Here is a summary of the scheduled discussions for the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Health meeting. The agenda included consideration of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan, winter planning for 2025/26, and an update from the London Ambulance Service. Also to be discussed were the minutes from the previous meeting and the committee's work programme.

NHS 10 Year Health Plan and Neighbourhood Health

The committee was scheduled to discuss the NHS 10 Year Health Plan, including the implementation of 'Neighbourhood Health'. The NHS 10 Year Health Plan was based on 'three shifts':

• A move from hospital to community care.
• A shift from analogue to digital systems.
• A move from treating sickness to preventing it.

The plan was to be delivered through Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INT). The plan also recognised that wider determinants of health are key to a Neighbourhood Health approach, including:

• Identifying unmet social need.
• Creating community assets for health and wellbeing.
• Early identification and early help partnership working.

The plan highlighted that a merger of North Central London Integrated Care Board (NCL ICB) and North West London Integrated Care Board (NWL ICB) was agreed to help meet the demand of a 50% reduction in running costs. The purpose of the 'Model ICB' was described as:

Reinforcing the role of ICBs as strategic commissioners Moving away from clinical delivery and provider management

Winter Planning 2025/26

The committee was scheduled to discuss winter planning for 2025/26, including the North Central London (NCL) Winter Plan and the North London Foundation Trust (NLFT) Winter Plan.

The NCL Winter Plan for 2025/26 was based on:

• Improving vaccination rates.
• Increasing the number of patients receiving care in primary, community and mental health settings.
• Meeting the maximum 45-minute ambulance handover time standard.
• Improving flow through hospitals, with a focus on patients waiting over 12 hours and eliminating corridor care.
• Setting local performance targets by pathway to improve patient discharge times and eliminate internal discharge delays of more than 48 hours in all settings.

The plan included a seasonal vaccination programme, with a focus on eligible populations such as those aged 75+, residents in care homes, and those who are immunosuppressed. The plan also aimed to increase vaccination uptake among staff.

The North London Foundation Trust (NLFT) Winter Plan outlined how the trust was planning to manage winter pressures for mental health services. The NLFT's priorities for winter 2025/26 were listed as:

• Keeping Staff Fit for Winter
• Keeping Service Users Safe from Winter Respiratory Illnesses
• Consistent and effective patient flow
• Planning for, and utilising, schemes, or winter funding effectively to meet NLFT objectives

London Ambulance Service Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the performance and achievements of the London Ambulance Service (LAS) for 2024/25.

The update included:

• Key achievements from 2024/25 in delivering emergency and urgent care, being an inclusive and well-led organisation, and improving the health of London.
• Performance data for September 2024 and 2025, including mean response times for different categories of calls.
• Local engagement activities, such as London Lifesavers events and collaborations with other organisations.
• Information on working with system partners, such as the North Central London Integrated Care Board (NCL ICB) and hospitals, to implement the 45-minute patient handover process.
• Details of the LAS winter plan for 2025/26, which focused on improving ambulance response times, reducing avoidable ED conveyance, and improving staff vaccination rates.

The LAS update also highlighted the London Heart Starters campaign, which fundraises to ensure there are an additional 150 public-access defibrillators in unlocked cabinets where they are needed most.

Other Business

The committee was also scheduled to confirm and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on 12 September 2025, review an action tracker, and discuss its work programme.