The William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre

The William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre,

20 St Kenneth Drive, Glasgow G51 4QD

0141 445 7750

The William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre

Clinical Governance Group – Appointment of Members

Information for Applicants

The William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre is an Independent Hospital operated by Quarriers. It provides services to patients and clinicians across Scotland and is the only residential assessment and treatment centre for adults with epilepsy in Scotland.

The William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre (WQSEC) opened on 12 April 2013 and is a 12 bed in-patient facility providing flexible, person-centred residential assessment for adults aged 16 years and over.At the WQSEC, we offer multi-disciplinary in-patient assessment to people with complex diagnostic and treatment needs. Our clinical review and diagnostic assessment includes EEG, ambulatory EEG and videotelemetry, and the WQSEC provides a safe, monitored environment for us to initiate or withdraw medications. We also provide outpatient and telemedicine clinics.

The building of the WQSEC was funded through donations and support from people who share our ambition for epilepsy services. It is a state-of-the-art facility with world-class diagnostic technology which will take epilepsy services in the UK to a whole new level, and this is just the beginning.The needs of people with epilepsy have driven our ambition to take a more strategic role to:

Increase understanding of the needs of people with epilepsy through research

Increase the aspirations of healthcare professionals for seizure management through training and awareness raising

Train the next generation of healthcare professionals in epilepsy

Our team consists of a consultant neurologist, a consultant neuropsychiatrist, a consultant neurophysiologist, a clinical nurse specialist, a clinical neuropsychologist, clinical physiologists and experienced nursing staff.

People who pose significant diagnostic challenges and those who have complex, physical, psychological and social needs are referred to the centre for out-patient and in-patient care from across Scotland and the UK. We are a national resource providing epilepsy assessment in partnership with the NHS.

People who use our in-patient service stay for between twoand eight weeks, with the average being around four weeks. This facilitates complex assessments unsuitable for short term intervention available in specialist NHS neurological assessment services.

Quarriers

Quarriers is a unique, inspirational Scottish charity which grew from one man’s vision to an organisation that makes thousands of families stronger. We challenge poverty and inequality of opportunity to bring about positive changes in people’s lives.

Quarriers has been supporting people with epilepsy since 1906. Today, our services include the epilepsy fieldwork service, care homes and supported living services. In-patient assessment had been provided at Hunter House in Quarriers Village, but the centre had reached the end of its natural life, and the opening of the new WQSEC allowed us to start to realise our ambitions of providing more extensive facilities and fully equip the centre with cutting-edge world class technology.Moving the centre to Glasgow has allowed for greater accessibility, and places our facility near to the Southern General Hospital, allowing us to combine Quarriers’ expertise with one of the world’s finest neurology teams.

The WQSEC Clinical Governance Group

Everyone who uses The William Quarrier Epilepsy Centre expects that the care and services they receive will be safe, of the highest quality and focused on their needs. They also expect that the WQSEC and Quarriers will have a way of checking that this is the case. Quarriers’ Board of Trustees wishes to enhance its existing arrangements for this by establishing a Clinical Governance Group.

The Clinical Governance Group (CGG) will act as an independent de-risking measure which will support Quarriers’ Board of Trustees in ensuring that the WQSEC maintains compliance with all standards pertaining to clinical governance. The group will, by consultation the Board of Trustees, make informed decisions concerning matters of a clinical governance nature. The CGG will report directly to the Board of Trustees and will remain wholly independent: no members of the Clinical Governance Group shall be employees or Trustees of Quarriers.

The purpose of the Clinical Governance Group is to oversee the clinical operations of the WQSEC and provide reassurance to the Board of Trustees that it complies with the clinical governance component of the NHS Health Improvement Scotland[1]Clinical Governance, Risk Management Standard and their Health Care Quality Standard. Above all, the CGG must ensure that the WQSEC operates safely as an independent hospital.

The CGG will comprise seven members including a Chair, and all will be appointed by the Quarriers’ Board of Trustees. Terms of appointment will be for two or three years in the first instance, with the opportunity for reappointment for a maximum of five years in total. An interim Chair has been appointed, and the Head of Epilepsy Services will be in attendance at CGG meetings.

It is recognised that at first, the CGG will wish to establish its scope and ways of working, and thus will initially meet every two months. Thereafter, its meetings will dovetail with the meetings of Quarriers’ Board of Trustees.

WQSEC Clinical Governance Group – Statement of Purpose

The purpose of the CGG is to provide assurance to the Quarriers’ Board of Trustees that the WQSEC is providing patient care which is appropriate, effective and safe.

The CGG will act as guardians of the principles of clinical governance to assure the Board that effective systems are in place.

The key role of members of the CGG is to scrutinise, monitor, challenge and question the system, thereby promoting, establishing and encouraging best practice. There must be a questioning attitude and a willingness to take action when problems are identified.

The CGG will provide assurance that:

Planning and delivery of services take full account of the perspective of patients

Care delivered meets relevant standards

Unacceptable clinical practice is identified and addressed

Patient and staff confidentiality is not compromised

Areas for improvement and development are identified

What weare looking for in Members of the WQSEC Clinical Governance Group

We are looking to appoint six members to the CGG. The following skillsmix amongst the membership is considered desirable for the group to address the wide range of challenges that clinical governance entails:

Experience of providing Epilepsy and General Neurological care as a Clinician Neurologist.

Understanding Medical Ethics, as they pertain to patient care and research.

A nursing background with knowledge of the processes, skills and competency of nursing care and an understanding of the role of continuing Professional Development.

A lay member who, through a personal experience or knowledge of epilepsy, can act as the voice of service users and their familiesthrough feedback and independent view

A legal background with an experience of issues of Health and Safety and Risk Management.

A background of work in the Voluntary and Community Sector.

A knowledge/experience of the National Health Service in fields of Clinical Governance and/or Research Ethics.

We also think that the following skills and experience would be beneficial to the Clinical Governance Group:

Ability to analyse and review complex issues, weigh-up conflicting opinions and reach your own decisions.

Ability to work effectively as part of a team.

Previous experience and knowledge of clinical governance committees, boards or other representative bodies.

We welcome applications from anyone who brings such skill or skills and experience.

We would like people to be able to make a firm commitment of time to the CCG. This will be a mix of meetings, reading and reviewing documents and participating in activities of the CGG as agreed by it.

As the CGG is to remain independent of the operation of the WQSEC,members should not be employees or Trustees of Quarriers.

The appointment of Clinical Governance Group members will be on a voluntary basis and reasonable out of pocket expenses will be reimbursed as per Quarriers financial procedures.

As part of our safer recruitment procedures, all successful candidates will be required to obtain a Basic Disclosure Scotland check

How to apply

If you would like further information or are interested in applying to become a member of the CGG, please

Cath Brannan on 07742893966 or

Closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 8 August 2014.

Appointment Process

• Initially, your completed form and Curriculum Vitae will be assessed against the advertised experience and skills. The selection panel will then decide whether you will be interviewed.

• If invited to interview, you will be asked questions by the selection panel to assess whether you can demonstrate that you have the specified experience, skills and personal qualities. If invited to interview and you have a disability, it will be at this point you can let us know (contact details will be provided in your invitation for interview) if you would like any particular arrangements made.

• The selection panel will recommend candidates for appointment to the Quarriers’ Board of Trustees.

• All interviewees will be advised in writing of the outcome of their application.

• If you are successful, you will be invited in writing by the Chair of the Quarriers’ Board of Trustees to accept the appointment.

Additional information

Information on The William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre can be found on its website:

Information on Quarriers can be found on its website:

Reference material and information on clinical governance and current regulation, legislation, standards and guidelines relating to the WQSEC’s services is included below:

• Health and Social Care Savings and Transitional Provisions (No. 2) Order
• Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010
• The Healthcare Improvement Scotland (Applications and Registration) Regulations 2011
• The Healthcare Improvement Scotland (Fees) Regulations 2011
• The Healthcare Improvement Scotland (Inspections) Regulations 2011
• The Healthcare Improvement Scotland (Requirements as to Independent Health Care Services) Regulations 2011
• The Healthcare Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Reports) Regulations 2011
• The National Care Standards
• The NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (Dissolution) Order 2011
• The Public Services Reform (Joint Inspections) (Scotland) Regulations 2011
• The Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2011

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[1] Previously NHS Quality Improvement Scotland