The Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission met on Thursday 12 February 2026 to discuss the annual update from the City and Hackney Place Based Partnership, a Sport England grant award for physical activity initiatives, and to question the Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, Voluntary Sector and Culture. Key decisions included noting the progress of the City and Hackney Place Based Partnership's development plan and approving the acceptance of a significant grant from Sport England to continue work on reducing inequalities in physical activity.

City and Hackney Place Based Partnership Annual Update

The Commission received an update on the City and Hackney Place Based Partnership (C&H PBP), focusing on its future evolution within wider health system changes. Basirat Sadiq, Chief Executive of Homerton Healthcare and Leader of C&H PBP, highlighted the partnership's ambition to improve population health and well-being while reducing health inequalities, a goal reinforced by national trends such as the NHS 10-Year Plan's emphasis on shifting from hospital to community care and from sickness to prevention. The partnership is refreshing its approach to design a Neighbourhood care service structured around residents' lives, not organisational boundaries. Nina Griffith, Director of Integration for C&H PBP, outlined a 12-month development plan focusing on establishing a shared vision, reinforcing trust, creating a delivery-focused governance structure, defining core functions, embedding resident voice, and testing new financial approaches. Dr Kirsten Brown, Clinical Director for C&H PBP, emphasised the need for robust, inclusive clinical leadership. Charlotte Pomery, Strategic Director of Commissioning at NHS NEL, detailed the ICB's new structure, designed for strategic commissioning and integrated neighbourhoods, and announced significant investments into primary care and mental health.

Members raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest where delivery partners are also on decision-making boards, and the clarity of reporting lines and accountability to residents. The Chair noted that while management structures appear cohesive, questions remain regarding governance functions, potential conflicts of interest, and the mechanism for leveraging additional funding. The Commission agreed that this topic warrants revisiting once the new system is more established.

Sport England Grant Award for the Hackney Place Partnership

Lola Akindoyin, Head of Programme for the Sport England Place Partnership in Hackney, presented an update on the grant award, totalling £1.6 million, with an additional £293,000 ringfenced for Multi-Use Games Areas (MUGAs). This funding builds on the previous King's Park Moving Together Project, which aimed to understand barriers to physical activity and pilot interventions. The work has identified critical elements for engaging less active residents, emphasising a strength- and asset-based approach by strengthening existing community assets and dismantling barriers.

Key initiatives include enhancing local spaces like Daubeney Fields and focusing on hyper-local spaces such as MUGAs. A new priority is integrating physical activity into talking therapies, with Hackney selected as a mental health trailblazer site. Members expressed enthusiasm for the project's inclusivity and outreach, seeking clarification on the methodology and data supporting the selection of new areas for the next phase. Concerns were raised about the accessibility of MUGAs and the risk of their redevelopment. The Commission was assured that the project is a partnership effort with Hackney Quest to investigate these issues. The Chair requested a progress update in 9-12 months, including a data summary of participants, attrition rates, and supported areas.

Cabinet Member Question Time - Councillor Christopher Kennedy

Councillor Christopher Kennedy, Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, Voluntary Sector and Culture, addressed three key areas:

• Recruitment and Retention of Care Workers: Cllr Kennedy stated that while Hackney's social care workforce has a slightly above London average hourly wage, the independent sector experiences high staff turnover, nearly double the regional average. However, the borough has a low vacancy rate, indicating success in attracting new entrants. The Council supports the independent workforce through training and mandates the London Living Wage for commissioned home care providers. A strategic overhaul of care package commissioning is underway, moving away from 'spot purchasing' to frameworks and Dynamic Purchasing Systems, supported by a dedicated home brokerage function. For the Council's direct workforce, there is a strong focus on staff development and apprenticeships, leading to high job satisfaction.
• Retaining the Importance of 'Place' in Dealing with the NHS: Cllr Kennedy noted that the core governance change involves a reduction to one Councillor representative on the ICB, with a potential competition for this role. He highlighted the underutilisation of public question time at the Health and Wellbeing Board and suggested the Scrutiny Commission could play a greater role in boosting public awareness and participation. He commended the 'sickness to prevention' and 'hospital to community' shifts, and the 'analog to digital' shift, supported by locally funded data analysis.
• Local System Response to Measles Outbreaks: Cllr Kennedy expressed confidence in the current system response but concern for the future due to Hackney having the lowest MMR vaccination rates nationally. He noted that while the Enhanced Immunisation Service is effective, its future funding from the ICB is not yet secured. Members expressed deep concern about the high incidence of measles and proposed utilising schools as vaccination delivery points and countering social media misinformation. Dr Sandra Husbands, Director of Public Health, agreed that vaccine hesitancy is complex, often stemming from a perceived lack of immediate urgency, and that efforts are focused on communicating urgency, convenience, and accessibility.

The Commission noted the reports and discussions.