Health and Adult Services Scrutiny Committee

Areas of responsibility:

a) Adult Services

b) Public Health

c) Functions in relation to the Scrutiny of NHS services as set out in the National Health Service Act 2012

In relation to the above areas of work, the committee's functions are as follows:

a) To review decisions made, or other action taken, in connection with the discharge of any functions which are undertaken by the Cabinet collectively or, in the case of urgent decisions which cannot await a Cabinet meeting, by the Leader (or in their absence the Deputy Leader) and the relevant Cabinet Members, or Cabinet committees.

b) To make reports or recommendations to the Full Council, the Cabinet, the Leader, Deputy Leader, or other Cabinet Members as necessary, or Cabinet committees with respect to the discharge of any functions which are undertaken by them or in respect of any functions which are not the responsibility of the Cabinet.

c) To hold general policy reviews and to assist in the development of future policies and strategies (whether requested by the Full Council or the Cabinet, individual Cabinet Members, Cabinet committees, or decided by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee itself) and, after consulting with any appropriate interested parties, to make recommendations to the Cabinet, individual Cabinet Members, Cabinet committees, Full Council, or external organisations as appropriate.

d) To request the Scrutiny Management Board to establish task groups, working groups and panels, as necessary.

e) To request the Scrutiny Management Board to establish, as necessary, joint working arrangements with district councils and other neighbouring authorities.

f) To invite to any meeting of the committee and permit to participate in discussion and debate, but not to vote, any person not a County Councillor or any external body whom the committee considers would assist it in carrying out its functions.

g) To require any councillor, an Executive Director, or a senior officer nominated by them to attend any meeting of the committee to answer questions and discuss issues.

h) To draw up a forward programme of health scrutiny in consultation with other local authorities, NHS partners, the Local Healthwatch and other key stakeholders

i) To scrutinise matters relating to Public Health and Adult Services delivered by the County Council, the National Health Service (NHS), and other relevant partners (as set out in the portfolios for Health and Wellbeing, and Adult Social Care).

j) To act as consultee as required by the relevant regulations with regards to matters on which local NHS bodies must consult the Authority, such as a substantial development of local health services or substantial variation in the provision of those services

k) To review and scrutinise general matters relating to the planning, provision and operation of the health service in the area.

l) In reviewing any matter relating to the planning, provision, and operation of the health service in the area, to invite interested parties to comment on the matter and take account of relevant information available, particularly that provided by the Local Healthwatch.

m) To acknowledge within 20 working days referrals on relevant matters from the Local Healthwatch or Local Healthwatch contractor, and to keep the referrer informed of any action taken in relation to the matter.

n) To require responsible persons as defined in The Local Authority (Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Boards and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013 to provide information and to attend before the committee to answer questions.

o) To require NHS bodies to respond in writing to any reports or recommendations made by the committee within 28 days of the request.

p) To establish and make arrangements for a Health Steering Group, the main purpose of which to be to manage the workload of the full committee more effectively in the light of the increasing number of changes to health services.