The Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to discuss the collaboration between Whittington Health NHS Trust and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, alongside a financial review of the North Central London Integrated Care Board (ICB) and winter planning for the region. The committee also had an update on the committee's work programme.

Whittington/UCLH Collaboration

The committee was set to receive an overview of the ongoing collaboration between the Whittington Health NHS Trust and the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This collaboration, formalised in 2017, aims to leverage the complementary strengths of both organisations to improve service delivery and adopt a population-based approach to healthcare. The report was expected to detail progress on five priority workstreams, including delivering a joint theatre capacity plan, increasing community provision from Whittington Health, modernising cancer services at Whittington Health, establishing resilient gynaecology pathways, and exploring a joint outpatient dispensing service. Critical success factors such as clinical support, patient engagement, communication, alignment with the NCL ICB's clinical strategy, and resourcing were also to be discussed. The report also outlined potential risks associated with the collaboration, such as stalled opportunities due to management bandwidth or business-as-usual pressures, and adverse impacts on organisational income.

NCL ICB Financial Review

A finance update for the North Central London Integrated Care Board (ICB) was scheduled, including the overall strategic direction of travel and 2024/25 figures for the ICB and NHS Trusts providing services to NCL patients. This review was intended to provide insight into the financial health and strategic priorities of healthcare services within the region.

Winter Planning

The committee was to receive an overview of the planning for winter resilience in North Central London for 2024/25. This included details about the 'Your Local Health Team' campaign, which aims to improve trust and understanding among residents regarding the actions being taken by the ICB to enhance local health and wellbeing. The plan was to focus on proactive actions informed by data, with an emphasis on preventative work through vaccinations and increasing primary care capacity to support at-risk cohorts.

Work Programme

The committee was presented with an outline of the 2024-25 work programme for the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee. This paper detailed the areas the committee had chosen to focus on for the year and requested confirmation of agenda items for the next meeting, scheduled for 3 February 2025.