The Adults, Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee of County Durham Council met on Monday 12 January 2026. The meeting was scheduled to discuss a range of important topics concerning the health and wellbeing of residents in County Durham.

The committee was set to receive a presentation on the County Durham and Darlington NHS FT Independent Governance Review, which included a review of governance within the Breast Surgery Services. This was a significant item, with a detailed report covering findings and recommendations.

A performance update was also scheduled from the North East Ambulance Service NHS FT, presented by Mark Cotton, Assistant Director, and Darren Green, Head of Operations. This update was expected to cover call performance, response times, hospital performance, and national benchmarking.

The committee was also due to consider the Director of Public Health County Durham Annual Report 2025. This report, titled 'Healthier Futures: our ambitions and actions', outlines six key ambitions for future health and wellbeing over the next 10 years, including reducing anxiety, obesity, smoking, alcohol-specific deaths, teenage conceptions, and increasing breastfeeding rates.

Further discussions were scheduled on the Durham Safeguarding Adults Partnership Annual Report 2024/25, which would provide an update on safeguarding activity and key learning from Safeguarding Adult Reviews.

The committee was also to receive a report on the Quarter 2 Revenue and Capital Outturn for 2025/26 for Adult and Health Services, detailing the forecast budget position. Additionally, an update on the Durham Adult Social Care Outcomes from the Local Government Association Employers Health Check 2025 was scheduled, providing insights into staff experiences and employer performance against eight standards. Finally, a Quarter 2 2025/26 Performance Management Report was to be presented, outlining progress towards the Council Plan's strategic ambitions and objectives.