The North West London Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC) was scheduled to discuss significant planned changes to specialist children's heart, lung, and critical care inpatient services, and the transformation of a specialist learning disability CAMHS ward. The committee also reviewed its recommendations tracker and work programme.

Planned Temporary Move of Specialist Children's Heart, Lung, and Critical Care Inpatient Services

The committee was scheduled to consider a planned temporary move of specialist children's heart, lung, and critical care (CRIC) inpatient services currently delivered by Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust (GSTT). This move is proposed due to clinical risk escalation regarding the safety and sustainability of the paediatric cardiac surgical service. The plan involves consolidating these services at the Evelina London Children's Hospital (ELCH) and St Thomas' Hospital site. The report indicated that the current 1:2.5 on-call rota for cardiac surgery is unsustainable beyond April 2026, necessitating this proactive step to prevent service collapse and to meet mandated national Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) standards for co-location of services.

The report highlighted that outpatient clinics, day-case procedures not requiring anaesthetic or sedation, and outpatient imaging services would not be affected by this move. The relocation of cardiac surgery would also necessitate the temporary move of paediatric respiratory inpatients, as these services rely on the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), which would become clinically unsustainable at the Royal Brompton Hospital (RBH) site once cardiac surgery relocates. The approach prioritises patient safety, with the move approved by NHS England as an essential safeguard until a formal, long-term service reconfiguration process is completed. The report detailed the proposed facilities, including the refurbishment of Edward Ward and the conversion of Sky Ward at ELCH, and outlined the governance and regulatory oversight, including NHS England's independent safety assessment. Patient involvement was also a key aspect, with a comprehensive engagement plan in operation.

Transforming the Crystal House Specialist LD CAMHS Ward

The committee was also scheduled to discuss the transformation of the Crystal House specialist learning disability Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) ward. The report indicated that the current inpatient model is no longer meeting patient needs or aligning with national priorities and upcoming legislation for the care of children and young people with learning disabilities. Crystal House is a 5-bed specialist unit with a high annual running cost, but has seen very low admissions, with only 23 children admitted in six years, of which 11 were from North West London. The unit is often staffed for five patients but frequently has only two, and has experienced periods of being completely empty.

The proposed changes are driven by shifts in national policy, including changes to the Mental Health Act, which will increasingly restrict detention to mental illness. The low use, high cost, and long length of stay, coupled with evidence from national reviews showing that only 50% of children in learning disability hospitals have a mental illness, support the move away from this model. The NHS 10-year plan mandates a reduction in admissions and length of stay for people with learning disabilities. The report outlined a proposed new model of care focused on earlier, community-based support, aiming to reach significantly more children and young people, prevent escalation, and reduce costly admissions. This new model is intended to provide better value for the health and social care system, with funds reinvested into the CAMHS pathway. The report detailed engagement activities undertaken between summer 2024 and the present, highlighting key themes such as a preference for community-based support and continuity of care. The next steps included discharging the current patient, implementing a transitional model in April 2026, and fully embedding the new model by October 2026.

North West London JHOSC Recommendations Tracker

The committee was set to review the North West London JHOSC Recommendations Tracker, which provides an overview of scrutiny recommendations made and their implementation progress. This includes tracking decisions made by NHS colleagues and information requests captured in previous meeting minutes. The tracker covers recommendations from the 2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26 municipal years.

North West London JHOSC 2025/26 Work Programme

Finally, the committee was scheduled to note the North West London JHOSC 2025/26 Work Programme. This document outlines the health policy areas the committee plans to review during the municipal year, according to its Terms of Reference. The programme is designed to be flexible and adaptable, with potential changes throughout the year to address emerging items. The report noted that the planned temporary move of specialist children's heart, lung, and critical care inpatient services, and the transformation of the Crystal House Specialist LD CAMHS Ward, had been added to the work programme for the 19 March 2026 meeting. Items such as Digital Health, Data Use, AI and Digital Inclusion and Weight Loss Drug Supply and Roll Out had been deferred to the 2026/27 municipal year. The meeting location for 19 March 2026 was also confirmed as being hosted by the London Borough of Brent.