Meeting documents

            Meeting: Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee (County Hall, Durham - Committee Room 1a - 10/01/2005 10:00:00 AM)

                  Item: A11 Scrutiny Projects and Work Programme

Purpose of Report

1. To up-date the work programme for the Sub-Committee.

Background

2. Trying to provide a manageable work programme for the Sub-Committee is challenging. The Sub-Committee will have control over the subjects it chooses. Advice suggests that, from a capacity point of view, and to seek to ensure that achievements are secured rather than information simply noted, a small number of projects should be undertaken.

3. In addition to projects chosen by the Sub-Committee, there will be significant issues which will need to be dealt with by the Sub-Committee as statutory consultee. These consultation issues by their nature cannot be anticipated well in advance and will need to be accommodated into the Sub-Committee’s work programme.

4. The child health conference provides the opportunity for on-going monitoring to seek to encourage health improvement.

5. It was expected that there would be a major consultation concerning hospital services affecting the Easington and Sedgefield areas - ‘the Tees Review’. This consultation has been delayed on a number of occasions. The current position is that Professor Darzi (who carried out a review in County Durham recently) has been commissioned to provide advice in relation to changes in services in this area. His remit has recently been extended and it is unlikely that he will complete his review before the summer of 2005. This means that the consultation process will be delayed significantly.

6. The Sub-Committee wished to carry out a project relating to obesity. A draft county obesity strategy has now been launched and the opportunity is being taken for the Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee to seek to understand the policy and seek to influence the way in which it might encourage initiatives to prevent and reduce obesity in the County.

7. A development day for the Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee is being planned to facilitate the opportunity to review progress and consider the future work programme and areas of influence.

8. The template for the work programme is attached. This will need to be up-dated as the work of the Sub-Committee develops. .

Recommendation

9. You are recommended to note the work programme.

Attachments

 Scrutiny Projects - 10 Jan.doc