Scrutiny Review - Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Minutes:
Dr. John Radford reported that the Health Select Commission had commissioned a Review Group to carry out a Scrutiny Review into the Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The Review Group was independent of the Council’s Cabinet and made recommendations to Cabinet for their approval.
It had been a thorough piece of work which had looked at instances and performance in relation to NICE Guidance, very good engagement with providers of services with regard to how they were co-ordinated as well with users of the services.
However, there was now an issue of Policy for the Board with regard to how it took the reviews forward and how they were incorporated into the business of the Local Authority and the CCG as commissioners. How should Scrutiny Review recommendations be taken forward across the health community, how was that process managed, where should Scrutiny Review fit in, what was the Board’s role in Scrutiny Reviews and how should the Board respond?
Discussion ensued with the following issues raised:-
- The Terms of Reference stated that Scrutiny Reviews with a health and wellbeing impact should be referred to the Board – at least the Board should be made aware that the work was taking place
- If the Scrutiny Review and its recommendations were submitted to the Board what was the document’s status?
- A Review could made recommendations but it was for each partner organisation’s executive to consider
- A forward plan of Scrutiny Reviews should be submitted to enable partner organisations to timetable into their own work programme
- Partner organisations should be involved in any Review that applied to their organisation
- Partner organisations should be given the appropriate period of time to review and comment on recommendations prior to them being finalised
- The recommendations should be considered by partner organisations in parallel with the Board and parent Select Commission
- The Board had to consider if a Review’s recommendations were consistent with the objectives of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy
It was noted that the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board was to consider the 2013/14 work programme for Select Commissions on 14th June, 2013.
Resolved:- (1) That the Select Commissions’ work programme for 2013/14 be submitted to the Health and Wellbeing Board to ensure that any health and wellbeing implications were flagged up at an early stage.
(2) That the full Autistic Spectrum Disorder Scrutiny Review document be included on the next Board agenda.