OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT BOARD
SERVICE USERS / CARERSIN ATTENDANCE

Role summaries

  1. The trust is advertising 3 roles to ensure the knowledge and lived experience of service users and carers can be input into the trust’s governance arrangements as follows:

a)Role 1 – a Local Services Division service user or carer(1 post) to attend:

  • the Operational Management Board (which meets monthly),
  • the Local Services Division’s Operational & Performance Committee (which meets monthly),
  • the Standing Committee of the Service Users & Carers Assembly(which currently meets monthly);

b)Role 2 – a Secure Division service user or carerto attend:

  • the Operational Management Board (which meets monthly),
  • the Secure Division’s Operational & Performance Committee (which meets monthly),
  • the Standing Committee of the Service Users & Carers Assembly(which currently meets monthly);

c)Role 3 – a Specialist Learning Disabilities Division service user or carerto attend:

  • the Operational Management Board (which meets monthly),
  • the Specialist Learning Disabilities Division’s Operational & Performance Committee (which meets monthly),
  • theStanding Committee of the Service Users & Carers Assembly(which currently meets monthly).
  1. At this time we are seeking to recruit a total of 3 service users /carers to attend the recently established Operational Management Board (one for each of the 3 clinical divisions), who will also sit on the Operational Management Board and the Standing Committee. Each of the roles is for a 3-year term, commencing from April 2017.

The trust’s governance arrangements

  1. Mersey Care has a Board of Directors(consisting of a Chairman, a Chief Executive and a number of Non Executive and Executive Directors) whose role is to set the strategic objectives, values and prioritiesfor Mersey Careand then hold the organisation to account for their delivery.The Board of Directors is supported by a number of Board Committeeswhich undertake more of the detailed scrutinyand provides assurance to the Board of Directors.
  2. As can be seen on the diagram overleaf, one of these is the Executive Committee which has responsibility for the operational delivery of the trust’s services. To undertake the more detailed scrutiny and day-to-day management of clinical services the Operational Management Board has been created to oversee the work of three clinical divisions:

a)the Local Services Division – which is responsible for providing adult inpatient mental health services, adult learning disability services, community mental health services and addictions services for the people of Liverpool, Sefton and parts of Knowsley;

b)the Secure Division – which is responsible for providing low and medium secure mental health services to the people of Merseyside and Cheshire, together with high secure mental health for the North West, West Midlands and Wales;

c)the Specialist Learning Disabilities Division – which is responsible for providing enhanced support services for people with learning disabilities at the Whalley sire in Lancashire, low secure learning disability services across Lancashire and Greater Manchester and medium secure learning disabilities across the north of England.

  1. The membership of the Operational Management Board is drawn from the 3 clinical divisions, again supplemented by the service user and carer roles outlined in this paper.

The role of the Operational Management Board

  1. The Operational Management Board is chaired by the Executive Director of Operations and has the following members:

a)Associate Medical Director, Local Services Division;

b)Associate Medical Director, Secure Division and Specialist Learning Disabilities Division;

c)Chief Operating Officer, Local Services Division;

d)Chief Operating Officer, Secure Division;

e)Chief Operating Officer, Specialist Learning Disabilities Division;

f)Director of Security, Secure Division.

togetherwith, in attendance, the following

  • professional nursing leads from the three clinical divisions
  • corporate services support staff
  • the 3 service user / carer roles identified in this paper
  1. The purpose of the Operational Management Board is to provide assurance to the Executive Committee that:

a)the clinical divisions’ systems of governance, risk management, internal and financial control are operating effectively across clinical and non-clinical activities;

b)the clinical divisions’ strategic direction, care pathways, business plans and delivery of targets, are consistent with the trust’s strategic direction and priorities;

c)the interface between the clinical divisions in relation to integrated care pathways, future links, relationships, provision of services and use of corporate services are effective;

d)the leadership and allocation of resources within the clinical divisions are effective on order to deliver the strategic direction and priorities of the clinical divisions and the trust;

e)effective decision making processes are in place, within and across the clinical divisions, which are consistent with the wider governance of the trust;

f)the clinical divisions’ performance is effectively monitored; and that

g)all risks associated with the work of the clinical divisions are identified, mitigated and escalated consistent with the wider governance of the trust.

The role of the Operational and Performance Committees

  1. Reporting into the Operational Management Committee, each of the 3 clinical divisions has its own Operational & Performance Committee, which is chaired by the Chief Operating Officer in charge of that clinical division. The membership reflects the management team for each clinical division and their role includes the following functions (although each committee’s role will slightly differ based upon the requirements of the clinical division)::

a)ensuring the clinical division manages the services it is responsible for within its budget and staffing plans, including identifying and managing the delivery of Cost Improvement Plans;

b)ensuring the clinical division delivers against the agreed performance and quality measures set out either by the trust or by commissioners (including national requirements);

c)overseeing the approval of policies and the development and implementation of plans for the clinical division;

d)identifying and effectively managing the risks relating to the operational management and performance of the clinical division, escalating them (when appropriate) to the Operational Management Board and the Risk Management Group;

e)providing assurance and, where appropriate, escalating issues for the consideration of the Operational Management Board;

The role of the Standing Committee of the Service User and Carer Assembly

  1. The Standing Committee of Service User & Carer Assembly is undergoing change at present, with the intention that its membership will be drawn from those service users and / or carers that are attending the Board Committees and the Operational Management Board.
  2. Its role is to:

a)provide a mechanism through which service users and carers can engage with the Board of Directors, through the Chief Executive;

b)act as a critical friend of the trust.

  1. The Standing Committee will elect its own Moderator who will chair the Service User & Carers Assembly and meet quarterly with the Chief Executive

The role of a service user / a carer on thesemeetings

  1. Before we outline the role, we need to be clear what we don’t expect a service user or a carer to be:

a)you are NOT in attendance to be a performance manager ora financial/management specialist;

b)you are NOT in attendance to be a professional committee member,

as we have people either as members or in attendance that undertake these roles.

  1. You would be in attendance to provide your knowledge and lived experienceabout our services.
  2. The role of a service user and a carer in attendance would be for a 3-year term (we intend to stagger appointments) and would include being able to:

a)have read and understand all the papers provided in advance of the meeting;

b)attend at least 75% of the Operational Management Boardmeetings (which normally meets every other month) to provide a service user / carer perspective as part of the consideration of the committee’s business;

c)promote the interests and expectations of service users and carers.in the work of the Operational Management Board;

d)take an active part in the work of the Operational Management Board, with your views and input being treated an on equal footing with both the members and others in attendance;

e)provide feedback on the work of the Operational Management Boardto the Standing Committee of the Service User and Carer Assembly;

f)work with the People Participation Team / Corporate Governance Team to promote the service user / carer voice in the trust’s governance structures.

Knowledge, skills and experience

  1. The only requirement to be considered as a service user or a carer in attendance at the these meetingsis that you are a current Mersey Care service user (or have used services within the past 3 years) or that you are a carer of someone who currently uses Mersey Care services (or has used services within the past 3 years)
  2. We would also expect you to:

a)be open and flexible in your response to others;

b)be able to communicate your views effectively, confidently and through appropriate channels(i.e., listening, voicing opinions, asking questions and seeking clarification);

c)act in accordance with the trust values and behaviours (i.e., treating people with dignity and respect);

d)take on new ideas and be open to, and passionate about, change;

e)be an active participant in the work of the committee.

  1. Previous experience of being a member of a group or committee would be an advantage BUT this does not stop a person being considered as induction, training and ongoing support will be provided by the trust.
  2. If you are a Governor of the trust then this will disqualify you from applying, as this will present a conflict of interest. This is because the Operational Management Board reports to the Executive Committee and so is an integral part of the governance arrangements for the Board of Directors, whereas the role of the Council of Governors is to hold the Board of Directors to account.

Adherence to trust policies and training

  1. All successful service users and cares would be expected to comply with the appropriate trust’s policies and procedures. Where applicable, you will also be required to attend appropriate training identified by the trust (e.g. on confidentiality and information governance)

Confidentiality and Data Protection Issues

  1. As a service user or carer in attendance you will be involved in confidential matters discussed at the committees. As such you will be expected to ensure confidentiality at all times. You must not, without prior written permission from an authorised trust officer, disclose any information regarding patients or staff obtained during the course of your participation. The Data Protection Act may render an individual liable for prosecution in the event of unauthorised disclosure of information.
  2. As part of your role you will have the option of being issued with a trust iPad and email account. These may only be used with regard to your role with the trust and not in any personal capacity. As such you will be required to comply with the trust’s IT and information governance policies. Misuse of this equipment or email account may render the individual liable for prosecution.
  3. You will be required to sign a Confidentiality Agreement, which will involve keeping all information received safely, securely and disposing of it in a confidential manner.

Payment and expenses

  1. Being a service user or a career in attendance does not attract any payment, although travel and other expenses can be claimed for in accordance with trust policy.

Expression of Interest

  1. Should you wish to express an interest in this role then please complete the attached form and return it, no later than 5.00 p.m. on Friday 7 March 2017, to

Michael Crilly, Director of Social Inclusion and Participation

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

The Life Rooms, Evered Avenue, Walton, Liverpool, L9 2AF

Tel:0151 478 6552

Email:

  1. If you would like more information or wish to discuss the role informally please contact Michael Crilly using the contact details above. It is intended that a selection process will take place mi-March 2017.

Page 1 February 2017