The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to review updates on adult social care services, including responses to extreme heat and annual reports from key organisations. The committee was also set to discuss the committee's work programme and action tracker.

Update from the Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care

Councillor Kemi Atolagbe, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care, was scheduled to provide an update on her portfolio. This included information on service pressures within Adult Social Care, noting an increase in demand and complexity of needs, particularly in neighbourhood teams, occupational therapy, and safeguarding. The report indicated that while typical waiting times had reduced in some areas, the overall number of people waiting continued to grow.

The report also detailed ongoing work on safeguarding, including a review of safeguarding functions, responsibilities, and processes. Short-term improvements were being implemented, with a proposed new operating model for safeguarding to be transitioned to during 2026/27, targeting full implementation by April 2027. Updates on the Carers Action Plan, highlighting strengthened support for unpaid carers and the success of the Borough Partnership Carers Board, were also scheduled.

Camden Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2025-26

The committee was scheduled to consider the Camden Safeguarding Adults Board (CSAB) Annual Report for 2025-26. This report, a statutory requirement under the Care Act 2014, details the Board's activities, achievements, and challenges in safeguarding adults with care and support needs. The report highlighted an increase in safeguarding concerns and enquiries, with Neglect and Acts of Omission remaining the largest types of abuse investigated. It also outlined the Board's priorities for 2026-27, focusing on amplifying individual voices, strengthening prevention, enhancing practice, building partnerships, and improving accountability. The report also detailed the Board's governance structure, membership, and the legislative framework underpinning its work.

Response to Extreme Heat

A report was scheduled to summarise heatwave preparedness and response activities across Camden's health and care system, in light of the unprecedented hot weather experienced during the summer of 2026. This included details on the Council's Severe Weather Corporate Response Plan, workshops held to prepare services, and training provided to staff. The report also outlined measures to support Camden residents, including a dedicated webpage, the Cool Spaces programme, and the pilot Cool Kits initiative. Support for vulnerable groups, including rough sleepers and those in adult social care, was also detailed, alongside healthcare system responses from the Royal Free Hospital Trust and UCLH Trust.

Healthwatch Camden Annual Report

The committee was scheduled to receive Healthwatch Camden's annual report for 2025/2026. This report provided an overview of campaigns, statistics, activities, and impact during the year ending March 2026. It concluded the 2022-2026 strategic plan and introduced priorities for 2027. The report acknowledged that 2026/2027 would be Healthwatch Camden's final year of operation if government legislation progressed as intended, making it a priority to ensure this final year was impactful and to plan for a well-executed winding up. The report highlighted achievements in public health campaigns, sharing under-represented experiences, volunteer impact, and social value generated.

Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee Work Programme and Action Tracker

The committee was scheduled to review its work programme for 2026-27 and track actions from previous meetings. This included considering items for future agendas, such as updates on maternity services, LGBT+ health, and the work programmes of other scrutiny committees and the Health and Wellbeing Board. The action tracker provided an update on the progress of actions from previous meetings.