The Health, Adult Social Care and Community Safety Scrutiny Commission met to discuss the council's work programme and hear updates on key health and social care initiatives. Discussions included the role of Healthwatch Southwark, the integration of health and care services through Partnership Southwark, and the ongoing development of the Asylum Road Care Home.

Healthwatch Southwark's Annual Report and Asylum Seeker Accommodation

Ruman Kallar, Research and Projects Officer from Healthwatch Southwark, presented the organisation's Annual Report for 2025-26 and a report titled Housing, health and hope: Experiences of living in and moving on from asylum accommodation. The Healthwatch report highlighted the organisation's work in championing patient voices and influencing service improvements, noting that they supported approximately 7,035 people in the past year. The report on asylum accommodation detailed the significant health and wellbeing impacts on refugees and asylum seekers transitioning from Home Office accommodation, identifying critical gaps in support, particularly concerning housing, access to healthcare, and timely information. Recommendations included improving conditions in asylum accommodation, strengthening healthcare access, preventing homelessness, and investing in voluntary and community sector organisations.

Partnership Southwark and Integrated Neighbourhood Teams

Darren Summers, Strategic Director for Integrated Health and Care/Southwark Place Executive Lead, presented an overview of Partnership Southwark, the local care partnership responsible for joint leadership of health, care, and wellbeing in the borough. The presentation outlined the five headline challenges facing the health and care system in Southwark, including unmet mental health needs, lack of support for frailty and complexity, missed prevention opportunities, health inequalities, and workforce shortages. The ambition is to create a joined-up neighbourhood system to keep people well and support independence. The report detailed the progress in establishing Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs), which aim to bring care closer to people's homes by integrating GPs, community health services, mental health support, and local authority services. INTs are being piloted and expanded across Southwark, with a focus on supporting individuals with multiple long-term conditions, frailty, and children with complex needs.

Crime and Disorder Scrutiny

A presentation was given on the Commission's remit for Crime and Disorder Scrutiny, outlining the legal framework, roles, and best practices for scrutinising the Southwark Community Safety Partnership. The commission's responsibilities include assessing the partnership's effectiveness in reducing crime and disorder and reviewing its strategies and actions. The presentation emphasised the importance of a strategic focus, evidence-based decision-making, and constructive challenge to the partnership. A protocol for how scrutiny will work with the Crime and Safety Partnership is to be developed. The commission plans to conduct its first in-depth scrutiny item in October, focusing on drugs, anti-social behaviour, and their links to homelessness.

Asylum Road Care Home Delivery Update

An update was provided on the Asylum Road Care Home project. The Agreement for Lease has been signed, allowing Andover Care Ltd to proceed with the design phase. A pre-application agreement has been secured with the Planning Authority, and a 6-9 month period is anticipated for the submission of the planning application. The council is also seeking specialist consultants to review the emerging design. Contact details for voluntary sector groups in the borough have been shared with Andover Care to begin the consultation process. The project is reported to be progressing in line with anticipated timescales.

Work Programme

The commission discussed potential scrutiny topics for the 2026-27 municipal year. It was recommended that the agreement of the work programme be deferred to the next meeting in October 2026. This deferral is to allow for information gathering, including meetings with executive members and senior officers, to identify meaningful topics aligned with the council's strategic priorities, particularly given the new administration and changes in leadership. The commission's responsibilities include scrutinising public health, adult social care, community safety, and parks and recreation portfolios.