The Adults and Health Select Committee met on Thursday, 11 June 2026, to discuss performance assurance, mental health services in prisons, and to review the forward work programme. Key discussions included the performance of adult social care services, the challenges and provision of mental health support within Surrey's prisons, and the ongoing work of the Liaison and Diversion service.

Public Health and Library Facilities

Dr. Knapp raised a concern about the lack of air conditioning or cooling functions in libraries, highlighting that during heatwaves, library staff found the conditions insufferable. Councillor Newton acknowledged the costliness of installing air conditioning across all 52 libraries but stated that the matter would be taken on board and passed to the new council for consideration. He also noted that while warm welcomes were provided during the cost of living crisis, cooling public spaces in older buildings presents a significant challenge. Claire Edgar, Executive Director for Adults, Wellbeing and Health Partnerships, assured that measures are taken when building temperatures are too high or too low, and that information on temperature readings would be shared with the corporate centre.

Performance Assurance Monitoring

The committee reviewed the Q3 and Q4 2025/26 performance assurance report for the Adults, Wellbeing and Health Partnerships (AWHP) directorate. Claire Edgar, Executive Director for AWHP, presented the report, highlighting two red indicators : the percentage of people assessed or reviewed within the last 12 months and the chlamydia detection rate.

Chlamydia Detection Rate: Councillor Abby King questioned the chlamydia detection rate in young women and why there were no similar concerns for men. Councillor Newton explained that this is a government-mandated indicator and suggested it should encompass all STIs. He noted that Surrey's detection rates are reasonably good and that sexual health clinics are fabulous with no stigma attached. He added that younger people are very aware of sexual health. Councillor Edgar reiterated that Surrey performs relatively well compared to neighbouring authorities, and that the national target is ambitious. Councillor King asked about lessons learned from universities regarding publicity, and Councillor Edgar committed to providing a plan for the next 12 months on publications and promotion.

Assessment and Review Timeliness: Councillor Tony Pearce raised concerns about the proportion of people assessed or reviewed within the last 12 months falling below the 80% target. Councillor Sinead Mooney, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, expressed confidence that the target would be met by the end of the financial year, attributing initial impacts to the restructure of adult social care services. Claire Edgar clarified that the 80% target is a local, ambitious target set by the cabinet member, not a statutory one. She highlighted that the volume of assessments and reviews in the last year was at its highest level, up by 5% since the CQC inspection.

Residential and Nursing Care Placements: Councillor Carla Morson inquired about the inconsistency in residential and nursing care placements, citing challenges such as a shortage of beds, internal funding, and approval delays. Councillor Mooney acknowledged the complexity of sourcing timely placements, particularly when considering individual needs and family preferences. She also addressed safeguarding, noting significant focus and improvement following a CQC inspection. Regarding extra care facilities, she confirmed planning permission had been granted for a site in Camberley and that the first scheme, Meadowcroft, was due to open towards the end of winter next year. Councillor Rebecca James-Evans asked about the sustainability of performance in nursing and enhanced care, given market pressures. Councillor Edgar detailed the council's statutory duty to ensure market sustainability and outlined various approaches to market engagement, including spot purchasing, frameworks, and dynamic purchasing systems. She acknowledged the challenging market conditions but stated that Surrey was in a very strong position regarding provider relationships.

Health-Based Places of Safety and Mental Health in Surrey Prisons

The committee received a presentation on the support available to prisoners with mental health needs in Surrey's prisons. Andy Erskine, Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SABP), apologised for an inconsistency in the report regarding the number of female prisons in Surrey. He explained that the coroner's concerns primarily related to a national issue of a shortage of secure psychiatric beds, leading to prisons being used as a place of safety. He noted that while the Bail Act 1976 allows courts to remand individuals to prison for their own protection, national bodies question the appropriateness of this. The Mental Health Act 2025 signals an intent to end the use of custody settings as places of safety, though implementation details are still emerging.

Manveen Brah, Service Manager for Liaison Diversion at SABP, and Emma Hicks, Clinical Team Lead for Liaison Diversion, detailed their service's work. The Liaison and Diversion service supports individuals from age 10 through all stages of the criminal justice pathway, aiming to reduce time in police custody, court adjournments, repeat arrests, and health inequalities. The ReConnect service provides care after custody to ensure continuity of care for individuals with identified health needs. The team covers HMP Bronzefield, HMP Send, HMP Downview, HMP High Down, and HMP Coldingley.

Emma Hicks explained the process within police custody suites, courts, and the assertive outreach team, highlighting the holistic nature of their vulnerability assessments. They do not claim to be a mental health service but a vulnerability service. The team also screens all under-18s and makes referrals to various community provisions.

Councillor Tony Pearce asked about the monitoring of transfers to hospital and the percentage of individuals placed in prisons as a place of safety who are normally resident outside of Surrey. Andy Erskine stated that SABP does not believe Surrey residents are sent to prison as a place of safety, implying that 100% of such cases would be from outside Surrey, though national data on this is unavailable. He noted that Bronzefield was the only Surrey prison report mentioning the use of place of safety.

Councillor Victoria Wheeler raised concerns about the high prevalence of mental illness, neurodevelopmental disorders, and substance misuse in the prison population. Emma Hicks detailed the training provided to police custody sergeants and DOs to recognise and respond to distress, and that this training is also offered as CPD for police officers. However, she clarified that the training of police officers in mental health recognition is the police's responsibility.

The committee made several recommendations:

1. A joint presentation from adult social care, police, and SABP on innovative work to support vulnerable offenders.
2. Reporting on the progress of implementing the objectives of the Mental Health Act 2025 for Surrey facilities.
3. SABP, in partnership with CNWL, to develop a clear plan to transition to health-based places of safety, replacing the prison system.
4. Despite the lack of national statistics, the trust should produce statistics for Surrey on the use of prisons as a place of safety.

Recommendations Tracker and Forward Work Programme

The committee reviewed the recommendations tracker and forward work programme. They suggested a joint presentation from adult social care, police, and SABP on supporting vulnerable offenders, a report on the implementation of the Mental Health Act 2025, a plan for transitioning to health-based places of safety, and for Surrey to produce its own statistics on the use of prisons as a place of safety.

The date of the next meeting was scheduled for Thursday, 1 October 2026.