The Health and Adult Social
Care Scrutiny Committee is responsible for examining, or reviewing,
the decisions, policies and services of West Berkshire Council that
relate to Public Health and Adult Social Care.
It also seeks assurance 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.
In addition, health scrutiny
has a strategic role in taking an overview of how well integration
of health, public health and social care is working and making
recommendations about how it could be improved.
The Committee responds to
formal consultations on health matters. Health bodies are required to consult the Health and Adult
Social Care Committee about any proposals they have for a
substantial development or variation in the provision of health
services in their area.
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 nine Members,
reflecting the political composition of the Authority. Members of
the
Executive cannot be
members of this or any scrutiny committee.
The Health and Adult Social
Care 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 and
recommendations.
Scrutiny of health
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 is
undertaken by the Resources and Place Scrutiny Committee and the
Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee.
Contact:
Democratic Services
Further information links:
Scrutiny at West Berkshire
Council
Getting Involved in Reviewing Council
Decisions
Part 6.4 of the Council’s
Constitution
