The Healthier Communities Select Committee was scheduled to discuss the progress of initiatives aimed at addressing health inequalities, particularly for Black African and Black Caribbean communities, and to review the final report on the Empowering Lewisham Programme. The committee was also set to consider its work programme for the upcoming year.

Response to BLACHIR

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the implementation of recommendations from the Birmingham and Lewisham African Caribbean Health Inequalities Review (BLACHIR). This review, launched in May 2020, aimed to address health inequalities experienced by Black African and Black Caribbean communities. The report outlined that 39 opportunities for action (OFAs) were identified in the final BLACHIR report, with 6 OFAs being fully progressed, 20 having had action started, and 13 with no action yet mapped. The Lewisham Health Inequalities and Health Equity Programme 2022-24 serves as the vehicle for implementing these OFAs. The programme has eight concurrent workstreams, including equitable preventative health services, Health Equity Teams, and community development. Progress has been made in areas such as the Race Equality Programme in Lewisham Schools and the development of a Cultural Humility Standard for Maternity Services. A community partner, the Social Inclusion Recovery Group (SIRG), has been commissioned to foster co-production and engagement with residents.

Empowering Lewisham Programme - Final Report

A final report on the Empowering Lewisham Programme, which aims to transform and modernise Adult Social Care, was scheduled for discussion. This programme, initiated in response to budget cut proposals, has focused on improving decision-making, enablement services, and progression for adults with learning disabilities. The report indicated that in its initial two years, the programme delivered over £4.2 million in savings, exceeding its forecast. The programme was recognised with a commendation at the 2023 MJ awards for Workforce Optimisation. The report detailed the programme's impact across five workstreams: Decision Making, Enablement, Progression & Next Steps, Change and Culture, and Digital Delivery. Significant improvements were noted in supporting residents to live more independently, with a reduction in the percentage of individuals not achieving optimal outcomes from 58% to 36%. The programme has also demonstrated strong performance in supporting individuals to remain at home post-hospital discharge and in facilitating transitions from hospital to enablement services.

Select Committee Work Programme

The committee was due to discuss and agree its priorities for the 2024-25 municipal year. The draft work programme included potential items such as a final report on the Empowering Lewisham Programme, an update on the community model of mental health from South London and Maudsley NHS Trust (SLaM), social prescribing and community care, and updates from the South East London Integrated Care Board (SEL ICB) on Primary Care Networks (PCNs). Other suggested topics included access to primary care, carers in Lewisham, and preparation for Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections. The committee was expected to consider how to best scrutinise these items, potentially through performance monitoring, policy reviews, or pre-decision scrutiny.