NHS North West London engages community in North Kensington recovery efforts

Published on: Friday 9 May 2025

NHS North West London has expressed its gratitude to the survivors, bereaved, and other residents of North Kensington for their invaluable contributions to the ongoing recovery efforts. Their dedication and support have been instrumental in shaping the health plans and strategies aimed at addressing the community's needs. 

Since the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, the NHS has been actively engaging with the affected community through various means, including conversations, focus groups, health partner meetings, and patient feedback sessions. This extensive engagement has provided critical insights into the health needs and challenges faced by the community, influencing the development of the North Kensington Recovery strategy. 

The latest engagement efforts, conducted between December 2024 and February 2025, included surveys, roundtable meetings, and focus groups. These activities aimed to understand the current and evolving health needs of the community and to inform the future of Grenfell health services from 2025 to 2029. The report published today also considers the health impacts of recent government announcements regarding the dismantling of the Grenfell Tower and emphasizes the importance of continued community involvement. 

Key insights from the recent engagement highlight several priorities for the next phase of recovery. These include focusing NHS resources on residents most in need, addressing low trust in the NHS, and providing valued Grenfell Enhanced Health Checks (EHCs). Emotional wellbeing and mental health services remain a priority, with a preference for a mix of clinical and non-clinical support. The community also expressed concerns about managing long-term conditions, the impact of housing on health, and the anxiety linked to the tower's dismantling and long-term health monitoring. 

NHS North West London committed to ensuring equity of views and influence, recognizing the diverse perspectives within the community. The report underscores the need for greater accountability, transparency, and genuine community involvement in decision-making processes. 

As the North Kensington Recovery programme moves into its next phase, the NHS will continue to listen to and work alongside the affected communities, striving to meet their health needs and support their recovery journey. 

The key insights from the work undertaken in 2024 /25 that should help shape the next four years of North Kensington Recovery (2025-2029) and will meet current and future Grenfell affected health needs. These are the priorities expressed by community participants, set out below: 

  • NHS resources should focus on those residents most in need, with support directed towards people living near the Tower site.
  • Overall, there are ongoing issues of low trust experienced by communities towards the NHS 
  • Both GP and Community-based Grenfell Enhanced Health Checks (EHCs) are valued, but there are varying expectations around what the scope of an EHC should be. Some people wanted a greater degree of reassurance around their health from EHCs. 
  • Services and support for emotional wellbeing and mental health are a priority for both Survivors and Bereaved and Residents, with, most people preferring this delivered by GP or other NHS services. However, a mixture of clinical and non-clinical provision (community led, peer support) was favoured overall 
  • Many people experience challenge in managing long term conditions. These were exacerbated by health inequalities across the locality, and have deepened since the fire 
  • Significant levels of concern and anxiety linked to the tower being taken down, and what the impact of this will be on people’s health   
  • A high level of anxiety and distress expressed, influenced by two main issues. Firstly, the capacity for long term health monitoring to address issues around toxicity, cancers and other health conditions that might arise in the future as a result of the fire. Secondly, the state of NHS, including long waiting times for scans, appointments and access to primary care services.
  • Community Led Recovery was expressed as meaning greater accountability and transparency by the NHS, including the allocation of resources, improving communication with communities, and genuine involvement of communities in decision making  
  • The impact of Housing on health was a recurrent theme. Persistent themes were unsuitable housing, overcrowding and poor state of homes that all impacted on health and wellbeing.

For more information email nhsnwl.nkrt@nhs.net.

 

 

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