Sub committees

The Board has appointed six sub-committees and has delegated responsibilities to these committees as set out in the NHS Gloucestershire (NHSG) Scheme of Reservation and Delegation (see separate document).

Audit and Risk Committee

The Audit and Risk Committee, accountable to the Board of NHSG, provides an independent and objective view of the NHSG’s financial systems, financial information and compliance with laws, regulations and directions governing NHSG as they relate to finance.  The Committee has a range of standing items and reports including Internal Audit and External Audit reports, updates and progress reports from Counter Fraud Services as well as procurement updates. The Audit and Risk Committee receives reports on waivers to the standing orders and recommends to the Board approval of the Annual Accounts and Annual Reports.

The Audit and Risk Committee has a risk assurance role through scrutinising and challenging the risks input into the NHSG’s Corporate Risk Register and Governing Body Assurance Framework. The Audit and Risk Committee has an important function in assuring the Board that NHSG has an effective system of risk management. This is through pro-actively identifying risks to the organisation’s objectives, assessing and mitigating those risks and reporting them in a timely way. The Audit and Risk Committee ensures that NHSG has a robust framework for risk management encompassing its strategy including risk appetite, policy and procedures as well as training requirements.

The Board of NHSG has delegated to the Audit and Risk Committee the review and approval of NHSG policies relating to Audit, Risk, Data Security and Counter Fraud.

The Audit and Risk Committee meets approximately 6-7 times per year. There are two meetings held in May specifically to consider and recommend the Annual Report and Annual Accounts to the Board.

The Audit and Risk Committee also fulfils the role of ‘Auditor Panel’, as defined in the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. The Panel approves the appointment/reappointment of NHSG’s internal and external auditors and Counter Fraud Services, additional work that is to be commissioned from internal/external audit and/or counter fraud. More details can be found in the Auditor’s Panel Terms of Reference (see Audit and Risk Committee ToR). The Auditor’s Panel is organised on an ad hoc basis as required.

The Terms of Reference for the Audit and Risk Committee can be found here.

Remuneration Committee

The Remuneration Committee, which is accountable to the Board, makes recommendations to the Board in relation to the remuneration, fees and other allowances relating to Board members, the Chair of the Integrated Care System and other specialist posts. The appointment processes and procedures related to Board members are also reviewed by the Remuneration Committee which makes recommendations to the Board. The role and remit of the Remuneration Committee is detailed in the Terms of Reference.

Quality Committee

The aim of the Quality Committee is to continuously improve the delivery of healthcare services to the people of Gloucestershire, ensuring that those services delivered to Gloucestershire residents are of high quality, clinically safe and effective.  The Quality Committee has four fundamental purposes:

• improve outcomes in population health and healthcare;
• tackle inequalities in outcomes, experience, and access;
• enhance productivity and value for money;
• help the NHS support broader social and economic development.

The Quality Committee provides assurances and advises the Board of NHSG on the performance of all commissioned services in relation to all quality indicators and compliance with statutory duties (including child and adult safeguarding and the Equality Act 2010 as well as Public Involvement & Consultation S.14Z2).

The Quality Committee ensures that continuous quality improvement and better outcomes are delivered in accordance with National Guidance and evidence-based practice and it approves and reviews the NHSG Patient Engagement Strategy.

The Quality Committee agrees and puts forward the key quality priorities that are included within the NHSG strategy and annual plan These reports are then submitted to the Board for their consideration.

The Quality Committee receives a number of standing items and reports at each meeting including an overarching quality report on the quality of commissioned services in Gloucestershire.

The Board of NHSG has delegated to the Quality Committee the review and approval of NHSG policies relating to clinical quality.

The Terms of Reference for the Quality Committee can be found here.

Primary Care and Direct Commissioning Committee

The purpose of the Committee is to manage the delivery of elements of the primary care healthcare services delegated by NHS England to NHSG.  The aim will be to deliver to the people of Gloucestershire, on behalf of NHSG, services that are of high quality, clinically effective and safe, within available resources. This will be delivered through a culture of openness supported by sound governance arrangements.

This includes delegated responsibility for the award of General Medical Services (GMS), and Personal Medical Services (PMS) contracts etc. as well as the monitoring of those contracts, locally defined and designed enhanced primary care services, approving practice mergers and premises improvement grants, and capital developments. The Committee reviews and recommends the Primary Care Strategy to the Board.

The Primary Care and Direct Commissioning Committee has an assurance role for the quality of primary care services and receives a report at each Committee meeting on the quality of primary care services and level of engagement with patients and the public through its Patient Participation Group meetings.

Primary Care and Direct Commissioning Committee meetings are held bi-monthly and members of the public are welcome to attend and observe the meeting. Dates of the meetings are available here. Papers will be published online the week before the meeting here.

The Terms of Reference for the Primary Care and Direct Commissioning Committee can be found here.

People Committee

The People Committee is accountable to NHSG for all matters relating to the development of the System People Strategy and the plans and for delivery of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) agenda and objectives.

The People Committee will provide oversight and scrutiny of the effectiveness of the ICS People Function. It will receive reporting against all the leadership and people dimensions of System Oversight Framework and will examine the management of People and EDI related risks.

The People Committee will oversee the strategic approach to talent management and succession planning for the ICS, ensuring that a pipeline of talent for clinical, professional, executive and non-executive leadership roles is developed and maintained as an asset for the delivery of One Gloucestershire’s vision and strategy.

The Committee will examine opportunities for extending partnership and integrated working across the workforce agenda so that the conditions for enabling transformation in respect of people and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion priorities are optimised.

The Terms of Reference for the People Committee can be found here.

System Resources Committee

The System Resources Committee will contribute to the overall delivery of NHSG objectives by providing oversight and assurance to the Board for matters relating to system resources allocation, performance against strategic plans and strategic financial performance.

The System Resources Committee will support the four fundamental purposes of NHSG:

• improving population health and healthcare;
• tackling unequal outcomes and access;
• enhancing productivity and value for money;
• helping the NHS to support broader social and economic development.

The System Resources Committee aims to support healthcare by ensuring that resources are prioritised to support improvement in health outcomes, and increased efficiency and value for money of the delivery of healthcare across the ICS.

The System Resources Committee aims to tackle unequal outcomes by ensuring that resources are prioritised to support reducing health inequalities and increasing social justice and health equity.

The System Resources Committee aims to enhance productivity and value for money by ensuring that resources are prioritised to support the system to take a value-based healthcare approach.

The Terms of Reference for the System Resources Committee can be found here.