IF you have concerns about the root causes of ill-health in the borough and would like to be involved directly in the running of the NHS, you could land a place on the borough's Local Health Scrutiny Committee.

The committee is made up of 14 members, one of which must be a local resident with a general interest in health issues such as age, disability and youth matters.

The committee fulfils the council's new responsibility to have a greater overview of health services, issues and policies in the borough and help find ways to improve them.

The other members of the committee include councillors and representatives of patients and voluntary organisations. They can choose which issues they will examine, carry out the scrutiny and make recommendations.

The committee meets every two months usually during the daytime and members receive travelling expenses.

Over the next 12 months, the committee will be tackling issues like the provision of dentistry services, access to health services and injuries and poisoning related to drug and alcohol abuse.

For more details, ring Linda Richards at the borough council on 0151 356 6619 or Chris Wilson at Cheshire County Council on 01244 602445.

You can also visit www.cheshire.gov.uk/healthscru-tiny for more information.

You don't need any previous experience at all to be a member of the committee. In fact you shouldn't have a local government or health service background.

You simply need to be an Ellesmere Port and Neston resident with a general interest in health issues.