1 Constitution
1.1 The Clinical and Multi-professional Congress (CliMPC) is established by the Mid & South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) as a Committee of the Board in accordance with its Constitution.
1.2 These Terms of Reference (ToR), which must be published on the ICB website, set out the membership, the remit, responsibilities and reporting arrangements of the subcommittee and may only be changed with the approval of the Board.
1.3 The Committee is a non-executive committee of the Board and its members, including those who are not mem
2 Authority
2.1 CliMPC is authorised by the Board to:
- Investigate any activity within its terms of reference.
- Seek any information it requires within its remit, from any employee or member of the ICB (who are directed to co-operate with any request made by CliMPC) within its remit as outlined in these terms of reference.
- Create task and finish sub-groups in order to take forward specific programmes of work as considered necessary. The Committee shall determine the membership and terms of reference of any such task and finish sub-groups in accordance with the ICB’s constitution, standing orders and Scheme of Reservation and Delegation (SoRD) but may/ not delegate any decisions to such groups.
2.2 For the avoidance of doubt, the Congress will comply with the ICB Standing Orders, Standing Financial Instructions and the SoRD
2.3 The Congress has an advisory role within the system.
3 Purpose
3.1 To contribute to the overall delivery of Triple Aim for ICS’s – better health and wellbeing for everyone, better quality of health and care services for everyone and sustainable use of health and care resources. The CliMPC will also support the ICS’s objectives of creating opportunities for the benefit of local residents, bringing care closer to home and improving and transforming services by enabling, embodying and delivering on the functions of the ICB Medical Director’s office, namely:
3.1.1 Innovation and horizon scanning – by developing and refining tools for assessing, advising and making recommendations on stewardship and other transformation proposals
3.1.2 Clinical and Care Strategy – by exploring, assessing and making recommendations on key system clinical and care priorities
3.1.3 Enable and engage Clinical Leadership – by taking responsibility for engaging, collaborating with and securing support from clinical and care professionals connected to their portfolio on aspects of the Congress’ work.
3.1.4 Changing Clinical and Care mindsets – by being Ambassadors, responsible for enacting and ensuring support for the principles and practices of collaboration, population health management, targeting inequalities, improvement science and other approaches prioritised by the Congress.
3.1.5 Assurance and statutory adherence – by supporting the ICS Medical Director in discharging such specific assurance and statutory adherence functions as may be necessary.
3.1.6 Aim to support system work according to key ICS principles of:
- Reducing inequalities and unwarranted variation
- Helping our system become distinctive, attractive and successful by securing the respect and commitment of professionals who work in and around it.
- Informing and advancing the ICS’s approach to standards, outcomes and common clinical policies – and to secure their deliberate achievement locally
- Actively participating in all decision making so that the voice of health and care staff is always heard and influences solutions.
- Doing once for the system where this makes sense.
3.2 The duties of CliMPC will be driven by the ICB’s objectives and the associated risks.
An annual programme of business will be agreed before the start of the financial year, however this will be flexible to new and emerging priorities and risks.
3.3 CliMPC has no executive powers, other than those delegated in the SoRD and specified in these terms of reference.
4 Membership and attendance
Membership
4.1 CliMPC members shall be appointed by interview.
4.2 Members will be appointed based on their specific knowledge, skills and experience.
4.3 The membership will comprise up to 15 members, as follows:
- ICB Medical Director (Chair)
- People with knowledge and experience from the following health and care sectors:
o Community Care
o Mental Health
o Patient Engagement representative
o Pharmacy
o Primary Care
o Public Health
o Secondary Care
o Social Care
o Urgent and Emergency Care
4.4 Where a member is unable to attend a meeting, apologies must be sent in advance.
Chair and Vice Chair
4.5 The Chair of CliMPC will be the ICB Medical Director.
4.6 Committee members may appoint a Vice Chair from amongst the members.
4.7 In the absence of the Chair, or Vice Chair, the remaining members present shall elect one of their number to Chair the meeting.
4.8 The Chair will be responsible for agreeing the agenda and ensuring matters discussed meet the objectives as set out in these ToR.
Attendees
4.9 Only members of CliMPC have the right to attend Committee meetings, however meetings of the Committee can be attended by others with the agreement of the Chair, as and when appropriate to assist it with its discussions on any particular matter.
4.10 The Chair may ask any or all of those who attend, but who are not members, to withdraw to facilitate open and frank discussion of particular matters.
5 Meetings Quoracy and Decisions
5.1 CliMPC will normally meet monthly, subject to there being necessary business to transact, and arrangements and notice for calling meetings are set out in the Standing Orders. Additional meetings may take place as required.
5.2 The Board, Chair or Chief Executive may ask the CliMPC to convene further meetings to discuss particular issues on which they want members’ advice.
5.3 In accordance with the Standing Orders, CliMPC may meet virtually when necessary and members attending using electronic means will be counted towards the quorum.
Quorum
5.4 For a meeting to be quorate a minimum of 8 out of the 15 members are required, including the Chair or Vice Chair.
5.5 If any member of CliMPC has been disqualified from participating in an item on the agenda, by reason of a declaration of conflicts of interest, then that individual shall no longer count towards the quorum.
5.6 If the quorum has not been reached, then the meeting may proceed if those attending agree, but no decisions may be taken.
Decision making and voting
5.7 Decisions will be taken in according with the Standing Orders. CliMPC will ordinarily reach conclusions by consensus. When this is not possible the Chair may call a vote.
5.8 Only members may vote. Each member is allowed one vote and a majority will be conclusive on any matter.
5.9 Where there is a split vote, with no clear majority, the Chair will hold the casting vote.
5.10 If a decision is needed which cannot wait for the next scheduled meeting, the Chair may conduct business on a ‘virtual’ basis through the use of telephone, email or other electronic communication.
Urgent Decisions
5.11 In the event that an urgent decision is required, every attempt will be made for CliMPC to meet virtually.
5.12 Where this is not possible an urgent decision may be exercised by the Chair and subject to every effort having been made to consult with as many members as possible in the given circumstances.
5.13 The exercise of such powers shall be reported to the next formal meeting for formal ratification.
6 Responsibilities
6.1 CliMPC’s duties are as follows:
6.1.1 Drive the identification and delivery of transformation programmes across the ICS.
6.1.2 Support health and care professionals to bring forward proposals on service transformation and improvement in a structured way, based around the ICS’s Design Principles and Target Operating Model
6.1.3 Be accountable for providing clinical and professional scrutiny and critical appraisal of proposed service transformation plans to ensure that proposals will command support across the Partnership.
6.1.4 Take responsibility for ensuring that major changes to pathways within Mid and South Essex are safe and conform to national standards and guidance where these exist, informing the ICB Board where potential risks to the safety and sustainability of services arise.
6.1.5 Act as a “sounding board” for proposed major transformation plans, taking into account existing evidence and national guidance, to ensure the best quality outcomes for the population
6.1.6 Ensure that service transformation plans are co-designed and produced with patients, service users and residents.
6.1.7 Make recommendations to the ICB Board on proposals developed and scrutinised through the CMPC.
6.1.8 Support the identification and implementation of innovative solutions to system-wide challenges.
6.1.9 Ensure a robust framework for equality impact assessment of transformative change.
6.1.10 Support the strategic direction of the ICS Board.
6.1.11 Support the ICB Board where requested in developing and delivering:
- Clinical and professional leadership arrangements
- System outcomes framework
- Effective use of resources (linked to PHM)
- Clinical workforce issues (linked to People Board)
- Clinical information systems/resources (linked to Digital & work)
6.2 CliMPC members’ roles may include:
6.2.1 Innovation and horizon scanning
- Enable the progress and adoption of current and future innovation and research (including through engagement with system thought leaders and transformation teams, regional EoE Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) teams, and appropriate partnership with Industry).
- Help create and establish a culture and environment for generating ideas and making them happen for the benefit of our population
6.2.2 Clinical and Care Strategy
- Champion practical improvements, including adoption of best practice and improvement against national benchmarking, in health and care services at scale, within organisations and at place.
- Support development and agreement of models of care with the wider clinical community and consider any impacts for other areas.
6.2.3 Enable and engage Clinical Leadership
- Shape and engage clinical leadership across the system so as to encourage distributed leadership and normalise collaboration and engagement.
- Gain clinical and professional ownership for the challenge of tackling variation, so that it becomes embedded in day to day practice
6.2.4 Changing Clinical and Care mindsets
- Support the empowerment of citizens to use information so that they can make decisions about their care and take personal responsibility for their health and wellbeing
- Support and advise clinical work-streams in developing financially sustainable and enduringly transformative pathways of care.
6.2.5 Assurance and statutory adherence
- Support system assurance to NHSE/I on clinical service matters
- Ensure Clinical effectiveness (e.g. Service Restriction Policies (SRP)/ Individual Funding Requests (IFR)/ review of standards) is achieved across the system, with consistent adoption of best practice and common clinical policies and standards.
7 Behaviours and Conduct
Values
7.1 Members will be expected to conduct business in line with the ICB values, objectives and Code of Conduct set out inc. the East of England Leadership Compact.
7.2 Members of, and those attending, the Committee shall behave in accordance with the ICB’s Constitution, Standing Orders, and Standards of Business Conduct Policy.
Equality and diversity
7.3 Members must demonstrably consider the equality and diversity implications of decisions they make.
Conflicts of Interest
7.4 Members of CliMPC will be required to declare any relevant interests in accordance with the ICB’s Conflicts of Interest Policy.
7.5 Members of ClimPC will be required to declare any relevant interests to the ICB in accordance with the ICB’s Conflicts of Interest Policy.
7.6 A register of Committee members’ interests and those of staff and representatives from other organisations who regularly attend Committee meetings will be produced for each meeting. Committee members will be required to declare interests relevant to agenda items as soon as they are aware of an actual or potential conflict so that the Committee Chair can decide on the necessary action to manage the interest in accordance with the Policy.
Confidentiality
7.7 Issues discussed at meetings, including any papers, should be treated as confidential and may not be shared outside of the meeting unless advised otherwise by the Chair.
8 Accountability and reporting
8.1 CliMPC is accountable to the Integrated Care Board and shall report to the Board on how it discharges its responsibilities.
8.2 The Chair of CliMPC may be invited to attend the Board as requested by the ICB Chair.
8.3 The Chair will be accountable to the ICB Chair for the conduct of CliMPC.
8.4 The minutes of the meetings, including any virtual meetings, shall be formally recorded by the secretary and submitted to the Board via the System Leadership Executive Group.
8.5 The Committee Chair will provide assurance reports to the Board at each meeting and shall draw to the attention of the Board any issues that require disclosure to the Board or require action.
8.6 It will be the responsibility of members collectively and individually to feed back to their own organisations, Places and PCNs. Summary reports and minutes will be provided to support this process.
9 Secretariat and Administration
9.1 CliMPC shall be supported with a secretariat function which will include ensuring that:
- The agenda and papers are prepared and distributed having been agreed by the Chair.
- Attendance of those invited to each meeting is monitored and highlighting to the Chair those that do not meet the minimum requirements.
- Records of members’ appointments and renewal dates are kept with member renewals and/or new members identified where necessary.
- Good quality minutes are taken and agreed with the Chair and that a record of matters arising, action points and issues to be carried forward are kept.
- The Chair is supported to prepare and deliver reports to the ICB Board.
- Members are updated on pertinent issues/ areas of interest/ policy developments.
- Action points are taken forward between meetings and progress against those actions is monitored.
10 Review
10.1 CliMPC will review its effectiveness at least annually.
10.2 These terms of reference will be reviewed at least annually and more frequently if required. Any proposed amendments to the terms of reference will be submitted to the ICB Board for approval.
Date of approval: April 2022
Date of review: Sep/Oct 2023