Personal and Health Services Scrutiny Panel

A Guide to Health Scrutiny

1. Introduction
2. Role of the Scrutiny Panel
3. Health Trusts
4. Powers of the Scrutiny Panel
5. Substantial Variation
6. Health Scrutiny and Local Area Agreements
7. Partnerships

1. Introduction

Health scrutiny, by its nature, is extremely complex. Since 2001 (Health and Social Care Act), Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees were given ‘special’ powers that enabled them to scrutinise external bodies within the health service. This meant that, unlike other Panels, Health Scrutiny Panels could examine and review local health trusts as well as council services within their area. It also meant that local health trusts had a duty to consult health overview and scrutiny committees when they made significant changes to health services.

2. Role of the Scrutiny Panel

The aim of the Personal and Health Services Scrutiny Panel is to promote and support health improvement. The Panel acts as a ‘critical friend’ to the local authority (Adult Services and Housing Services) and NHS health organisations such as Tameside and Glossop Primary Care Trust, Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Pennine Care NHS Trust. The diagram below illustrates this.

Personal and Health Services Scrutiny Panel
Tameside MBC		Tameside and Glossop Primary Care Trust	Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust	Pennine Care NHS Trust	North West Ambulance Services NHS Trust
Adult Services	Housing Services

3. Health Trusts

4. Powers of the Scrutiny Panel

The Personal and Health Services Scrutiny Panel has the power to:

• summon officers of health trusts to committee meetings
• require information from NHS bodies on the planning and provision of health services
• be consulted by health trusts about significant changes to service provision.
• report to the Secretary of State for Health where:
  • the committee is concerned that consultation on substantial variations or developments of services has been inadequate.
  • the committee considers that the proposal is not in the interests of the health service.

The Scrutiny Panel can initiate its own reviews of any topic that affects the health and well-being of local residents. NHS bodies are under a duty to respond to committee reports and recommendations, but are not bound to accept recommendations. Health scrutiny committees do not have rights of access to NHS premises.

5. Substantial Variation

Under the rules of the Health and Social Care Act 2001, all NHS Health bodies must consult with Scrutiny Committees when they make proposals that represent significant changes or ‘substantial variations’ to health services.

A ‘substantial variation or development’ of health services is not defined. Proposals may range from changes that affect a small group of people within an area such as changes in the timing of podiatry services within a health centre to major reconfigurations of specialist services involving large numbers of patients across a wide area.

When considering whether something is a ‘substantial variation’ the key feature is:

“A Major Change To Services Experienced By Patients And Future Patients”

Substantial Variation:

6. Health Scrutiny and Local Area Agreements

The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 gave Health Scrutiny (and other scrutiny panels) an additional role scrutinising Local Area Agreements (LAAs).

What is a Local Area Agreement? A Local Area Agreement is a set of targets or performance measures agreed between central government and a local area to tackle local and national priorities. In Tameside, LAA targets are delivered by Tameside Strategic Partnership and its tributary partnerships.

What are the Local Area Agreement (LAA) targets? The Government has set 198 targets nationally. Out of these 198 targets, each local area has to negotiate up to 35 local targets that for the Local Area Agreement. For these targets, the government will expect a quantified and specific level of improvement and will reward local areas with funding if this is achieved.

Who will decide on the 35 priority targets? The Tameside Strategic Partnership Board will agree the targets in the Local Area Agreement and an LAA Board has been set up to monitor the performance against the targets on a regular basis.

What are the LAA Blocks? The targets have been divided into four blocks: Healthier Communities and Older People, Safer and Stronger Communities, Children and Young People and Economic Development.

Who will deliver the Local Area Agreement? The Tameside Strategic Partnership and seven thematic partnerships will deliver the LAA targets. There are also LAA Block Steering Groups that support the seven thematic partnerships. The below diagram illustrates the seven thematic partnerships that will deliver the LAA targets and the LAA Block Steering Groups.

Where does Health Scrutiny fit in? The Health Scrutiny Panel can monitor the performance of the Tameside Strategic Partnership and the thematic partnerships in relation to their achievement of the targets in the Local Area Agreement. The partnerships that health scrutiny can monitor are illustrated below.

 
View a larger version of this diagram

7. Partnerships

Health Partnership

The Health Partnership provides a framework for action to improve health and address health inequalities. Key areas for action are:

• Infant and maternal health
• Lifestyles (smoking cessation, increased exercise, healthy diet, alcohol)
• Environment (safety and accidents)
• Targeting the over 50’s
• Teenage pregnancy and sexual health
• Mental health promotion

Membership

• Tameside and Glossop Primary Care Trust (PCT)
• Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Pennine Care NHS Trust
• Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council
• Elected TMBC Councillors (Councillor John Taylor)
• Three elected voluntary sector representatives (Age Concern Tameside, Tameside Citizens Advice Bureau and Tameside Third Sector Coalition.

Housing Partnership  

The Tameside Housing Partnership brings together Registered Social Landlords, private sector housing developers, regional agencies, and private landlords, council officers, Councillors and residents to:

• Improve housing choice, quality and affordability for all Tameside residents
• Develop a Partnership framework to engage Housing providers & Agencies
• Develop local solutions to local housing needs.

Older People's Partnership

The Tameside Older Peoples Partnership will ensure that joint actions are taken by the relevant partners to address the following key themes:

• Improving information and communication
• Ensuring adequate income
• Supporting healthy lifestyles
• Developing lifelong housing
• Feeling safe in the community
• Improving getting around
• Promoting learning and development

Membership

Age Concern Tameside, Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, New Charter Housing, Tameside and Glossop Primary Care NHS Trust, Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council, Tameside Older Peoples Advisory Group, Tameside Third Sector Coalition, Tameside Voice.