Agenda item - Chair's Communications

3.1       The Chair gave the following communications:

I’d like to welcome everyone to the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee. We have some new members and some members who have been with us for a while, or who are returning after some time away from the committee.

The council has recently adopted a new governance system, including 2 new Overview & Scrutiny committees, people and place, which will focus on council services, including adult social care and council-run Public Health. The HOSC will continue to hold local NHS services to account for the planning and delivery of service to local residents. However, where there’s a significant cross-over between NHS services and council care or public health, as in today’s item on A&E pressures, the HOSC will continue to work with council departments as well as NHS partners.

As we’re not a new committee, we are not starting from scratch, and we have a number of legacy issues which we are committed to scrutinising, including the performance of local NHS providers and the provision of trans healthcare. However, there will be an opportunity for members to help shape the HOSC work plan going forward, and I will be asking officers to arrange an informal work planning meeting to which all members, including our co-optees will be invited to contribute.