What is health scrutiny
The Department of Health and Social Care issued updated guidance on local authority health scrutiny on 9 January 2024. This states that:
‘The primary aim of health scrutiny is to strengthen the voice of local people, ensuring that their needs and experiences are considered an integral part of the commissioning and delivery of health services and that those services are effective and safe.’
Health scrutiny has a strategic role in monitoring local health services and holding commissioners and providers to account on behalf of local residents. It also acts as a critical friend, offering constructive challenge with the aim of driving improvement in services.
How health scrutiny works at Cambridgeshire County Council
The Adults and Health Committee is responsible for health scrutiny.
This is distinct from its role as a policy and service committee. It gives the committee authority to review and scrutinise the planning, provision and operation of health services in Cambridgeshire.
The Adults and Health Committee comprises Cambridgeshire County Council councillors, and co-opted members from Cambridgeshire's city and district councils. The co-opted members can't vote, but they are involved in discussions. You can find full details of committee membership on the Adults and Health Committee webpage.
Sessions are broadcast via a livestream on the Council's website. Scrutiny sessions are also recorded and are available to watch back on the Council's YouTube channel. You can also attend in person at New Shire Hall.
Health scrutiny meetings take place from 2pm on Adults and Health Committee meeting dates. The length of sessions will vary depending on the subject. Dates of all planned future meetings are on the Adults and Health Committee webpage. The Chair of the Adults and Health Committee is Councillor Graham Wilson and Councillor Luis Navarro is Vice Chair.
Upcoming health scrutiny meetings
The health scrutiny programme for 2025/26 will be confirmed following the county council elections in May 2025.
Suggestions for future meetings
We want to know what parts of our local NHS health services in Cambridgeshire are working well for you, or anything you are worried about or think could work better. This will help us decide what subjects to look at in future meetings.
If you have any suggestions please let us know. We won’t be able to cover everything, but we want to look at subjects that are important to local people.
Please send your suggestions to: democraticservices365@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
