The Tees Valley Joint Health Scrutiny Committee (TVJHS) was scheduled to consider access to specialist community perinatal mental health services and the University Hospitals Tees (UHT) case for change and strategy. The committee was also scheduled to review its work programme for the upcoming year.

Accessing Specialist Community Perinatal Mental Health Services

The committee was scheduled to receive a presentation on the specialist perinatal mental health pathway, service performance, commissioning arrangements, and future challenges. This service was scheduled to provide assessment, treatment, and support for women experiencing severe and complex mental health difficulties during pregnancy and after childbirth. The presentation was expected to include contributions from individuals with lived experience of the service. The report indicated that the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) had increased investment to support an increase in access to these services, with a target of supporting over 66,000 women annually. The report highlighted that in 2025/26, 2,435 women accessed services, exceeding the ICB's plan by 21.8%. The presentation was also scheduled to cover the introduction of Maternal Mental Health Services (MMHS) to support women experiencing birth trauma, perinatal loss, and severe fear of childbirth.

University Hospitals Tees (UHT): Case for Change and Strategy

The committee was scheduled to hear an update on University Hospitals Tees' (UHT) progress since December 2025 regarding its Caring Better Together strategy. The presentation was expected to outline the key elements of the Case for Change, which details the rationale for redesigning and developing the model of care. This was scheduled to include addressing demand and capacity issues, performance variations across its sites, workforce sustainability, estate challenges, and financial pressures. The strategy proposes three key shifts: increasing activity closer to home and in communities, maximising activity in surgical hubs, and potentially consolidating some specialist clinical services at acute sites. UHT indicated that no decisions had been made and any proposed changes would be subject to engagement and consultation. The report highlighted that projections indicated a need for an additional 112 beds across the University Hospital of North Tees (UHNT) and James Cook University Hospital (JCUH) sites within 15 years if the current model continued. It also noted significant performance variations in areas such as Emergency Department waiting times, cancer pathway waits, and referral to treatment times between the North Tees and South Tees sites. The report also detailed the significant backlog maintenance costs for the UHNT estate, estimated at £126 million.

Work Programme 2026/2027

The committee was scheduled to consider and agree its draft Work Programme for the 2026/2027 municipal year. This programme was expected to include standing items and those previously agreed by the committee. Members were invited to suggest additional items for consideration. A specific request was made to include Accessing Specialist Community Perinatal Mental Health Services as an agenda item for the meeting scheduled to take place on 23 July 2026.