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
