Page1 Terms of reference: Steering Group Purpose The group is responsible for steering the direction of the work programme taken by Healthwatch Sefton and ensuring the work delivered is effective and influential. Membership. Membership of the steering group will comprise; Eight individuals (one for each of the 8 localities across Sefton as defined by Sefton Clinical Commissioning Groups), who have signed up as an individual community member of Healthwatch Sefton and live in Sefton. Seven organisational representatives from Voluntary Community and Faith Sector networks to represent the voice of the communities they serve from the following areas: Health and Social Care provision; Children, Young People and Maternity Service provision; Faith Network; Equalities (including Disability); Older People; Learning Disabilities; Drug and Alcohol services. One representative from Sefton Carers Centre. One representative from Voices/Young Advisors. One representative from the South and Sefton Community Champion Network. One representative from the Southport & Formby Community Champion Network. All steering group members must be aged 16 years or over. The Steering Group can agree co-options of individuals or representatives from other networks/ Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector groups either to balance the membership or bring specific knowledge/expertise If a Steering Group member would like to invite an individual from their Forum/Network/locality area to help them to respond to an item on a meeting agenda, this can be arranged in advance with the Chair/ Healthwatch Sefton Staff team. All members shall serve for an initial period of 24 months, and will be eligible to stand for re-appointment. 50% of the membership will stand down and will be eligible for reappointment. Note An employee of Healthwatch Sefton or a close relative of an employee may not be a steering group member. Steering group members may not be Elected Members of Sefton MBC. Further information on membership can be found in appendix 1. Healthwatch Sefton. Company Ltd. by Guarantee Reg. No: 8453782 Healthwatch Sefton Registered Office: Sefton Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) 3rd Floor, Suite 3B, North Wing, Burlington House, Crosby Road North, Waterloo, L22 0LG Tel: (0151) 920 0726 ext 240 www.healthwatchsefton.co.uk info@healthwatchsefton.co.uk
Page2 Chair of the Healthwatch Sefton Steering Group The appointed Chair of Healthwatch Sefton will chair meetings. Once the membership of the steering group is in place it will elect a Vice Chair who will chair the meeting in the absence of the Chair. Objectives Make decisions and act on behalf of the Healthwatch Sefton community membership. Provide collective leadership and work with Healthwatch Sefton staff to develop, prioritise and oversee the work programme ensuring work is delivered. Raise awareness of health and social care issues to key stakeholders and hold services and commissioners to account for action plans in response to Healthwatch Sefton work. Ensure that Healthwatch Sefton encourages participation and consultation. To ensure Healthwatch Sefton s statutory role on the Health and Well Being Board is working effectively and intelligence to support the on-going development of the Health and Well Being Strategy 2013 18 is being acted upon. To act as a reference group for the Healthwatch Sefton Board to ensure that Healthwatch Sefton operates within the law, its policies and procedures and the standards laid down by the Health and Social Care Act 2012, Healthwatch England, Sefton MBC and other regulatory bodies. In addition an annual meeting will be held between the board and the steering group. Work with the Healthwatch Sefton Board to annually review and agree policies and procedures which achieve Healthwatch Sefton s objectives. To provide adequate control of Healthwatch Sefton activities, ensuring that it works to agreed objectives and targets (via regular reporting) and that any risks and legal requirements are reported to the Healthwatch Sefton Board to be dealt with. Ensuring Healthwatch Sefton is open and transparent and actions and decisions are regularly communicated to the membership of Healthwatch Sefton, to partner organisations and wider ensuring the consistent use of the national Healthwatch branding. Decision making It is hoped that at Steering Group meetings agreement can be reached by consensus.
Page3 When consensus cannot be reached then a vote will be taken. A record of the vote shall be kept to allow accurate recording of the Steering Groups position and to allow members to register their disagreement. In the event of a tied vote then the Chair may exercise a casting vote. Otherwise the Chair may not vote. When the budget has been set by the Board, decisions that fall within the remit of the Steering Group are: What work priorities are to be undertaken and how resources will be used to undertake work Authorising publication of reports Agreeing representation at meetings/events Agreeing involvement in consultations and engagement requests Authorising Enter and View visits and ensuring such visits are carried out within Healthwatch Sefton and Statutory guidelines. Referral of issue(s) to an Overview and Scrutiny Committee Drafting and signing off the Healthwatch Sefton Annual Report in partnership with the Healthwatch Sefton Board. Quorum There shall be a quorum when at least 5 members are present at any steering group meeting. Frequency of meetings Meetings will be held monthly and reviewed as required. Meetings will last no longer than 2 hours. Non attendance To provide adequate notice and apologies when unable to attend. Any individual who does not attend 3 consecutive Steering Group meetings will be deemed to have left the group unless there are extenuating circumstances explained to the Manager and the Steering Group agrees that the member can stay on the group. The Steering Group may decide to call for a different nominated person from a network/forum if the original person is no longer available Responsibility of members/conduct Steering Group members are expected to: Sign up to and follow the Healthwatch Sefton Code of Conduct. Should concerns about standards of conduct regarding a Steering Group member be raised, the matter will be dealt with using the Standards of Conduct Procedure.
Page4 Adhere to Healthwatch Sefton policies and procedures and follow the Nolan principles of public life. Declare any relevant interests in discussions. Conflicts of interest must be declared at the beginning of taking up the role and also at any meetings before business is discussed that might prove to have a conflict of interest for the member concerned. To treat all information gained by virtue of being a steering group member in strictest confidence while promoting an ethos of openness and accountability. To abide by and promote Healthwatch Sefton commitment to equality. To read all papers and reports in advance of meetings and raise questions about any areas which require clarification or further information. Have access to an email account and the internet but alternative formats will be available from the Healthwatch Staff team based on individual need. To support all decisions taken by the steering group. Produce a report (using the Healthwatch Sefton template) following attendance at a meeting/event where authorised to represent Healthwatch Sefton within one calendar week unless there are mitigating circumstances which have been reported to the Healthwatch Sefton staff team. Training An induction session will be held for all steering group members. In addition, Healthwatch Sefton will arrange appropriate training courses for identified training needs of steering group members. Expenses Steering group members will not be paid but they will be eligible to claim the costs of all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred in carrying out their duties. Expenses should be claimed within 3 months of the activity. Healthwatch Sefton has an expenses policy which should be referred to. Working Groups/ Task and Finish Groups The Steering Group may set up working groups/ Task and Finish Groups as necessary, with the agreement of the Steering Group membership, in order to consider specific areas where there would not be time within the main Steering Group meeting agenda/progress a priority area. People who wish to volunteer their time on working groups will be recruited from the wider community membership. Representatives from other groups/ bodies/organisations who bring specialist knowledge or expertise to the area of work will also be sought for working groups as relevant. The conduct of volunteers involved in working groups is governed by the Code of Conduct and Register of Interest policies. Volunteers should have due regard to all other policies and procedures. Working Groups/Task and Finish Groups should refer matters for ratification to the Steering Group. The Steering Group will authorise: proposals for
Page5 Enter and View and any reports, recommendations or findings. Working Groups will usually be able to make decisions about what information to request to support or as part of their work but all requests must be processed by the Healthwatch Sefton staff team. The Steering Group will consider any recommendations or issues that working groups believe should be added to the work programme. Administrative Support. Administrative support will be provided via Healthwatch Sefton staff team Healthwatch Sefton Manager. Version 4 May 2015 Review Date: May 2016