The North West London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Tuesday 22 October 2024 to discuss several key health strategies and service reviews across the region. The agenda included discussions on the North West London Adult Community-Based Specialist Palliative Care Review, the North West London Mental Health Strategy, and primary care access.

North West London Adult Community-Based Specialist Palliative Care Review

The committee was scheduled to review the communications and engagement strategy for the public consultation on a new model of care for adult community-based specialist palliative care services in North West London. This initiative, which began in late 2021, aims to improve services and support for residents at the end of their lives. The review identified significant variations in care across different boroughs, with a particular focus on ensuring equitable access to high-quality care, whether at home, in community inpatient settings, or through outpatient and wellbeing services. The proposed model aims to increase the number of available beds and ensure a consistent level of care across all eight boroughs. The consultation strategy detailed plans for extensive public engagement, including various channels for feedback, with a focus on reaching diverse and vulnerable groups. The consultation was scheduled to begin in November 2024 and run for a minimum of 14 weeks.

North West London Mental Health Strategy

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to outlining the development of the Mental Health Strategy for adult residents of North West London. This strategy, developed by a working group with representation from local authorities, providers, and service users, aims to address the growing need for mental health support. Key ambitions include raising awareness of services, promoting mental wellbeing through an assets-based approach, increasing equity in access, and ensuring a consistent core offer for community and crisis care. The strategy also focuses on reducing variation in caseloads and staffing, improving recruitment and retention, and achieving top-quartile waiting times in England. It highlights the integration of primary care and mental health teams, the importance of high-quality inpatient facilities, and collaboration with local authorities on housing and employment pathways. The strategy acknowledges that depression is the fourth leading cause of disability-adjusted life years lost in North West London and notes a significant increase in recorded prevalence of depression, alongside concerns about premature mortality for individuals with severe mental illness. The strategy also addresses the challenges of accessing Talking Therapies, with a focus on reducing waiting times and improving the reach of services, particularly for diverse communities.

North West London Primary Care Access

The committee was scheduled to consider the North West London Primary Care Access Engagement Plan. This agenda item aimed to gather insights into how patients access primary care services, with a particular focus on same-day appointments. The engagement plan outlined a process involving patient surveys, focus groups, and staff surveys to understand current experiences and identify areas for improvement. The goal was to develop a shared understanding of access challenges within each Primary Care Network (PCN) and lay the groundwork for improving access across various domains of care, including safety, effectiveness, timeliness, efficiency, and equity. The plan detailed a timeline for these engagement activities, with a patient survey scheduled to run from mid-October to late October 2024, followed by focus groups and reporting.

North West London JHOSC Recommendations Tracker

The committee was also scheduled to review the North West London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC) Recommendations Tracker for 2023-24. This tracker provides an overview of scrutiny recommendations made during the previous municipal year and monitors the progress of implementation by relevant NHS bodies. It also includes information requests made by the committee. Updates from the previous meeting were highlighted within the tracker.