The Healthier Communities and Older People Overview and Scrutiny Panel met to discuss cabinet member priorities, the state of local hospitals, and to review their work programme. The panel also planned to discuss the Health and Wellbeing Hub in East Merton.

St Helier Hospital

The panel was scheduled to receive a report regarding the building repair schedule at St Helier Hospital, in light of its state of disrepair. The report was also expected to provide an update on how the extra money recently agreed by the government would be spent.

In January 2026, the panel also planned to review the update on the New Hospital Programme¹.

Work Programme 2025/26

The panel was scheduled to review and agree on their work programme for 2025-2026. According to the draft Healthier Communities and Older People Work Programme 25-26, the panel also intended to review the work programme at each of their meetings to respond to issues and incorporate reviews.

The draft work programme included the following items:

• September 2025

  • A report on the Healthwatch Annual Report from Dave Curtis, updating the panel on Healthwatch's role and action plan for the year.
  • An update on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection of Adult Social Care (ASC), and action plan from Terry Clark, Claire Migale and Graham Terry.
  • A report from Mark Creelman on the impact of Integrated Care Board (ICB) changes on health and wellbeing outcomes for Merton residents, including updates on the model for Integrated Neighbourhood Teams[^2] and the Merton alliance, the new operating model for ICB following staff reduction, and updates on transitions. [^2]: Integrated Neighbourhood Teams are multidisciplinary teams that bring together health and social care professionals to provide more coordinated and personalised care to people in their homes and communities.

• November 2025

  • A report on the budget and business plan from the Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services, to allow the panel to scrutinise the budget and send comments to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
  • A report on the Annual Public Health Report from the Director of Public Health, focusing on physical inactivity.
  • A report on the work undertaken by the Health and Wellbeing Board[^3] over the previous year, from Russell Styles, Director of Public Health, and Councillor Peter McCabe, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care. [^3]: Health and Wellbeing Boards are local bodies in England that bring together health and social care commissioners, providers, and other stakeholders to improve the health and wellbeing of the local population.
  • An annual report on adult safeguarding from the Independent chair of Merton Safeguarding Adults Board (SGA).
  • An overview of Adult Social Care and Public Health performance from Terry Clark, Claire Migale, Graham Terry, Russell Styles, and Shamal Vincent.

• January 2026

  • A report on the budget and business plan from the Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services, to allow the panel to scrutinise the budget and send comments to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
  • An update on mental health services in Merton by the Mental Health Trust and ASC following the ending of the S75[^4] in 2024, an update on the major reform of the Mental Health Act 1983, and a review of drug and alcohol services interacting with dual diagnosis, from Vanessa Ford, Graham Terry, and Barry Causer. [^4]: Section 75 of the National Health Service Act 2006 allows NHS bodies and local authorities to enter into partnership arrangements to provide integrated health and social care services.

• March 2026

  • An update on the impact of the ICB changes on health and wellbeing outcomes for Merton residents from Mark Creelman, following on from the previous meeting in September 2025.
  • An update on the development of a healthy weight action plan from Helen Raison.
  • A report on dementia care from Terry Clark, Natalie Parsons, and Barry Causer, including a deep dive into the quality and availability of dementia care across Merton, engagement on re-commissioning on pathways and services for residents with Dementia, reducing isolation and loneliness, ways of keeping older people both socially and physically active with a focus on assisting community organisations to achieve this, and respite care provision in Merton, including availability, accessibility, and quality, with a particular focus on dementia respite care and the support provided to unpaid carers.
  • Consideration of topics for the panel for the next year.

Cabinet Member Priorities

Councillor Peter McCabe was scheduled to provide a verbal update on current priorities in relation to the panel work programme, with a question and answer session to follow.

Wilson Hospital

Mark Creelman was scheduled to provide a verbal update on the Health and Wellbeing Hub in East Merton and the Case for Change at Wilson Hospital.