Committee details

The Health Scrutiny Committee is responsible for ensuring that the needs and experiences of local residents are considered as an integral part of the planning, development and operation of health services and that those services are safe and effective in meeting local needs.

The Committee responds to formal consultations on health matters. Health bodies are required to consult a local authority’s Heath Scrutiny Committee about any proposals they have for a substantial development or variation in the provision of health services in their area.

Health scrutiny also has a strategic role in taking an overview of how well integration of health, public health and social care is working and in making recommendations about how it could be improved.

Additionally, health scrutiny has a legitimate role in: proactively seeking information about the performance of local health services and institutions; in challenging the information provided to it by commissioners and health service providers; and in testing this information by drawing on different sources of intelligence.

It is made up of five Members, reflecting the political composition of the Authority. Members of the Executive cannot be members of the Health Scrutiny Committee.

The Health Scrutiny Committee usually meets four times per year. It can either consider scrutiny topics during a full Committee meeting, or delegate topics to a task group which will report back to the Committee with its findings.

The Health Scrutiny Committee can only consider matters relating to public health and NHS services provided within West Berkshire. Scrutiny of matters that affect patient flows across local authority boundaries is undertaken by a Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (see Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee).

Scrutiny of other services (including adults’ and children’s social care) is undertaken by the Scrutiny Commission.

Contact:  Democratic Services

Further information links:

Scrutiny at West Berkshire Council

Getting Involved in Reviewing Council Decisions

Part 6 Constitution – Overview and Scrutiny Rules of Procedure