DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, SOCIALSERVICES AND

PUBLIC SAFETY

TERMS OF REFERENCE

CLINICAL ENGINEERING AND MEDICAL PHYSICS SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CEMPSAC)

CLINICAL ENGINEERING AND MEDICAL PHYSICS SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY: –

TERMS OF REFERENCE

1.Article 25 of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 empowers the Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety to set up Advisory Committees for the purpose of obtaining advice upon any matter arising in connection with the performance of the duties of the Department under Article 4 of the Order.

REMIT

2.An Advisory Committee will be appointed under Article 25 to advise the Department on the planning and provision of clinical engineering and medical physics services in Northern Ireland. Specifically the Committee will provide advice as follows:-

a.Policy guidance for the organisation of the Clinical Engineering and Medical Physics Services. Advice on clinical needs will be sought through medical channels;

b.Non-medical manpower needs, recruitment and training of staff (excluding terms and conditions of service);

c.Safety in Service Departments;

d.Maintenance and evaluation of equipment;

e.The import of research and development issues for service provision;

f.Local relevance and application of policy guidance generated in Great Britain.

3.The Committee will consider matters referred to it by the Department. It may also initiate matters to be brought under consideration.

MEMBERSHIP

4.The Chairman and members of the Committee will be appointed by the Department of Health and Social Services.

5.The total membership of the Committee, including the Chairman, will not exceed 16 and will comprise 5 Clinicians, 2 Physicists, 3 Technicians (2 Physiological Measurement Technicians, 1 Medical Physics Technician), 2 Engineers, the Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Regional Medical Physics Agency (ex-officio), a representative of Health Estates (ex-officio) and a representative of the Directorate of Information Services as an ex-officio member.

6.Members of the Committee will be appointed for their knowledge and experience of clinical engineering and medical physics services and will be selected after consultation with: -

British Medical Association;

Hospital Scientists Association;

Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine;

Northern Ireland Branch of the Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management;

Physiological Measurement Technicians;

Northern Ireland Audiological Association.

7.Members will be appointed to serve in a personal capacity for the individual contribution they can make to the work of the Committee and not to represent any particular interest.

TERMS OF OFFICE

  1. Members will normally be appointed to serve for a 3- year term of office and will be eligible to serve a maximum of 2 terms, i.e. 6 years.

RESPONSIBILITIES

9.The Chairman should ensure that the subjects considered by the Committee fall clearly within the Committee’s remit as outlined in paragraph 2 above. Where the subject matter for consideration impinges on the work of any other advisory committee to the Department, the Chairman should arrange for the necessary co-ordination and consultation with the Committee concerned.

QUORUM AND PROCEDURE

10.The Committee may regulate its own quorum and procedure.

SUB-COMMITTEES

11.The Committee may, subject to the agreement of the Department, appoint

Sub-Committees and may appoint to such Sub-Committees persons who are not members of the Committee.

EXPENSES

12.The Chairman and members of the Committee will be unpaid; travelling and other expenses will be payable in respect of expenses incurred on Committee business.

OBSERVERS AT MEETINGS

13.The Department’s Chief Medical Officer or his representative may attend meetings of the Committee.

SECRETARIAT

14.The Department will make arrangements for servicing the Committee.

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