The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to consider updates on cancer screening programmes, the portfolio of the Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care, and mental health services. The committee was also scheduled to review its work programme and action tracker.

Screening and Prevention Panel Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on cancer screening programmes in Camden. This report was to provide an overview of current cancer screening programmes and ongoing initiatives aimed at increasing uptake. The Camden Cancer Screening Group, established in January 2025, was to be highlighted as a forum coordinating efforts to improve screening uptake and address inequalities. Cross-cutting initiatives such as a North Central London (NCL) data dashboard, efforts to reach English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), community outreach via the Camden Health and Wellbeing Bus, and primary care engagement were scheduled for discussion. Specific updates on cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination, breast cancer screening, bowel cancer screening, and lung cancer screening were also to be presented. The report was to note the ongoing debate regarding prostate cancer screening and Camden's alignment with UK National Screening Committee recommendations.

Update of 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 was to include information on service pressures within Adult Social Care, particularly in Neighbourhoods and Mental Health services, and the ongoing management of care and support reviews. The report was also to cover safeguarding concerns, highlighting increased activity linked to the return of mental health social work functions to the Council and the greater visibility of mental health-related concerns within safeguarding pathways. Updates on the annual public health report focusing on heart health, and the installation of Community Health & Wellbeing Pods in areas of high deprivation were also scheduled. Additionally, the report was to detail training initiatives for frontline staff on identifying and advising on risky alcohol consumption.

LGBTQ+ Health

The committee was scheduled to receive a report providing information on LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing in Camden, in response to a specific request from the committee. This report was to offer an overview of key health inequalities affecting LGBTQ+ communities, including mental health, sexual health, and substance use. It was also to highlight current service provision and recent developments, outlining work being undertaken by the Council and partner organisations to improve outcomes and address inequalities. North London Foundation Trust (NLFT) was to contribute content covering NHS mental health and community services in Camden. The report was to detail bespoke LGBTQ+ service offers within Camden's commissioned drug and alcohol service, including a dedicated treatment pathway and staff co-production groups. Updates on sexual health services, the Intimate Lives Policy, and the forthcoming HIV Confident charter mark were also scheduled. Adult Social Care commissioners were to provide information on their focus on trauma-informed approaches and support for LGBTQ+ residents, including the Reach Out Camden service and its peer support groups, as well as mental health supported accommodation.

Mental Health Services: Crisis Pathways, Pressures and the Enlarged North London NHS Foundation Trust

This report was scheduled to provide assurance on Camden's mental health crisis pathway, wider pressures affecting delivery, and the implementation and impact of the mergers that created and subsequently enlarged North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT). It was to describe how residents access urgent and crisis support, how community, hospital, and voluntary-sector services work together, the benefits emerging from organisational integration, and the principal risks that remain. The report was to highlight strong urgent crisis response and improving access, alongside significant pressures in inpatient flow, length of stay, and discharge, particularly where housing and social care dependencies delay recovery. Camden-specific information was to be presented, distinguished from Trust-wide measures, and the report was to set out controls in place and further joint action required with Camden Council and system partners.

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 paper was to set out the committee's proposed work programme and provide an update on progress in following up actions from past meetings. The report was also to include the work programmes of the Children, Schools and Families Scrutiny Committee, Housing Scrutiny Committee, and the Health and Wellbeing Board to identify any cross-cutting issues.