1. Membership
1.1 Seven members of the Council. The Chair and Vice-Chair of the committee shall be appointed by Full Council. The Chair and Vice-Chair of the Adults and Health Committee who also sit on the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Health and Wellbeing Board are not eligible to be members.
1.2 Five non-voting co-opted district councillors, one from each district council in Cambridgeshire. District councils shall be invited to nominate one member and one substitute.
1.3 The usual rules for substitution, as set out in Chapter D2 (Committee Procedure Rules) shall apply.
2. Summary of Functions
2.1 To review and scrutinise any matter relating to the planning, provision and operation of the health services in Cambridgeshire, in accordance with the Local Authority (Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Boards and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013, and to make reports and recommendations on such matters in accordance with the regulations. This will include the commissioning and provision of NHS primary, acute, secondary and tertiary health services, covering both provider and commissioning NHS bodies, including, but not limited to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board/ new integrated care board structure, the East of England Ambulance Service, NHS Trusts providing services to Cambridgeshire residents, NHS Dentistry, General Practitioner (GP) practices and community health services.
2.2 To encourage local health services to address the specific needs and priorities of Cambridgeshire communities, including accessible and equitable access to health services. It will react to what is happening in the NHS both locally and nationally and develop a work programme that lists the issues it plans to investigate. The committee will be supported by the Director of Public Health and a Democratic Services Officer.
2.3 To make reports and recommendations to local NHS or other bodies on any matter reviewed or scrutinised by it, as appropriate. Where the Health Scrutiny Committee is minded to refer a matter to the Secretary of State, the Health Scrutiny Committee shall provide evidence of what action has already been taken locally to resolve the issue.
2.4 To report to the Secretary of State for Health on any proposals for substantial change to any part of the NHS’s services within Cambridgeshire.
3. Delegated Authorities
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Delegated Authority |
Delegation / Condition |
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Authority to exercise the powers conferred by Section 21 of the Local Government Act 2000 and Section 7 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 as amended by the Health and Social Care Act 2012, and the Local Authority (Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Boards and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/218) to review and scrutinise any matter relating to the planning provision and operation of the health service in its area. |
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Authority to request, via a request call-in form, that the Secretary of State consider calling in a proposal to vary or reconfigure local health service provision. |
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Authority to delegate its functions under Section 7 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 as amended by the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to a joint health overview and scrutiny committee (JHOSC) when this is required by the direction issued by the Secretary of State for Health in July 2003 or is conducive to the efficient scrutiny of proposals affecting more than one social services local authority area. |
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Authority to appoint members to a joint health overview and scrutiny committee (JHOSC) established under the paragraph above. |
Political balance requirements apply |
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Authority to set up task and finish groups in support of the committee’s statutory health scrutiny function. |
[Chapter D17 (Health Scrutiny Committee) was last amended on 15 July 2025]
A PDF version of this chapter is available to view or download on the CMIS section of the Council’s website, along with a PDF version of the full constitution.
