residents in increasing their independence and reducing reliance on commissioned care services, contributing to significant savings. The programme was on track to deliver its medium-term financial strategy contribution of £15 million in savings between 2024 and 2030. Key workstream highlights included progress in older people's services, reablement, mental health, disabilities, and transitions, with various Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) showing progress towards targets. The digital workstream was also discussed, highlighting the use of live dashboards and the Magic Notes transcription tool.

Direct Payments Deep Dive

A significant portion of the briefing was dedicated to Direct Payments, a mechanism allowing individuals to receive a personal budget to arrange and pay for their own care and support. The report highlighted that Croydon Council's Direct Payment uptake had remained static at 17.4% as of September 2025, significantly below regional and national averages. Challenges identified included a complex system for setting up payments, low social worker confidence, insufficient Personal Assistant workforce, and a lack of varied providers. To address these issues, a new Direct Payment Support Service was procured, with Kingston Centre for Independent Living (KCIL) appointed as the new provider. This service aims to offer one-to-one advice, support with recruitment and training of Personal Assistants, and assistance with employer responsibilities.

Outcome of Care Quality Commission Inspection

The Sub-Committee was to be updated on the outcome of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection of Croydon Council's Adult Social Care and Health (ASCH) services, which resulted in an overall rating of Good . The report highlighted strengths in leadership and governance, partnership working with health partners and the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS), and an understanding of equity. Areas identified for further improvement included carer assessments and contingency planning, Direct Payment uptake, and co-production with residents. The council had already procured a new Carers service and had an improvement plan in place for Direct Payments.

Update from Healthwatch Croydon

Gordon Kay, a Co-optee representing Healthwatch Croydon, was scheduled to provide an update on the organisation's latest report. This update was expected to cover residents' experiences of eye care services and feedback on the Purley Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) and New Addington CDC.

Scrutiny Work Programme 2025-2026

The Sub-Committee was asked to note the most recent version of its Work Programme for 2025-2026 and consider any additional items that should be provisionally added for further scoping. The work programme outlines the items to be considered throughout the year, with a focus on high-priority issues affecting services provided to residents.

The meeting was scheduled to conclude with the potential exclusion of the press and public for certain items, as indicated by a motion to be moved under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, on the grounds of likely disclosure of exempt information.