Select Committee on Health and Social Care

Select Committee on Health and Social Care
Name	Select Committee on Health and Social Care
Legislature	House of Commons
Chamber	House of Commons of the United Kingdom
Formed	1997
Jurisdiction	United Kingdom
Leader title	Chair
Parent organization	Parliament of the United Kingdom

Select Committee on Health and Social Care The Select Committee on Health and Social Care is a departmental select committee of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom responsible for examining the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS delivery bodies and related public bodies. It conducts inquiries, publishes reports and summons witnesses from across the health and social care sector, drawing evidence from NHS trusts, professional bodies and charities.

History and Establishment

The committee was created in the late 20th century as part of reforms to parliamentary oversight that involved the House of Commons and the evolution of departmental accountability alongside institutions such as the National Health Service, the Department of Health and Social Care, and advisory bodies like the Care Quality Commission and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Its origins intersect with reforms influenced by political figures including John Major, Tony Blair, and Gordon Brown, parliamentary reforms following the Scott Report (1996) era, and institutional changes paralleling bodies such as the NHS Executive, the Kings Fund, and the British Medical Association. Early work linked the committee to inquiries into events such as the Bristol heart scandal and national responses to public health issues highlighted during the tenure of ministers like Kenneth Clarke and Stephen Dorrell.

Remit and Powers

The committee's remit derives from standing orders of the House of Commons and its powers include summoning ministers, civil servants, and external witnesses such as representatives of the British Medical Association, Royal College of Nursing, Medical Research Council, Association of Directors of Public Health, and CEOs from trusts like Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. It examines interactions with agencies including the Care Quality Commission, NHS England, Health Education England, and NHS Digital, and evaluates legislation including acts like the Health and Social Care Act 2012. The committee leverages powers comparable to those used in inquiries into episodes involving actors such as Andrew Lansley, Jeremy Hunt, Matt Hancock, and civil servants from Permanent Secretary to the Department of Health. It also engages with international counterparts including committees in the United States Congress, the Australian Senate, and the European Parliament on cross-border health matters.

Membership and Leadership

Membership has included MPs from parties such as the Conservative Party (UK), Labour Party (UK), Liberal Democrats (UK), and representatives formerly from groups like Sinn Féin and Scottish National Party. Chairs have included MPs with experience in health policy comparable to figures like Sarah Wollaston, Jeremy Hunt (as a minister engaged with the committee), and legislators who have worked with bodies such as the Public Accounts Committee and the Committee of Public Accounts. The committee regularly calls on experts from institutions including Oxford University, University College London, Imperial College London, King's College London, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, and research funders like the Wellcome Trust and the National Institute for Health Research.

Inquiries and Major Reports

Major inquiries have covered topics such as the response to pandemics drawing on lessons from events like the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, historical outbreaks including BSE crisis, and reports on patient safety referencing cases like the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust public inquiry. Reports have evaluated NHS funding models, workforce issues involving bodies like the General Medical Council and Nursing and Midwifery Council, social care workforce reforms linked to local authorities such as Camden Council and Birmingham City Council, and commissioning approaches following the Health and Social Care Act 2012. The committee has produced influential reports that cited evidence from think tanks such as the King's Fund, Nuffield Trust, Institute for Fiscal Studies, and academic studies from University of Oxford and University of Manchester, recommending changes adopted in legislation debated in the House of Commons and at Prime Ministerial briefings with figures such as Theresa May and Boris Johnson.

Impact on Policy and Legislation

Findings and recommendations have influenced policy decisions across administrations led by Tony Blair, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Theresa May, and Rishi Sunak. Its scrutiny has shaped implementation of laws like the Health and Social Care Act 2012, informed funding settlements in Chancellor-led budget processes involving Chancellor of the Exchequer offices under ministers such as Philip Hammond and George Osborne, and affected regulatory approaches by the Care Quality Commission and strategic plans of NHS England under leaders like Amanda Pritchard and Sir Simon Stevens. The committee's work has also intersected with devolved health authorities in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, prompting coordination with the Scottish Parliament Health and Sport Committee, the Senedd, and the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critics have argued that the committee's influence varies with parliamentary timetable, political priorities, and relations with Secretaries of State such as Andrew Lansley and Matt Hancock, drawing scrutiny in episodes like handling whistleblowers linked to Robert Francis (judge) inquiries and contested reforms during the Health and Social Care Act 2012 debates. Accusations of politicisation have arisen in high-profile hearings involving ministers and witnesses tied to institutions like the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Physicians, and commentators from media outlets referencing editorial coverage by organizations such as the BBC, The Guardian, and The Times have debated its effectiveness. Questions persist about resources, access to classified NHS data from bodies like NHS Digital, and tensions with devolved administrations during cross-jurisdictional crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.

Category:Committees of the House of Commons