National Health Service Act 2006

244 [F1 Functions of overview and scrutiny committees][F1 Review and scrutiny by local authorities] E+W

(1) This section applies to any local authority, except that it applies to the council of a district only where the district is comprised in an area for which there is no county council.

(2) Regulations may, in relation to [F2 an overview and scrutiny committee of] an authority to which this section applies, make provision—

(a) as to matters relating to the health service in the authority's area which [F3 the committee][F3 the authority] may review and scrutinise,

(b) as to matters relating to the health service in the authority's area on which [F3 the committee][F3 the authority] may make reports and recommendations to [F4 local NHS bodies][F4 relevant NHS bodies or relevant health service providers], the Secretary of State or the regulator,

(c) as to matters on which [F4 local NHS bodies][F4 relevant NHS bodies or relevant health service providers] must consult [F3 the committee][F3 the authority] in accordance with the regulations [F5 (including provision as to circumstances in which the Secretary of State or the regulator may require consultation on those matters in accordance with the regulations)],

(d) as to information which [F4 local NHS bodies][F4 relevant NHS bodies or relevant health service providers] must provide to [F3 the committee][F3 the authority],

(e) as to information which may not be disclosed by a [F6 local NHS body][F6 relevant NHS body or relevant health service provider] to [F3 the committee][F3 the authority],

(f) requiring [F7 any officer of a local NHS body][F7 any member or employee of a relevant NHS body, or a relevant health service provider or member or employee of a relevant health service provider,] to attend before [F3 the committee][F3 the authority] to answer questions.

[F8 (2ZA) If (by virtue of subsection (2)(c)) regulations make provision as to matters on which relevant NHS bodies or relevant health service providers must consult the authority, the regulations may also make provision—

(a) as to circumstances in which the authority may refer any of those matters to the Secretary of State, the regulator or the Board;

(b) conferring powers on the Secretary of State to give directions to the Board in relation to a matter referred to the Secretary of State by virtue of regulations under paragraph (a);

(c) conferring powers on the Board to give directions to a clinical commissioning group in relation to a matter so referred;

(d) conferring powers on the Board to give directions to a clinical commissioning group in relation to a matter referred to the Board by virtue of regulations under paragraph (a);

(e) conferring powers on the Secretary of State to give directions to the Board as to the exercise of its powers by virtue of regulations under paragraph (c) or (d).

(2ZB) The powers that may be conferred under any of paragraphs (b) to (d) of subsection (2ZA) include powers to require the person to whom the direction is given—

(a) to consult (or consult further) with the authority on the matter in question;

(b) to determine the matter in a particular way;

(c) to take, or not to take, any other steps in relation to the matter.

(2ZC) If (by virtue of subsection (2ZA)(a)) regulations make provision for an authority to refer a matter to the Secretary of State, the regulator or the Board, the regulations may also provide for any provision of section 101 of the Local Government Act 1972—

(a) not to apply in relation to the discharge by the authority of that function, or

(b) to apply in relation to its discharge with such modifications as may be prescribed.

(2ZD) Any functions conferred on a local authority by regulations under this section are not to be the responsibility of an executive of the authority under executive arrangements (within the meaning of Part 1A of the Local Government Act 2000).

(2ZE) Regulations under this section may authorise a local authority to arrange for its functions under the regulations to be discharged by an overview and scrutiny committee of the authority.]

[F9 (2A) In subsection (2)(d) and (e), references to information are to information relating to matters relating to the health service in the authority's area.]

(3) [F10 For the purposes of subsection (2), “local NHS body”, in relation to an overview and scrutiny committee, means an NHS body other than a Special Health Authority which is prescribed for those purposes in relation to the committee.]

[F10 For the purposes of subsections (2) and (2ZA)—

• “relevant NHS body”, in relation to an authority to which this section applies, means an NHS body, other than a Special Health Authority, which is prescribed for those purposes in relation to the authority;

• “relevant health service provider”, in relation to an authority to which this section applies, means a body or person which—

  (a)

  provides services in pursuance of arrangements made—

  (i)

  by the Board or a clinical commissioning group under section 3, 3A, 3B or 4 or Schedule 1,

  (ii)

  by a local authority for the purpose of the exercise of its functions under or by virtue of section 2B or 6C(1) or Schedule 1, or

  (iii)

  by the Board, a clinical commissioning group or a local authority by virtue of section 7A, and

  (b)

  is prescribed, or is of a description prescribed, for those purposes in relation to the authority.]

[F11 (3A) In subsection (2)(f) “member”—

(a) in relation to a clinical commissioning group, includes a person who is not a member of the group but is a member of a committee or sub-committee of it;

(b) in relation to a relevant health service provider which is a body corporate, includes a person who is not a member of the body but is a director of it;

(c) in relation to an NHS trust, means a director of the trust;

(d) in relation to an NHS foundation trust, means a director or governor of the trust.

(3B) For the purposes of subsection (2)(f)—

(a) a member of a body which is a member of a clinical commissioning group or relevant health service provider is to be treated as a member of the group or (as the case may be) relevant health service provider, and

(b) an employee of a body which is a member of a clinical commissioning group or relevant health service provider is to be treated as an employee of the group or (as the case may be) relevant health service provider.]

(4) “The health service” includes services provided in pursuance of arrangements under regulations under section 75 in relation to the exercise of health-related functions of a local authority.

[F12 (5) In this section, section 245 and section 246 references to an overview and scrutiny committee include references to—

(a) an overview and scrutiny committee of a local authority operating executive arrangements under Part 1A of the Local Government Act 2000 (executive arrangements in England), and

(b) an overview and scrutiny committee appointed by a local authority under section 9JA of that Act (appointment of overview and scrutiny committees by committee system local authorities).]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 244 heading substituted (27.3.2012 for specified purposes) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 190(7), 306(1)(d)(4)

F2 Words in s. 244(2) omitted (27.3.2012 for specified purposes) by virtue of Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 190(2)(a), 306(1)(d)(4)

F3 Words in s. 244(2) substituted (27.3.2012 for specified purposes) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 190(2)(b), 306(1)(d)(4)

F4 Words in s. 244(2) substituted (27.3.2012 for specified purposes) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 190(2)(c), 306(1)(d)(4)

F5 Words in s. 244(2)(c) omitted (27.3.2012 for specified purposes) by virtue of Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 190(2)(e), 306(1)(d)(4)

F6 Words in s. 244(2) substituted (27.3.2012 for specified purposes) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 190(2)(d), 306(1)(d)(4)

F7 Words in s. 244(2)(f) substituted (27.3.2012 for specified purposes) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 190(2)(f), 306(1)(d)(4)

F8 S. 244(2ZA)-(2ZE) inserted (27.3.2012 for specified purposes) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 190(3), 306(1)(d)(4)

F9 S. 244(2A) inserted (1.4.2009) by Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c. 28), ss. 121(4), 245(5); S.I. 2008/3110, art. 4(c)

F10 S. 244(3) substituted (27.3.2012 for specified purposes) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 190(4), 306(1)(d)(4)

F11 S. 244(3A)(3B) inserted (27.3.2012 for specified purposes) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 190(5), 306(1)(d)(4)

F12 S. 244(5) inserted (4.5.2012) by Localism Act 2011 (c. 20), s. 240(2), Sch. 3 para. 74; S.I. 2012/1008, art. 4(b)