The Health and Adult Social Care Policy and Accountability Committee were scheduled to meet on Monday 17 November 2025 to discuss updates from the Hammersmith and Fulham Health and Care Partnership, the Safeguarding Adults Board, and Imperial College Healthcare Trust regarding co-production at Charing Cross Hospital. The committee was also scheduled to comment on the upcoming Drug Strategy.

Drug Strategy

The committee was scheduled to discuss the draft Hammersmith and Fulham Drug Strategy 2025-2028, which builds on the work of the Hammersmith and Fulham Combatting Drug Partnership set up in 2022 following the Dame Carol Black Review and the national drug strategy, 'From Harm to Hope'. The strategy covers three themes:

• Breaking drug supply chains (enforcement)
• World class treatment services
• Achieving a generational shift in the demand for drugs

The strategy recognises that addiction does not occur in a vacuum, but thrives in circumstances of poverty, desperation, homelessness, trauma, and in people affected by mental and physical illness.

Councillor Alex Sanderson, Deputy Leader, Hammersmith & Fulham Council, noted in the foreword to the strategy that:

People who use drugs are amongst the most stigmatised members of society, as their drug use is often set against a backdrop of drifting in the margins of society.

The strategy also aims to tackle emerging threats such as new synthetic opioids (like Nitazenes), chemsex¹ and novel psychoactive substances like cannabis-like substances.

The strategy includes the following proposed actions:

• Acting immediately to help adults and young people who are victims of organised crime networks.
• Improving intelligence gathering, information sharing and activity mapping for more targeted enforcement activities to tackle public drug use, drug-related litter and street dealing.
• Expanding training for all social workers and housing officers about drugs and alcohol.
• Ensuring better support to marginalised groups including women and sex workers.
• Tackling emerging threats such as chemsex, lung damage due to crack cocaine use, crystal methamphetamine use, Nitrous Oxide and novel opiates such as Nitazenes.
• Improving marketing, health promotion and outreach approach to better reach more people and ensure those in need of treatment can access services.
• Running local campaigns with key partners such as registered social landlords and housing providers.

Charing Cross Hospital Co-Production

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on co-production work undertaken in partnership with Action on Disability and Imperial College Healthcare Trust at Charing Cross Hospital.

Action on Disability undertook a review in 2024 titled Disabled People's Experiences of the NHS . Views were collected by distributing a questionnaire to members and holding a hybrid in-person and online group meeting, with contributions received from 26 disabled people.

Some of the issues raised within the report included:

• Poor signage and inconsistent wayfinding.
• Long waiting times and lack of quiet areas.
• Physical barriers (corridors, toilets) and limited wheelchair access.
• Long appointment delays and unclear processes.
• Need for assistance for neurodivergent patients.
• Poor lift reliability and door accessibility.
• Audio and Braille guidance lacking.

Proposed actions included:

• Creating an action tracker.
• Exploring volunteer support for Disabled and neurodivergent patients.
• Investigating door automation and wayfinding (NaviLens, RNIB).
• Improving signage, Easy Read materials, and car park accessibility.
• Including a new Changing Places toilet in redevelopment.

Hammersmith and Fulham Health and Care Partnership Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the progress of the Hammersmith and Fulham Health and Care Partnership, with a focus on collaborative working across organisations to improve health and wellbeing.

The update included a focus on integrated care and the development of an Integrated Community Access Point (ICAP). The ICAP is described as:

an alliance of clinicians and professionals across organisations working with people with the most complex needs, which has been developed in response to the fragmentation of services across multiple providers.

The aim of the ICAP is for providers and clinicians to work in an integrated way and break down organisational boundaries, developing a proactive model that keeps people living as independently as possible for longer, and out of hospital where possible.

H&F Safeguarding Adults Board Report 2024/25

The committee was scheduled to receive an overview of the work of the Safeguarding Adults Board in 2024/25.

The annual report outlines how the SAB has delivered its statutory duties, including a summary of Safeguarding Adults Review under Section 44 of the Care Act[^3] and exploration of how the partnership has sought to progress objectives under three key priority areas:

• Effective systems and processes
• Creating a culture of learning
• Communication and partnership

The report highlights efforts to continue to improve professional responses to support adults with care and support needs who are at risk of abuse and neglect.

The report also details learning from multi agency audits and Safeguarding Adults Reviews which have highlighted key themes of trauma-informed practice, professional curiosity and empowering adults to make their own decisions.