Here is a summary of the scheduled discussions for the Adult Social Care & Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting. The agenda included discussion of winter preparedness planning, the development of neighbourhood health services, and the committee's work programme. The committee was also scheduled to review performance data and budget monitoring reports.

Bexley Wellbeing Partnership Winter Preparedness

The committee was scheduled to be briefed on the Bexley Wellbeing Partnership's winter preparedness and resilience planning for 2025/26. A report in the meeting pack stated that winter is a challenging time for health and social care, and that demand often outstrips capacity. The report outlined key challenges such as:

• Limited funding for adult social care to support hospital discharges.
• Pressured demand for district nursing services.
• Insufficient emergency department and bed capacity at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH).

The report also summarised key system actions, including:

• Building on the Urgent & Emergency Care Recovery Plan for 2025/26.
• Developing a collaborative winter plan for Bexley.
• Prioritising and managing risk to ensure activity is managed in the right place at the right time.
• Continuing deployment of the local Rapid Response team.

The report also detailed prevention and primary care measures, such as:

• Access Improvement Plans by the four Bexley Primary Care Networks (PCNs).
• The Pharmacy First service.
• Enhanced Access to primary care.
• A comprehensive vaccination programme.
• The Bexley Health Neighbourhood Care CIC taking on the management of the two Urgent Treatment Centres at Erith & District Hospital and Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup.

The report also mentioned the Better Access Bexley campaign, which promotes ways for residents to access primary care services. The role of unpaid carers and the support available to them was also highlighted, including the 'Carers' Corner' in the Thamesmead Library, located in the Nest Community Centre. The report also detailed community, adult and mental health services, including:

• The Home First principles, which emphasise that the patient's own home is the best place for recovery.
• Emergency Department Care Navigators at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
• Virtual Wards.
• The Rapid Response Team.
• The NHS 111 'Press 2 for mental health' service.
• The Mental Health Crisis Cafe.

The report also provided information on acute trust emergency and inpatient flow at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Darent Valley Hospital. Discharge arrangements, social care, and intermediate care were also discussed, including the use of Disabled Facilities Grants to provide home adaptations. The report also covered end-of-life care and the Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice. Finally, the report detailed the Intermediate Care Capacity and Demand Plan and governance and monitoring arrangements.

Developing Neighbourhood Health Service

The committee was scheduled to discuss the development of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) in Bexley. A report in the meeting pack stated that Bexley is developing Integrated Neighbourhoods to deliver better, more integrated and proactive care to residents. The movement towards Integrated Neighbourhood Teams is a continuation of a journey that Bexley has already been on, while also responding to wider regional and national priorities. Bexley already delivers integrated neighbourhood care within three Local Care Networks (Clocktower, Frognal and North Bexley), through a partnership called Bexley Care between the London Borough of Bexley and Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. The Bexley Wellbeing Partnership had already started to formulate the next phase of Integrated Neighbourhoods, including understanding the existing foundations which can be built on. Using Bexley Care as the foundation and integration more formally with Primary Care Networks and the local GP Federation to form the integrator. The Bexley Health & Wellbeing Board has endorsed the Bexley Roadmap for Integrated Neighbourhoods Teams and the Bexley Wellbeing Partnership has approved the local health and care systems approach for an integrator; Bexley Care Plus and agreement between the London Borough of Bexley, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, Bexley Health Neighbourhood Care CIC (GP Federation) and Primary Care Networks. A Memorandum of Understanding has been developed and formally agreed by the respective partners and sets out the intent to work together to form the partnership, Bexley Care Plus. It Includes high level arrangements such as governance, ways of working and the scope of work. The Bexley Care Plus Memorandum of Understanding is located at Appendix 1.

The report also referenced the London Target Operating Model, which provides a blueprint for how services should be designed and integrated at neighbourhood, place, and system levels, focusing on population health and reducing health inequalities. The report stated that the integrator is a key function designed to make integration across health and care partners work in practice. The integrator is an existing, credible local organisation chosen by the Place Partnership to host and enable the core functions that make Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) work.

The report also referenced the NHS 10-year plan, which sets out a vision for transforming healthcare delivery in England, with a strong emphasis on community-based, preventative, and integrated care.

Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to discuss and agree on its work programme for the year. The draft work programme included items such as:

• Winter Resilience Planning
• Road Map Update for Integrated Neighbourhood Health services
• Draft Budget and Financial Plans 2026/27
• North Bexley Neighbourhood: Health Inequalities Project – Cancer Screening & Awareness
• Opportunities for Transformation Expanded Reablement Offer
• Prevention and Early Intervention Grants Review
• Adult Social Care Workforce
• ASC Service Performance and Service user Satisfaction levels

The committee was also scheduled to receive updates on the Bexley Status Report, budget monitoring, the Bexley Safeguarding Adults Board annual report, and Healthwatch Bexley's annual report. Additionally, the committee was scheduled to discuss reality checking visits to various provisions and consider undertaking structured discussions with Adult Social Care Service users to understand their experiences.