Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) – Work Programme

Current Scrutiny Reviews

Title of Review

Detail

Proposed Completion Date

To be agreed.

 

 

 

Initial Scoping Reviews

Subject area for initial scoping

Detail

 Proposed Dates

To be agreed.

To be agreed.

To be agreed

List of Suggested Potential Future Scrutiny Review Topics

Suggested Topic

Detail

To be agreed.

 


 

Scrutiny Reference Groups

Reference Group Title

Subject Area

Meetings Dates

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT) HOSC liaison group

Regular informal meetings with SPFT and other Sussex HOSC Chairs and Vice Chairs to consider the Trust’s work and other mental health issues.

Membership: Cllrs Belsey and Robinson

Next meetings: April 2025

 

Reports for Information

Subject Area

Detail

Proposed Date

To be agreed.

 

 

Training and Development

Title of Training/Briefing

Detail

Proposed Date

Visit to Ambulance Make Ready station and new Operations Centre – East.

A visit to the new Medway Make Ready station and new Operations Centre for 999 and 111 services once the new centre is operational.

TBC

Visit to the new Inpatient Mental Health facility at Bexhill

A visit to the new Inpatient Mental Health facility due to be built at a site in North East Bexhill to replace the Department of Psychiatry at Eastbourne District General Hospital (EDGH).

 

TBC but likely 2025

Visit to new Sussex Surgical Hub at Eastbourne District General Hospital

A visit to see the new minor surgical hub that has been built at Eastbourne District General Hospital.

July 2025

 



Future Committee Agenda

Items

Witnesses

26 June 2025

NHS Sussex Winter Plan

To receive an update report on the Winter Plan to review how the Plan was implemented this year and to highlight any learning or other issues to be taken forward into the next Plan or actioned separately. The report to include an update on ambulance handover times at the Royal Sussex County Hospital and the work being undertaken on delayed discharge from hospital

Representatives from NHS Sussex, University Hospitals Sussex (UHSx), ESHT, SPFT and SECAmb.

Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS)

To receive an update report on the implementation and mobilisation of the new contract for Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) in Sussex.

Representatives from NHS Sussex.

Committee Work Programme

To manage the committee’s programme of work including matters relating to ongoing reviews, initial scoping reviews, future scrutiny topics, reference groups, training and development matters and reports for information.

Policy and Scrutiny Adviser

 

18 September 2025

Access to Primary Care Services – GPs and Primary Care Network (PCN)

An update report on the working being undertaken to improve access to GP services and appointments in East Sussex, including Primary Care Network (PCN) performance and services provided. Report to include an update on primary care (GP surgery) estates issues, especially in areas of housing growth, GP recruitment and the availability of being able to book online appointments.

Representatives from NHS Sussex.

HOSC Review of the Provision of Audiology Services in East Sussex.

To receive a response from NHS Sussex to the HOSC Review of Audiology Services and the recommendations contained in the report of the Review Board agreed at the HOSC meeting held on 6 March 2025

Representatives from NHS Sussex.

Paediatric Service Model at Eastbourne District General Hospital (EDGH)

To receive on update report on the changes made to Paediatric Service Model at EDGH after 18-20 months operation of the new model, to include an update on APNP staffing and the use of the former Scott Unit for paediatric services.

Representatives from ESHT

CYP Mental Health update

To receive an update report on mental health services for children and young people, including CAMHS, mental health in schools, and neurodevelopmental services.

Representatives from NHS Sussex and SPFT

Committee Work Programme

To manage the committee’s programme of work including matters relating to ongoing reviews, initial scoping reviews, future scrutiny topics, reference groups, training and development matters and reports for information.

Policy and Scrutiny Adviser

 

11 December 2025

NHS Sussex Winter Plan

To receive a report on the Winter Plan for 2025/26. The report to include an planning across the health system for East Sussex including services provided by ESHT, UHSx, MTW, SECamb and SPFT that provide services to East Sussex residents.

Representatives from NHS Sussex, University Hospitals Sussex (UHSx), ESHT, SPFT MTW and SECAmb.

Committee Work Programme

To manage the committee’s programme of work including matters relating to ongoing reviews, initial scoping reviews, future scrutiny topics, reference groups, training and development matters and reports for information.

Policy and Scrutiny Adviser

 

5 March 2026

SECAmb CQC report

To receive a further update report on the progress of South East Coast Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) improvement journey and exiting the Recovery Support Programme (RSP).

Representatives from SECAmb

Committee Work Programme

To manage the committee’s programme of work including matters relating to ongoing reviews, initial scoping reviews, future scrutiny topics, reference groups, training and development matters and reports for information.

Policy and Scrutiny Adviser

 

Items to be scheduled – dates TBC

Uckfield day surgery

To receive a report from ESHT on the findings and outcomes of its pilot of non-complex day surgery cases that currently take place at Uckfield Community Hospital carried out at Eastbourne District General Hospital and Conquest Hospital. Timescales to be agreed but likely September 2025.

Representatives from ESHT

Access to NHS Dentistry Services

To receive a further update report on the progress being made to improve access to NHS Dentistry services in East Sussex. Timescales to be agreed.

Representatives from NHS Sussex

Ophthalmology Transformation Programme

To receive an update report on the implementation of the ESHT Ophthalmology Transformation Programme when more detail is known about the plans for implementing phase 3 of the Programme. Timescale to be agreed with colleagues from ESHT.

Representatives from ESHT and NHS Sussex.

East Sussex Healthcare Trust (ESHT) Capital Works Programme

To receive a report on the ESHT planned capital works programme detailing the infrastructure works that are going ahead and those that are being deferred at the Conquest, Eastbourne District General (EDGH) and Bexhill Hospitals once the impact of the announcement on the New Hospitals Programme and any additional capital funding has been evaluated.

Representatives from ESHT and NHS Sussex.

University Hospitals Sussex (UHSx), General Surgery and Neurosurgery

To receive an assurance report on the provision and safety of current general surgery and neurosurgery at UHSx Hospitals and in particular the Royal Sussex County Hospital (RSCH), following the widening of the Police investigation into these services. To be programmed in liaison with NHS colleagues.

Representatives from NHS Sussex, University Hospitals Sussex (UHSx),

UHSx CQC report.

To receive an update report on University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust’s (UHSx) response to the August 2023 CQC inspection report (with a particular focus on the actions being taken at Royal Sussex County Hospital on patient safety).

Representatives from UHSx

Cardiology transformation Programme

An update report on the implementation of the ESHT Cardiology transformation Programme including the transport and access recommendations and measures made as part of the review of this transformation programme.

Note: Timing is dependent on ESHT implementation timescales.

Representatives of ESHT and NHS Sussex.

Implementation of Kent and Medway Stroke review

To consider the implementation of the Hyper Acute Stroke Units (HASUs) in Kent and Medway and progress of rehabilitation services in the High Weald area.

Note: Timing is dependent on NHS implementation process

Representatives of NHS Sussex/Kent and Medway ICS

Specialised Children’s Cancer Services – Principal Treatment Centres (PTCs)

To receive an update report from NHS England, London and South East on implementation of the changes to the Specialised Children’s Cancer Services – Principal Treatment Centre located in south London which serves East Sussex.

Note: timing of the report will be dependent on the implementation of the changes which are not due until 2026 at the earliest.

NHS England, London and South East