Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Health introduced this report explaining that under the Health & Social Care Act 2012 (the Act) there is a requirement for the Council to form a Health and Wellbeing Board, which will be an executive committee of the Council.  Regulations have been published that further specify elements of the Board’s operation.

The Board has been operating in shadow form since November 2010, during which time the future statutory status of the Board has been discussed on a number of occasions, both at the Board and in other forums.

The Health and Wellbeing Board will be an important new structure, within which the Council and its partners can work jointly on improving local health and social care services, and on improving the health and wellbeing of the local population.  It is part of a series of reforms laid out in the Act, which together provide the Council with a central role in co-ordinating local health and social care activity.  As a mechanism for democratic leadership of health and wellbeing locally, the new Board sits alongside the commissioning of patient involvement and advocacy services (principally the new ‘Healthwatch’ service), the Council’s new responsibilities for leadership of public health, and the long-standing powers of health scrutiny.

In order to meet the Council’s statutory obligations the report proposed a number of changes to the Council’s Constitution under Parts B and C to cover the operation of the Health and Wellbeing Board.  Looking at the membership of the Board a change has been proposed to the extent that the Cabinet Member for Finance will be replaced by the Cabinet Member for Crime, Justice and Communities.

Councillor McCarthy in reference to his personal circumstances explained that whilst he lived in the Borough, due to his post code his local GP practice falls within the remit of the Havering Health and Wellbeing Board and consequently any issues that he may have would have to taken up with that Board.  The Corporate Director of Adult Services is clear that the membership of the Council’s Board accords with the requirements of the Regulations. However she will investigate the point as to the status of such GP practices that operate on the fringes of other surrounding boroughs in relation to which Health and Wellbeing Boards they are answerable to. 

Accordingly the Assembly AGREED:

(i)  To the inclusion of the sections into the Constitution as set out in appendices A and B to the report.

(ii)  To receive a further report of any subsequent amendments required as part of the report to Annual Assembly in May 2013.

(iii)  Noted the expectation that the Health and Wellbeing Board will be subject to the scrutiny process, principally by the Health and Adult Services Select Committee, and

(iv)  To authorise the Council’s Monitoring Officer to make any necessary consequential amendments to other areas of the Constitution, such as the Scheme of Delegation.