The Health Scrutiny Sub-committee of Redbridge Council met on 25 September 2025. The agenda included a verbal update on health protection, and updates from committee members on relevant bodies. The sub-committee was also scheduled to discuss the Barts Health NHS Trust Speak-up Guardian.

Barts Health NHS Trust Speak-up Guardian

The sub-committee was scheduled to discuss the Barts Health NHS Trust Speak-up Guardian.

Barts Health NHS Trust ¹ is responsible for running several hospitals in East London.

Health Protection Update

The Director of Public Health and Commissioning was scheduled to provide a verbal update on health protection. At the previous meeting on 17 June 2025, the Director of Public Health and Commissioning provided an update that included the following points:

• A new Covid variant, NB1.81, had been detected.
• Data indicated that flu vaccination, alongside the Covid vaccine, had been effective in preventing hospital admissions for all age groups.
• Following reported outbreaks in some schools in London, there had been a rise in the number of cases of measles.
• Caution was required regarding Polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases, due to the likelihood of increased travelling.
• A Yellow Alert warning had been announced regarding hot weather.
• No additional Public Health funding had been allocated to the borough for this year following the recent spending review announcement by central government.

The Director of Public Health and Commissioning had welcomed the sub-committee's consideration of future topics on the future work programme and suggested the Annual Public Health Report, Smoking Cessation, and the national Million Hearts and Minds ², designed to improve cardiovascular health, to be considered alongside the regular Health Protection updates.

Updates from Relevant Bodies

The sub-committee was scheduled to receive verbal updates from Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee Members relating to the following bodies:

• Outer North East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee
• Whipps Cross Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee
• Health and Care Policy Development Committee

At the previous meeting on 17 June 2025, Councillor D. Morgan-Thomas reported that their Outer NEL JHOSC membership was confirmed at full Council as Councillors D. Morgan-Thomas, Councillor Sunny Brar and B. Jones and the next meeting in scheduled for July.

It was also reported that Whipps Cross Hospital Redevelopment JHOSC membership was confirmed at full Council as Councillors D. Morgan-Thomas and Councillor Sunny Brar, and that the JHOSC was dormant until further notice.

Councillor Sunny Brar (PDC Chair) reported that the Health and Care PDC was looking into the theme of Adult Mental Health Services in Redbridge and would be arranging a workshop in September.