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Health and Community Safety Scrutiny Commission

Welcome to the Health and Community Safety Scrutiny Commission page. The Commission is a sub-committee of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and has been established to examine and monitor the performance of services provided by the Council and other agencies in matters regarding health and community safety. This includes scrutiny of the local NHS and health provision in Southwark, as well as crime and disorder matters.


Meeting dates, agendas and minutes, Commission membership

The Council uses a dedicated microsite to organise committee membership and meeting information – please visit the Health and Community Safety Scrutiny Commission on ModernGov.


Recordings of meetings

Meetings are streamed live and archived on Southwark Council’s YouTube channel.


Current Scrutiny Priorities (2026-)

Following the recent elections, priorities will be reported here once established.


Historic Scrutiny Priorities

In recent years, the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission (as its remit was) focused on:

Reviews

  1. Adult Safeguarding – How can this be better implemented to protect vulnerable adults, carers, and paid staff?
  2. Cancer Prevention and Early Diagnosis (mini review)


Other Priority Items

  • Blue Badge – Update on progress following items in previous administrative years
  • Care/Nursing Care Home Model Delivery – Cabinet response and tracking delivery of the Asylum Road Care Home and looking more broadly at Nursing Home Space standards
  • FGM – Update on work with adult survivors and children at risk of harm
  • Menopause
  • Children’s Respite Care – Cost and service impact of ending provision at Orient Street
  • GP Appointments – With reference to work Partnership Southwark are doing to improve access to timely appointments
  • Improving Access to Toilets – Update on previous scrutiny review
  • TfL / Mayor of London / London Councils: explore an earlier than 9 am Freedom bus pass starting time; driver behaviour (e.g. allowing people to sit down and embark safely)


Scrutiny Review Reports and Cabinet Responses

One of the main ways Scrutiny makes a difference is by undertaking scrutiny reviews and making recommendations to the Executive (Cabinet). Recommendations are usually published in reports which are received at Executive meetings and to which the Executive provides its response. Below are reports from the former Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission and Cabinet responses to these.


2025/2026

  • Nursing Care Home Delivery Scrutiny Review [Link] > Cabinet Response [Link]


2024/2025

  • Access to Toilets Scrutiny Review [Link] > Cabinet Response [Link]


2023/2024

  • Access to Medical Appointments [Link] > Cabinet Response to Recommendation 9 [Link] > NHS Partnership Southwark Response [Link]
  • Care Contributions Scrutiny Review [Link] > Cabinet Response [Link]