Health Scrutiny
Health Scrutiny
Local overview and scrutiny committees have specific powers to scrutinise NHS services. There is a general duty on NHS organisations to consult local authority overview and scrutiny committees on the planning of services, developing and considering proposals for changes in the way services are provided and decisions to be made that affect how those services operate.
In addition, there is also a specific duty to consult on substantial variations or developments to local services. In such cases, committees have the power to refer changes that it does not believe are beneficial to the Secretary of State for Health.
Joint scrutiny committees are required to be set up where substantial variations or developments affect more than one local authority area.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee considers health matters as part of its regular work and details of its consideration of such matters can be found in its agenda and minutes elsewhere on this site. In addition, scrutiny reviews are often carried out on health topics. Further details of these are included in the pages on scrutiny reviews.
Recent scrutiny work in response to NHS consultations on major changes has included:
- Haringey Primary Care Strategy - Scrutiny reviews 2007/08
- Improving Mental Health Services in Haringey - Scrutiny reviews 2008/09
Consultation proposals from ' Healthcare for London':" The Shape of Things to Come - Developing New, High-quality Major Trauma and Stroke Services for London
In 2007/08, all the London boroughs came together for the first time with a Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC) to consider the implications of Lord Darzi's proposals for improving health services in London. The proposals were broadly welcomed by the JHOSC, as broad principles for the future. The NHS has subsequently come forward with detailed proposals concerning major trauma and stroke provision.
A second JHOSC, comprising all London boroughs and Essex County Council was formed to consider these proposals. The JHOSC received evidence from a wide range of high profile expert witnesses including physicians, senior NHS managers and professional, official, and voluntary organisations as well as groups representing service users. The final report of the JHOSC, including its conclusions and recommendations are found within the Scrutiny reviews 2009/10 page.
