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FrankstonMorningtonPeninsula

Primary Care Partnership

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

between Agencies in the

FrankstonMorningtonPeninsula

sub-region

who are members of the Primary Care Partnership

2009 - 2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Frankston Mornington Peninsula MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

PREAMBLE

1. FMPPCP Vision & Principles

1.1 FMPPCP’s Vision

1.2 Principles and Values

1.3 Types of Membership of FMPPCP

1.4 FMPPCP members have commitment to:

2. memorandum of understanding –

PURPOSE

2.1 Partner agencies

2.2 Applications to join the FMPPCP

2.3 Resignation.

2.4 Undertakings.

2.5 Responsibilities.

3. DECISION-MAKING STRUCTURES & PROCESSES

3.1 Structure of the FMPPCP

3.2. The Strategic Directions Committee (SDC)

3.3 FMPPCP Working Groups

3.4. Statewide PCP Activity

4. Lead Agency

4.1 Change of Lead Agency

5. Variation of the Agreement

6. Dispute Resolution Process

FMPPCP Memorandum of Understanding

appendix One: FMPPCP Partner agencies

Appendix 2: Structure of fmppcp

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PREAMBLE

Frankston Mornington Peninsula Primary Care Partnership (FMPPCP) is a voluntary alliance of health and community service providers committed to strengthening the planning, co-ordination and delivery of services by using a range of innovative and collaborative strategies which are designed to improve outcomes for people using health and community support services.

The Primary Care Partnership (PCP) Strategy has been developed in response to the State Government’s Better Access to Services policy, giving rise to a major reform in the way services are delivered in the primary care and community support services sector in Victoria.

Primary Care Partnerships consist of partner agencies across all sectors in the health and community services arena across Victoria. Partner agencies make a formal commitment to collab-orative and integrated service development by signing this Memorandum of Understanding.

Primary Care Partnerships provide a planning and operational framework to enable this collaborative work to occur. This framework, articulated by means of a three yearly strategic plan, addresses the key areas of Primary Care Partnerships—defining how the partnership will engage the relevant stakeholders and work together over a given period.

Partnership Development & Planning—defining how the Partnership’s partner agencies will work together, developing goals, objectives and strategies, as well as development of leadership and workforce development within the PCP.

Service Coordination—defining how local systems and practices enables services to be better coordination and therefore more easily accessible to local communities. These systems and practices are related to the Better Access to Services elements of:

  • Initial contact
  • Initial needs identification
  • Service specific assessment
  • Specialist assessment
  • Comprehensive assessment; and
  • Care planning.

Integrated Health Promotion—defining the population health needs of the community and proposing strategies to address those needs, such as mental health and wellbeing and disease management programs and services.

Chronic Disease Management—the aim of Integrated Chronic Disease management is to care for people with chronic disease and usually involves multiple health care providers in multiple settings. To provide this care, within an integrated system, health care providers must work collaboratively to coordinate and plan care and services. In particular, people with chronic disease need a responsive, person-centred and effective system of care.

1. FMPPCP Vision & Principles

1.1 FMPPCP’s Vision

A Healthy & Connected Community

This vision underpins the PCP’s strategic priorities of:

  1. Service accessibility for populations experiencing chronic disease, including a focus on dementia, anxiety and depression.
  2. Addressing mental health & wellbeing with a focus on social inclusion & freedom from violence

The aim is to create a service system that is truly client-centred and emphasises the importance of community (and diversity within community) in creating and supporting the health and well-being of individuals. The vision will be achieved through strong interagency collaboration. Signing this Memorandum of Understanding indicates intent to work collaboratively to achieve this vision.

1.2 Principles and Values

FMPPCP has six key principles, which underpin the development of its operational model, strategic objectives and decision making:

  • Integration;
  • Collaboration;
  • Mutuality;
  • Comprehensive Health Planning;
  • Client-Focus, and
  • Effective Resource Management.

1.3Types of Membership of FMPPCP

FMPPCP consists of a voluntary alliance of partner agencies. There are four types of partners:

  1. Partner agencies: Agencies across all sectors of care in the FMPPCP catchment who have signed the FMPPCP Memorandum of Understanding. Also known as FMPPCP signatories.
  2. Associate Partners: Agencies and/or organisations who participate in FMPPCP activities, but have not signed the MOU – e.g., Victoria Police, schools etc.
  3. Consumer Participants

4.Partnerships: If the partner is a partnership, one of the partners should sign the MOU as the authorised representative for and on behalf of all partners.

1.4 FMPPCP members have commitment to:

  • A process of on-going consultation with the community in respect of the development of the Primary Care Partnership strategy;
  • Fully implementing and evaluating the FMPPCP collaborative partnership work;
  • Raising and discussing concerns and hesitations openly within the Partnership;
  • Client-focussed actions and outcomes.

2. memorandum of understanding – A Statement of Commitment & Intent

This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) constitutes a formalagreement amongst signatories – i.e., partner agencies who have signed the MOU. It covers the years 2009 – 2012.

These signatories have made a commitment to work together to develop a more integrated and effective system of care in the Frankston/MorningtonPeninsula sub-region.

The Agreement respects the sovereignty of each member to the Agreement and acknowledges the diversity of organisational cultures. This diversity is seen to be one of the strengths of the overall system.

Whilst the signatories to the Agreement recognise that differences exist between people and organisations in relation to their fields of expertise, responsibilities, resourcing and influence, the Agreement creates no hierarchy or differential status between the members.

Within the parameters of the Agreement, decisions made in accordance with the processes laid down in the Agreement will be binding on the members.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Agreement is to provide a framework for establishing common systems and improved ways of working together (in the delivery of primary health, health promotion and community support services,with appropriate links with the acute sector) in order to achieve better health outcomes for the people of the Frankston/Mornington Peninsula area.

FMPPCP workscollaboratively, supporting Govern-ment initiatives which create better access to services. thereby becoming a significant vehicle for all ‘whole of health reform strategic planning[1],[2]’ in the sub-region.

The definition of health adopted by the World Health Organisation (WHO,1946) is accepted as the starting point for considering health outcomes. That definition states that health is”a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.

This framework exists within a social model of health that recognises the role played by individuals, families and communities, together with professional services, in achieving outcomes. It acknowledges that prevention, health promotion and service provision all play a part in achieving and continually improving outcomes.

Increasingly, the determinants of health are becoming better understood. Over the last century, this has led to significant changes in the interventions and strategies to address ill-health and to improve overall health status.

Whilst medical treatment services must deal with the individual cases at hand, public health and health promotion adopt a population based view of health. The social model of health embraces both perspectives in what has been referred to as a ‘whole of health’ approach. Both individual user choice and priorities that emerge through democratic and public policy processes play an important part in shaping the health and community care system. This will be strengthened by having better information and improved planning processes.

As a consequence, FMPPCP builds upon the current mix of services and programs and has a planning process that takes account of user choice and wider community involvement in the public policy process.

The approach, structure and process outlined in this Agreement will gradually build a more effective system of primary health care and community support by developing common elements, integrated practices and a joint approach to planning and priority setting.

2.1 Partner agencies

FMPPCP Partner agencies (i.e., signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding) are shown at Schedule Appendix 1.

2.2 Applications to join the FMPPCP

Applications will be considered by the Strategic Directions Committee, which will endorse or decline all partnership applications.

To become a partner the agency must sign the Memorandum of Understanding and appoint a person to speak for and vote on its behalf. A signed copy of the MOU including the name and position of the appointed person must be provided in writing to the Chairperson of the FMPPCP.

In order to bind the organisation the agency is required to pass a Board resolution, sign under seal, or have an officer with the delegated authority sign on its behalf.

2.3 Resignation.

Any member is free to resign at any time providing the following procedure is followed.

The member shall give one months’ written notice to the Chairperson, stating its reasons. The Primary Care Partnership, through its Strategic Directions Committee, will consider the implications of the agency’s resignation for the success of the Partnership collaboration and if considered appropriate by a majority of Committee members, negotiate with the agency’s CEO for a withdrawal of the notice and continued participation.

If this is unsuccessful, the Committee may offer to invoke the dispute procedure.

Where this is declined by the agency, or where the dispute procedure results in the agency pursuing its intention to resign, the agency shall confirm its intention in writing, noting the operative date.

The Primary Care Partnership will confirm in writing the resignation and the operative date. The agency shall cease to be a member from the date notified in the written confirmation. Members will continue to incur any costs and other obligations placed on them until the operative date.during membership and which by reason of their nature must continue until the operative date.

Members of the PCP will be informed of all membership matters, including resignations, at each Forum.

2.4 Undertakings.

Partner agencies of the Primary Care Partnership undertake to work together in the spirit of collab-orative partnership, to integrate the aims and objectives of the Partnership’s Strategic Plan that are relevant to them into their own agency’s strategic plans.

All partners agree to embrace decisions made by the Primary Care Partnership in accordance with this Agreement except where a decision may be in conflict with the mission, goals, or objectives of the partner, in which case this conflict will be raised with the PCP through the Strategic Directions Committee.

Where system-wide, catchment approaches are adopted under this Agreement, the partners, as far as is possible, will implement these, and replace existing practices. There will be a commitment to explore and develop common systems wherever this will contribute to improved integration for service users.

Partners, wherever practical, will develop elec-tronic data and other information technology systems compatible with the IT/IM systems developed for PCP.

2.5 Responsibilities.

All members to the Agreement will;

  • Provide an agency or working group nominee with authority to speak/act for the agency and ensure continuity of agency participation;
  • Facilitate nominee and staff/advocate partici-pation in work groups and PCP activities, policies and procedures;
  • Ensure that partner organisation staff are kept informed and are consulted re implementation of developments in the PCP strategy;
  • Act in good faith to achieve PCP objectives, and not do/say anything to bring the PCP into disrepute or hinder partnership objectives agreed to in accordance with this Agreement;
  • Promote the objectives, consult and collaborate on proposals with local constituents and communities.

3.DECISION-MAKING STRUCTURES PROCESSES

3.1 Structure of the FMPPCP

The formal structure of the Partnership is shown at Appendix 2Appendix 2.

3.2. The Strategic Directions Committee (SDC)

A Strategic Directions Committee is established from the partnership as an executive committee to provide strategic leadership to the development and implementation of the Primary Care Partnership’s strategic plan. The Strategic Directions Committeeis the final decision making body of the FMPPCP. The functions and role responsibilities of the Strategic Directions committee are specified in the Committee’s Terms of Reference. The SDCis comprised of fourteenmembers - see below.

Permanent Members
Local Government / 2
General Practice Network / 1
Health Network (incl. Community Health) / 2
District Nursing Service / 1
Medicare Local / 1
Elected Members
General partner agencies / 5
Chairs of Working Groups (HPAC, SSRC & PCYP) / 23
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3.3 FMPPCP Working Groups

The FMPPCP Strategic Directions Committee establishes the structure of the FMPPCP. All working groups have Terms of Reference, which are ‘signed off’ by the SDC. Working groups comprise representatives from all sectors of partner and associate partner agencies, other stake-holders, including community members. Each working group will have an elected Chair who will represent the working group on the Strategic Directions Committee. Each Working Group will also have a Deputy Chair. The Working Groups are governed by Terms of Reference specific to them.

3.4. Statewide PCP Activity

PCPs are active at a statewide level, lobbying and negotiating with Government Departments (notably the Primary Health Branch of the Department of Health) for primary and community reform at a departmental and ministerial level. The PCPChair and secretariat staff attend and participate in state-wide networks and special function working groups, such as, for example, the working group which developed the State-wide Service Coordination Practice Manual.

4. Lead Agency

Peninsula Health is currently the nominated Lead Agency for the FMPPCP. Peninsula Health has agreed to undertake the role of the Lead Agency with the support and endorsement of partner agencies.

The Lead Agency role is confined to the functions identified below:

  • Fund holder/banker in collaboration with the Strategic Directions Committee to allocate FMPPCP resources.
  • Provide administrative/secretariat support in relation to the provision of financial and corporate resourcing and contract tendering
  • Maintain accountability to the Department of Health for Financial Accountability Returns in relation to FMPPCP resourcing.

The Lead Agency will be responsible for:

  • Receipt of resources available to the PCP from the Department of Health (DoH), other Government departments and other grant funding received for specific projects.
  • Managing the PCP funds in compliance with the PCP Service Agreement.
  • Liaising with DoH.
  • Provide reports in accordance with funding requirements.
  • Providing a monthly financial report to the PCP Executive Officer.
  • Purchase assets on behalf of FMPPCP.

Agencies participating in the FMPPCP have discussed and agreed to the above roles, functions and responsibilities of the Lead Agency.

4.1 Change of Lead Agency

The Lead Agency may relinquish its role by giving not less than three months notice in writing to the Strategic Directions Committee, but shall not withdraw within the period of the financial year. As soon as practicable thereafter, the Strategic Directions Committee shall appoint a new Lead Agency.

In the case of a change of Lead Agency, an audit of the Partnership funds will be undertaken. All assets andunspent funds will be transferred from the relinquishing Lead Agency to the new one.

The relinquishing Lead Agency will ensure that the new Lead Agency is fully informed of all matters relating to the management of FMPPCP funds and assets.

5. Variation of the Agreement

This agreement will have a life of up to three years toJune 30, 2012 at which time it will cease to have effect. At that time a review of the MoU will occur ahead of the development of the Partnership’s next strategic plan. Member agencies will be asked to sign the revised MoU, indicating their commitment to the new strategic plan.

Any variation to the Agreement in this time must be proposed in writing and circulated to all members with at least four weeks notice of a meeting to vote on the amendment. Decisions to amend the Agreement shall require a three-quarters majority.

6. Dispute Resolution Process

Any disagreement or dispute, in the first instance, will be raised with the Chairperson.

Where a dispute cannot be resolved by the Chairperson or SDC/OMC, or by reference to this Agreement, the CEO of each member to the dispute shall attempt to resolve the matter, whether or not the CEO is a member of the Committee. Any of the members to the dispute may seek the advice and/or participation of the DoH Regional Director or his nominee in this process.

Where the dispute is not resolved by the above process within 7 days, any member to the dispute may give notice to the other(s) that an attempt be made to resolve the dispute with the help of a mediator to be appointed jointly by the members. If the members do not agree on a mediator within 7 days, the SDC(excluding any members to the dispute) shall seek advice from the DoH Regional Director, and thereafter appoint an independent mediator. Each of the members must co-operate fully with the mediator. Each of the members must pay an equal share of the fees and expenses to which the mediator is entitled.

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FMPPCP Memorandum of Understanding

MEMBERSHIP FORM

Name of the Organisation:------

Contact Person:------

Address:------

Telephone No:------

Facsimile:------

E-mail:------

The above organisation agrees to the following:

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  • To be signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU);
  • Nominate a key representative to attend committee meetings on a regular basis and a proxy (where possible) in their absence if eligible according to MOU
  • Support the Vision and Values of the FrankstonMorningtonPeninsula Primary Care Partnership (FMPPCP).
  • Actively participate in the implementation of the FMPPCP Partnership Strategy and Community Health Plan, including working groups, recognising the resource implications and limitations for some members;
  • Support decisions made by representative FMP Primary Care Partnership Projects groups and endorsed by the Strategic Directions Committee. This shall include the implementation of reform processes, including assessment criteria, guidelines and protocols, and information technology system develop-ment;
  • Promote and consult with staff, clients, carers, and the community in relation to the development and implementation of the FMPPCP Project.

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