The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Joint Health Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday, 30 April 2026. The meeting's agenda includes discussions on the decision-making process for St Mary's Birth Centre, an update on Speech and Language Therapy services, and questions regarding local healthcare provision.

Update on St Mary's Birth Centre

A significant item on the agenda is an update regarding the decision-making process for the relocation of births from St Mary's Birth Centre. The report from the Chief Nursing Officer for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and Northamptonshire Integrated Care Boards aims to provide assurance that the process followed was robust, transparent, and compliant with statutory and legal requirements. The report details the decision-making framework, evidence considered, and public engagement undertaken. It notes that the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (LLR ICB) Board considered the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee's request to defer the decision but agreed not to defer, stating no new information was anticipated that would materially alter the position. The report will be presented for the committee to note the ICB's decision-making process and the final decision made by the LLR ICB Board on 19 March 2026.

Speech and Language Therapy Service in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland

The committee will also receive information about Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) services for children and young people in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. The report from Leicester Partnership Trust (LPT) will cover the Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) programme, which aims to strengthen the system for children aged 0-11 with speech, language, and communication needs. It will also detail LPT's provision for children and young people aged 0-18, including assessment and intervention for various communication difficulties. The report will outline system plans for the future, aligning with the government's SEND Reforms and the Experts at Hand offer, which aims to enhance the capability of mainstream education settings to support children with SEND.

Questions and Representations

The meeting agenda includes a slot for questions, representations, and statements of case. Councillor Ramsey Ross has submitted questions concerning progress on staffing and alternative provision of services at the LRI A&E, including reductions in agency staff, increases in medical staff, and staff sickness rates. Questions also cover the utilisation of facilities like the Merlyn Vaz Centre, steps taken to address mental health provision demand, the role of councils in addressing patient discharge issues, ambulance waiting times, and the underutilisation of independent patient transport services. Further questions relate to the NHS Dentistry Provision crisis and representations made by the LLR-ICB regarding the accreditation of foreign-qualified dentists.

Councillor Zuffar Haq has also submitted questions regarding the creation of a Maggie's Cancer Centre in Leicester and why people in the region might be missing out on world-leading cancer treatment and support.

Petitions

A petition from the people of Melton Mowbray regarding concerns over essential healthcare services, including difficulties in accessing GP appointments, the lack of a local walk-in centre, long waiting times for routine appointments, and issues with cervical smear test availability, will be presented for information. The petition urges the ICB to reconsider and commit to establishing a second GP practice in Melton Mowbray.

Work Programme

The committee will also be asked to note and consider future items for inclusion in its work programme. This includes discussions on GP access, with concerns raised about difficulties in securing appointments and the potential for a two-tier system. The work programme also lists topics such as the system approach to stroke, CAMHS, NHS work to tackle isolation, and the Over Seas Doctors Training Scheme.