Agenda item

(1)  Further to Minute 8 (2009) the Overview Scrutiny and Localism Manager presented a  further paper building on the comments of the Committee at its previous meeting to Refocus and Restructure the Committee

(2) Attached as Appendices to the report were:-

(a)   A Paper on the potential to Refocus and Restructure the Overview and Scrutiny Function which had been the subject of a discussion at all the Policy Overview Committees, the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee, and, would be debated at the County Council meeting on 15 October 2009.

(b)   The terms of reference for a Joint Kent and Medway NHS  Overview and Scrutiny Committee; and

(c)   The current protocols for the operation of Health Overview and Scrutiny across the administrative county of Kent.

(3) The Committee were invited to comment on a range of areas of potential development for the Committee:-

Local Involvement Network(LINk)

(4) The Committee noted that the Kent Local Involvement Network has distinct but complementary powers to the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Steps which could be taken to develop partnership working included:-

(a) Two LINk representatives to become non-voting Members of the Committee in order to bring matters of concern to the attention of the Committee and provide updates of ongoing work;

(b) Protocols to be drawn up in consultation with the Adult Social Services Policy Overview Committee, Policy Overview Co Ordinating Committee and any other relevant Committees to agree how referrals from the Kent LINk will be managed; and

(c)  LINk to assist in developing a pool of patient representatives who will be able to give a valuable perspective on specific issues.

(5) The Committee endorsed all these initiatives in developing the operation of the Committee for the future.

Borough and District Councils

(6) Proposals for development included more emphasis being placed on all the local authorities across Kent to share work programmes to enable co-ordinated working where appropriate and avoid duplication.

(7) The Overview, Scrutiny and Localism Manager informed the Committee that he was exploring with Scrutiny Officers from all the local authorities across Kent the opportunity to pool resources to deliver a shared work programme

(8) A second suggestion was to set aside two meetings of the Committee in each calendar year to consider issues raised by Borough and District colleagues. After debate this did not receive the support of the Committee

(9) Finally the Committee noted that whilst the protocols for the operation of Overview and Scrutiny of Health across the administrative county of Kent  needed factually updating they were still appropriate and had not been used  as they were intended - particularly the provisions for Joint Committees.

 Medway Council

(10) The Committee noted that consideration was currently being given to the establishment of a Joint Committee with Medway Councils HOSC to examine proposals relating to mental health acute beds in Medway and Swale.

Rapporteurs

(11) The Committee noted that several members of the Committee had already expressed an interest in acting as a rapporteur or leading a small task and finish group eg maternity services in Maidstone and repatriation of a pain clinic to Maidstone Hospital

(12) The Committee then considered and commented on the topics which had already been identified for potential inclusion in the Committees draft work programme.

(13) RESOLVED: that

(a)       the views of the Committee be incorporated into the report being prepared for the County Council meeting on 15 October 2009 on the Potential to Refocus and Restructure the Overview and Scrutiny Function;

(b)       approval be given to revising the current set of protocols for the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, in conjunction with partners prior to them being agreed by the Committee and the County Council;and

(c)        delegated authority be given to the Overview, Scrutiny and Localism Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman, committee spokesmen and partners such as the LINk and the NHS to agree the scheduling of the work programme