The Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee meeting on 05 March 2026 focused on updates from King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, alongside discussions on paediatric audiology services and dental care. Key decisions included endorsing the transfer of paediatric audiology services and noting progress on King's College Hospital's new five-year strategy.

Update from King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Angela Helleur, Chief Delivery Officer at King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, provided a general update highlighting ongoing challenges in emergency care performance, with December's four-hour wait target at 70.29%. Despite this, Referral to Treatment (RTT) performance was improving, though 65-week waits remained a concern, primarily at the Denmark Hill site. Cancer performance had seen month-on-month improvements since September 2025. The Trust was developing a comprehensive programme to address corridor care and long waits in Urgent and Emergency Care. Workforce updates included positive results from the 2025 Staff Survey, showing improvements across all domains. Significant estate developments were underway, including the completion of a new endoscopy unit expected to be operational in April 2026, and ongoing ward refresh programmes. The implementation of the Epic and MyChart system was reported to be having a positive impact on patient care and clinical practice. Financially, the Trust reported a year-to-date surplus of £3.3 million as of December 2025, performing ahead of plan.

In response to questions, Ms. Helleur confirmed that in January 2026, 225 mental health attendances were recorded at the Emergency Department (ED), with 51 patients experiencing waits exceeding 24 hours. She noted close collaboration with Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust to manage these cases, acknowledging that such delays were a pattern seen across London. Regarding police presence in the ED, she stated that officers now only remained under specific circumstances, with reliance primarily on the internal security team. The Trust did not have specific targets for MyChart uptake, focusing instead on increasing visibility and access. Concerning the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) inspection reports, the PRUH's rating for older people's care and medical care had improved to 'Good', though maternity services remained at 'Requires Improvement'. It was suggested that the Trust's response to the CQC reports be presented at a future meeting.

The Director of Strategy, Liz Shutler, presented an update on the development of King's College Hospital's new five-year strategy for 2026-2031, which will replace the current BOLD strategy. The process involved extensive engagement with patients, staff, local communities, and partners. Key feedback indicated that while the BOLD strategy was well-known, behaviours did not always reflect its stated values, and the vision was sometimes perceived as more relevant to the Denmark Hill site. Patients requested a clearer patient focus within the framework. Consequently, the Trust proposed refreshed values: Caring, Inclusive, Collaborative, and Innovative. The purpose statement focuses on delivering outstanding patient care and experience, alongside world-leading research, education, and training, with a vision of transforming healthcare. Six strategic objectives were outlined: high-quality patient care, pioneering research, timely and efficient care, a great place to work, strong partnerships, and financial sustainability. Each objective will be measured by SMART goals. The final strategy is expected to be presented to the Trust Board in May 2026.

Ms. Shutler further elaborated that patient surveys indicated approximately 80% of patients observed staff consistently displaying values, though concerns were raised about agency staff integration. The strategic objectives survey highlighted the importance of prevention. The King's Improvement Method (KIM) aims to focus efforts on a small number of high-impact priorities each year, starting with reducing length of stay and improving cancer pathways. Oversight of ED activity is available, with AI-supported triage being explored in other countries, and a 'digital front door' implemented at Denmark Hill. The Trust's ambition is to operate within the top quartile nationally for all constitutional standards. The approved five-year strategy was requested to be emailed to Members, with a further update to be presented later in the year.

Update from Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

Lorraine Regan, Director of Community Mental Health and Learning Disability Services at Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, provided an update on mental health services. Demand for Mental Health Hubs continued to exceed expectations, with remodelling efforts underway to manage increased activity. While Bromley had performed well against the previous 14-day referral-to-triage target, the new four-week access standard, requiring two clinical contacts, an outcome measure, and a care plan, was not yet being met, though improvements were anticipated by April/May 2026. Referrals for adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) remained significantly high, with Bromley currently having the best waits in London at approximately one year, an improvement from previous years. National and London-wide reviews of ADHD pathways are ongoing. From 1st July 2026, the Oxleas crisis line will merge into the NHS 111 'Press 2' mental health option, simplifying access for Bromley residents. A successful GP engagement event in January 2026 had led to reduced unnecessary re-referrals and earlier identification of engagement difficulties.

In response to questions, Ms. Regan confirmed the continued critical role of the Involved Network in Oxleas' work, citing its involvement in the redesign of the psychosis service. Regarding the merger of the crisis line, she assured that a detailed risk log was maintained, and safeguards were in place to manage the transition, including an automated message directing callers from the old number to the new NHS 111 option for one year.

Update on Dental Services

Jeremy Wallman, Head of Primary Care Commissioning: Dentistry, Optometry and Pharmacy for NEL ICB, provided an update on dental services. Dental contract delivery across London, including Bromley, remained high at approximately 96-97% of contracted activity. The ICB had invested additional funding to improve access across South East London, with 12 practices in Bromley receiving nearly £350,000. Despite this, capacity still exceeded available budget, a national issue. Mr. Wallman clarified that there is no formal registration system for NHS dentists, and the primary challenge for patients is securing regular routine appointments, not urgent care, for which a 24/7 urgent dental care system exists in London. Community dental services, delivered by Bromley Healthcare, play a vital role in paediatrics, special care, and urgent dental care, and are due for contractual review, with a direct award process planned to maintain stability.

Mr. Wallman addressed concerns about care home residents' access to NHS dental care, noting that the national contract no longer funds regular domiciliary visits. While community dentists can respond to referrals, there is no systematic routine provision.

Paediatric Audiology Services Update (ICB)

Dr. Angela Bhan, Place Executive Lead for SEL ICB, briefed the committee on the proposed transfer of routine (Tier 2) paediatric audiology services from Bromley Healthcare to Evelina London Children's Hospital, part of Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust, from 1st April 2026. This change follows a national review and the SEL ICB's decision to consolidate Tier 2 services into a single accredited provider model. Bromley Healthcare was unable to meet national standards due to inadequate soundproofing for Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) testing and workforce limitations, leading to a pause in VRA testing for younger children and their transfer to Evelina London Children's Hospital under mutual aid arrangements.

It was formally agreed that the service would move to Evelina London Children's Hospital from the next financial year. There would be no immediate change for families, who would continue to attend Evelina for tests for at least the next 12 months while a Bromley-based location meeting the strict technical requirements, particularly soundproofing, was identified. Sites being explored include the Bromley Health and Wellbeing Centre, Orpington Health and Wellbeing Centre, and Beckenham Beacon. Higher-level specialist assessments would continue at Evelina. The recommendation to endorse and support this transfer was made.

Healthwatch Bromley - Chartwell Patient Experience Report (Verbal Update)

The Healthwatch Bromley representative provided a verbal update on their report, which gathered feedback from 235 individuals, primarily concerning the Chartwell Unit at the PRUH. Key findings indicated that 70% of patients rated their overall experience as very good, with the Chartwell Unit praised for its holistic and supportive environment and accessibility. Areas for improvement included car parking difficulties at both the PRUH and Denmark Hill, long waiting times for appointments and test results, pharmacy processes leading to prescription collection delays, and poor communication between hospital departments and with GPs. Recommendations included reviewing car parking arrangements, investigating pharmacy processes, and addressing inter-service and hospital-GP communication.

Dr. Angela Bhan considered that the issues raised might be more generic across the hospital, rather than specific to the Chartwell Unit, particularly concerning waiting times for take-home medications as part of the discharge process. The Healthwatch Bromley representative noted that while parking was a frequent concern, the report reflected specific patient responses and questions asked.

South East London Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee

It was noted that no meetings of the South East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee had taken place since the last update, and no further meetings were likely before the end of the civic year. The update was noted.