National Health Service Act 2006

244 Functions of overview and scrutiny committees

(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 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 the committee may review and scrutinise,

(b) as to matters relating to the health service in the authority’s area on which the committee may make reports and recommendations to local NHS bodies, the Secretary of State or the regulator,

(c) as to matters on which local NHS bodies must consult the committee in accordance with the regulations (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 local NHS bodies must provide to the committee,

(e) as to information which may not be disclosed by a local NHS body to the committee,

(f) requiring any officer of a local NHS body to attend before the committee to answer questions.

(3) 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.

(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.