The North Central London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to meet on Friday 30 January 2026. The meeting's agenda includes a review of the NCL Inequalities Fund, an update on paediatric services, and discussions regarding the merger of North Middlesex and Royal Free Hospitals.

NCL Inequalities Fund

A significant portion of the meeting is dedicated to the NCL Inequalities Fund, which is a £5 million annual investment aimed at funding innovative partnerships to address the root causes of health inequalities. The fund focuses on prevention, early help, and wider determinants of health by working collaboratively with communities. The report pack details how funding is allocated based on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2019 and 2025, with a substantial portion directed to boroughs like Haringey and Enfield, which have higher proportions of residents in the most deprived areas.

The fund supports a variety of projects across the boroughs, including initiatives targeting specific ethnic groups, improving management of long-term conditions, and promoting preventative health measures. The report highlights that in 2025-26, 45 projects were delivered, supporting over 20,000 people, with 75% of project objectives met. The evaluation of the fund 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, emphasizing what works well, such as deep community reach and co-production, and areas for improvement, including the complexity of commissioning and data recording. Future plans include strengthening neighbourhoods, focusing on improving outcomes for key groups, and targeting investment towards newly identified deprived areas based on IMD 2025 data.

Paediatric Services Review Update

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the review of paediatric services. Further details on this item are expected to be provided.

North Middlesex & Royal Free Hospital Merger Update

An update is also scheduled regarding the merger of North Middlesex and Royal Free Hospitals. Specifics on this discussion will be made available in due course.

NCL JHOSC Terms of Reference

The committee will consider its Terms of Reference. Papers relating to this item are to follow.

Work Programme

The committee will review its work programme for 2025-26. This outlines the planned activities and discussions for the upcoming year.