Redbridge Council has approved a new agreement for its Adults Emergency Duty Team (EDT), ensuring the continuation of a vital service for vulnerable adults in the borough.
The cabinet approved entering into a new Section 75 agreement with North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) on Thursday, 11 December 2025. The new contract will operate in the same manner as the previous Section 75 Agreement, with London Borough of Havering as the lead commissioning borough. This contract replaces the Adult Emergency Duty Team Contract that ended on the 31st March 2025. The agreement, valued at £4,460,319.20, will be split equally between Redbridge and three other partner boroughs: Havering, Barking and Dagenham, and Waltham Forest. Redbridge's maximum contribution will be £1,115,079.75 over the five-year term.
The North-East London Adult Emergency Duty Team provides an emergency social care service outside of normal office hours. The service is designed to deal only with emergency situations that cannot wait until the next working day. The EDT includes the provision of 24-hour Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs) under the Care Act 2014, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Mental Health Act 1983.
According to the Adults Emergency Duty Team Section 75 Agreement Report, local authorities have a statutory duty to provide emergency duty teams as part of their adult social care services. The report also notes that the Section 75 agreement with NELFT for the provision of the Adults Emergency Duty Team expired on 31 March 2025.
The service covers Redbridge, Havering, Barking and Dagenham, and Waltham Forest. Members of the public and health and social care professionals can contact the team if a carer or a vulnerable adult is in urgent need or requires protection from harm. A vulnerable adult is defined as a person of 18 years or over with a social care need, including those with mental health problems, physical or learning disabilities, or older people. The service includes, but is not restricted to, the provision of Mental Health Act assessments by an approved mental health professional.
Should the demand for the EDT services exceed the capacity outlined in the agreement, any overspends that arise from running the service are split evenly between the partner organisations. For Redbridge, the expectation is that budget managers contain and mitigate these costs within the existing budgets.
The cabinet also delegated authority to the Executive Director of People to sign off on the terms of the Section 75 Agreement on behalf of the London Borough of Redbridge.
The Havering Cabinet report notes that local authorities have a statutory duty to provide emergency duty teams (EDTs) as part of their adult social care services. This ensures that vulnerable adults receive timely and appropriate support during emergencies, safeguarding their wellbeing and promoting their safety outside of normal working hours, including evenings, weekends, and public holidays.
