The Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to consider a report on the NCL Inequalities Fund, which aims to address health disparities across North Central London. The committee will also receive updates on the Paediatric Services Review and the North Middlesex & Royal Free Hospital merger.

NCL Inequalities Fund

A significant portion of the meeting is expected to focus on the North Central London (NCL) Inequalities Fund. This £5 million annual investment is designed to support innovative partnerships that tackle the root causes of health inequalities, with a focus on prevention and community-based care. The fund aims to address disparities by working alongside communities through a co-production approach, aligning with the ambitions of The Fit for the future: 10 Year Health Plan for England to shift care and resources into the community, particularly in socio-economically disadvantaged areas.

Funding for the Inequalities Fund is allocated based on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2019 and 2025. A substantial 75% is distributed to individual boroughs, with allocations based on the proportion of residents living in the most deprived wards. The remaining 25% is held in an 'NCL pool' to fund projects addressing non-geographical inequalities and supporting disadvantaged groups, as well as projects in Barnet to address pockets of deprivation. The report pack details how the fund has supported numerous projects across Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey, and Islington, aiming to improve health outcomes through various initiatives.

The report highlights that in 2025-26, 45 Inequalities Fund projects were delivered, supporting over 20,000 people. The majority of these projects focused on wider determinants of health, prevention, and early identification, targeting communities at the highest risk. The evaluation of these projects indicates a positive return on investment, with an estimated £5.3 million in cost mitigation against £3.6 million in project costs. The report also outlines learning from the fund, including what has worked well, such as deep community reach and extensive engagement, and areas for improvement, such as the complexity of commissioning and the need for greater use of qualitative insights. Future plans include strengthening neighbourhoods by linking Inequalities Fund projects with emerging borough models and focusing on improving outcomes for key groups.

Paediatric Services Review Update

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the Paediatric Services Review. Further details on the specific aspects of this review are expected to be provided in accompanying papers.

North Middlesex & Royal Free Hospital Merger Update

An update is also anticipated regarding the merger of North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust and the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. The report pack indicates that potential follow-up discussions could include examining a case study of a less prominent area of care to ascertain how it was monitored before and after service changes, and further discussion on financial risk, including how the debts of the Royal Free Group will be held within the merged Trust.

NCL JHOSC Terms of Reference

The committee is expected to discuss and potentially approve a revised version of its Terms of Reference (ToR). This is a standing item that appears on the work programme for the July 2025 meeting.

Work Programme

The committee will review its work programme for 2025-26. This document outlines the planned topics for future meetings, including updates on community pharmacy, NCL Estates & Infrastructure strategy, St Pancras Hospital, NCL Finance, ICB restructure, winter planning, and the NHS 10 Year Plan. The work programme also details potential future items for discussion, such as smoking cessation and vaping, the efficacy of online GP consultations, developing technology in chronic condition management, the strategic role of GP Federations, vaccination initiatives, paediatric service reviews, primary care commissioning, and changes in charging for previously free NHS services.