Redbridge Council's Cabinet has approved a new five-year agreement for the Adults Emergency Duty Team (EDT) with North-East London Foundation NHS Trust (NELFT), a decision made during a meeting on January 19, 2026.

The agreement, which commenced on April 1, 2025, and will run until March 31, 2030, covers Redbridge, Havering, Barking and Dagenham, and Waltham Forest. Havering will act as the lead borough for this multi-borough initiative.

The total value of the agreement is £4,460,319.20, with each of the four partner boroughs contributing equally to the cost. Redbridge's contribution is capped at £1,115,079.75 over the five-year period.

The EDT provides an essential out-of-hours social care service, responding to urgent situations involving vulnerable adults and mental health assessments. The service is designed to deal only with emergency situations that cannot wait until the next working day. 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, which can include people 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.

The decision was confirmed in the minutes of the Cabinet meeting on January 19, 2026, where councillors reviewed and approved several key proposals, including this Section 75 Agreement. The previous agreement with NELFT had expired on March 31, 2025.

Councillor Mark A. Santos, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, introduced the report concerning the agreement. The Cabinet also resolved to delegate authority to the Executive Director of People to sign the terms of the Section 75 Agreement on behalf of the London Borough of Redbridge.

For more details on the meeting and the approved proposals, refer to the Public reports pack 19th Jan 2026 and the official Minutes 19th Jan 2026.