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Committees

The Trust Board has four statutory committees and three other committees, to scrutinise the Trust’s governance systems and to provide assurance to Trust Board on their effectiveness. The four statutory committees are:

Audit Committee
Remuneration Committee
Charitable Trust Funds Advisory Committee
Outcomes and Assurance Committee.

The three other committees are:

Northern Partnership and Population Health Committee
Resources Committee
teamNorth People and Culture Committee

The Trust’s five corporate objectives are:

Build Northern partnerships and integrate care
Continue to improve Outcomes and experience
Deliver value by optimising Resources
Nurture our people, enable our talent and build our Teams
Improve population Health and address health and social care inequalities

Committees are aligned to one or more of these objectives.

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee has a central role in the Trust’s Governance Framework in assisting the Board to ensure that an effective control system is in place.

The Committee shall review the establishment and maintenance of an effective system of internal control, across the whole of the organisation’s activities (both clinical and non-clinical) that supports the achievement of the organisation’s objectives.

In particular, the Committee will review:

the adequacy of all risk and control related disclosure statements (in particular the Governance Statement), together with any accompanying Head of Internal Audit statement, external audit opinion or other appropriate independent assurances, prior to endorsement by the Board
the adequacy of the underlying assurance processes that indicate the degree of the achievement of corporate objectives, the effectiveness of the management of principal risks and the appropriateness of the above disclosure statements
the adequacy of the policies for ensuring compliance with relevant regularity, legal and code of conduct requirements, including the Trust’s Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions
the adequacy of the policies and procedures for all work related to fraud and corruption as required by the BSO Counter Fraud and Probity Service
the annual schedule of losses and compensation payments and will make recommendations to the Board regarding their approval
on a periodic basis, the Committee will review the Trust’s Raising Concerns Register and any updates to the associated policy

The Committee consists of three Non-Executive members and is chaired by a Non-Executive Director. The Committee provides assurance to the Trust Board and the Accounting Officer on the systems of internal control. A report of the committee’s business is presented to Trust Board and the Terms of Reference are available here

Remuneration Committee

The Remuneration Committee is a Committee of the Trust Board tasked with the responsibility for approving the remuneration of Executives. The Committee is chaired by the Trust Chair and has two other Non-Executive Directors members.
The main functions of the Committee are as follows:

To advise and make recommendations to the Board on performance, development, succession planning and appropriate remuneration and terms of service for the Chief Executive and all Senior Executives, guided by Department of Health policy and best practice, and on the advice of the Chief Executive and other Senior Executives as appropriate.
To provide advice to the Board on remuneration including all aspects of salary and other contractual terms as well as arrangements for termination of employment of senior executives.
To ensure robust objectives, performance measures and evaluation processes are in place within the Trust in respect of Senior Executives.
To ensure that the Chief Executive and Senior Executives are fairly rewarded for their individual contribution to the organisation having proper regard to the organisation’s circumstances and performance and to the provision of national arrangements.
To monitor and evaluate the performance and development of the Chief Executive and on the advice of the Chief Executive, the other Senior Executives of the Trust.
To oversee appropriate contractual arrangements for the Chief Executive and Senior Executives including the proper calculation and scrutiny of termination payments taking account of relevant guidance as appropriate.
The Chief Executive is responsible for ensuring that the Director of Human Resources brings forward the necessary information in a timely manner to enable the Committee to discharge its functions and take appropriate follow-up action.

Charitable Trust Funds Advisory Committee

The Charitable Trust Funds Advisory Committee is chaired by a Non-Executive Director with senior staff including the Director of Finance in attendance.

The role of the Committee is to oversee the administration, including banking arrangements, of CTFs, their investment and disbursement. The responsibility for expending of the charitable funds remains with the individual fund managers.

The Committee will:

Satisfy itself that CTFs are managed in line with guidance in the Trust’s Standing Financial Instructions, Departmental guidance and legislation.
Ratify the creation of a new fund where funds and/or other assets are received from donors in circumstances where the wishes of the donor cannot be accommodated within the scope of an existing fund.
Make recommendations on the potential for rationalisation of funds within statutory guidelines and take appropriate action.
Ensure that assets in the ownership of, or used by, a CTF will be maintained with the Trust’s general estate and inventory of assets.
Ensure that a strategic approach is adopted with regard to CTF expenditure and that Directorates produce and implement annual expenditure plans relating to all funds at their disposal.
Use their best endeavours to ensure that funds are not unduly or unnecessarily accumulated.
Ensure that expenditure from CTFs is subject to appropriate value for money considerations including proper procurement procedures where applicable.
Ensure that Annual Accounts are prepared in accordance with Department of Health guidelines and submitted to the Trust Board within agreed timescales.
Ensure that a Governance Report and a Trustees Report are produced as part of the annual accounts process for CTFs.
On behalf of the Trust Board, and on the advice of the Senior Management Team, the Committee will authorise appropriate policies and procedures in relation to CTFs.

A report of the committee’s business will be presented to Trust Board.

Outcomes and Assurance Committee

The Outcomes and Assurance Committee responds to the second of these objectives, covering the O in NORTH.

The purpose of the Outcomes & Assurance Committee is to review the effectiveness and reliability of the Trust’s assurances regarding governance arrangements, risk management and the control environment.

The Outcomes and Assurance Committee provides a second line of assurance within the Integrated Governance and Assurance Framework. The Outcomes & Assurance Committee should confirm assurance regarding the comprehensiveness of the Assurance Framework including the Principal Risk Document to ensure that there are robust assurance systems and processes in place for all undertakings of the Trust.

The Outcomes & Assurance Committee will review the effectiveness and reliability of any Outcome measures implemented by the Trust.

The Committee is chaired by the Trust’s Vice Chair and the membership consists of a further three Non-Executive Directors and the Trust Senior Management Team, and other senior staff, will be in attendance.

The Committee will have oversight of Integrated Governance (excluding Financial Governance) and Assurance at the Northern Health and Social Care Trust. The Committee is responsible for ensuring that systems of assurance are effective and structures are regularly reviewed to support the implementation and development of good governance.

The role of the Committee in respect of Outcomes will be developed over the next twelve months and will take cognisance of the Regional work that is currently being developed on Strategic Outcomes and System Oversight Measures and also of the Trust’s work in respect of developing a Quality Management System.

The Committee shall:

Quarterly review and approve the Principal Risk Document.
Review the Corporate Risk Register annually.
Regularly review arrangements for risk management and corporate governance and agree further updates/changes with Executive Directors.
Consider the effectiveness of the key controls through which risks will be managed.
Consider and advise on areas of acceptable risk.
Ensure the views of the local community, experts by experience and staff input are incorporated into the development of services.
Seek assurance that timely reports are made on recommendations and remedial actions taken or proposed to mitigate any internal failing in systems or services.

The following activity will fall within the remit of the Outcomes & Assurance Committee

Quality, Safety and Standards in Health and Social Care;
Internal assurance and internal control;
Serious Adverse Incident Management;
Complaints management;
Litigation management;
Coroners Inquests;
Professional regulation;
Research and education governance;
Information governance;
Patient Safety
Incidents / DatixWeb
Other matters excluding finance that pertain to good corporate governance
Outcome Measures
Quality Management System

The committee chair shall:

Report formally, regularly and on a timely basis to Trust Board. This includes verbal updates on activity, the submission of minutes and written reports, as well as the presentation of annual reports from relevant areas as per the Assurance Framework cycle of reports.
Bring to Trust Board’s attention any significant matter under consideration of the Outcomes & Assurance Committee.
Ensure appropriate escalation arrangements are in place to alert the Executive Team, or Chairs of other relevant Committees / Steering Groups, of any urgent / critical matters that may compromise patient / client care and affect the operation and / or reputation of the Trust.

Northern Partnership and Population Health Committee

The Northern Partnership and Population Health Committee responds to the first and last of the Trust’s corporate objectives, covering the N and H in NORTH.

The Northern Partnership and Population Health Committee is a standing committee of the Trust Board.

The Committee is committed to progressing a shared vision for population health with partners external to the organisation, ensuring oversight and accountability for the Trust’s focus on population health and wellbeing, health and social care inequalities and support for carers.

The committee will be charied by the Trust’s Chair alongside the Director of Strategic Planning, Performance and ICT as the Lead Director. Membership will include other Non-Executive Directors, senior Trust staff and representatives from Community and Voluntary Sector partners, and service user and carers’ representatives.

The Committee shall report to the Trust Board on how it discharges its duties.

Pending formal agreement of the minutes of the meeting, the Chair of the Committee will provide an update at the next available Trust Board of the business conducted at the Committee, drawing attention to any issues that necessitate either disclosure to the Board or executive action.

The approved minutes of the Committee shall be submitted to the next available meeting of the Board.

The Trust Board will hear directly from partners at least annually on the work of the committee.

Resources Committee

The purpose of the Resources Committee is to support the Board in delivering on its statutory responsibility to “break-even” and on performance and service improvement targets including those required under Service and Budget Agreements in place with Commissioners.

The Resources Committee provides a second line of assurance within the Integrated Governance and Assurance Framework and will ensure that robust governance, risk management and assurance processes are in place across the organisation to promote the delivery of key corporate objectives, particularly in the use of financial, physical and ICT resources.

This is a scrutiny committee and does not replace the operational performance management arrangements for which Directors are responsible.

The committee is chaired by a Non-Executive Director and co-chaired by the Executive Director of Finance/Deputy Chief Executive and membership consists of two Non-Executive Directors and a number of Trust senior staff including Directors and Assistant Directors.

The Resources Committee is a sub-committee of Trust Board.

The Committee chair will:

Report formally, regularly and on a timely basis to Trust Board. This includes verbal updates on activity, the submission of minutes and written reports, as well as the presentation of annual reports from relevant areas as per the schedule of reports.
Bring to Trust Board’s attention any significant matter under consideration of the Resources Committee.
Ensure appropriate escalation arrangements are in place to alert the Executive Team, or Chairs of other relevant Committees / Steering Groups, of any urgent / critical matters that may compromise patient / client care and affect the operation and / or reputation of the Trust.

Team North People and Culture Committee

The purpose of the Committee is to provide advice and assurance to the Board in relation to the direction and delivery of all people related strategies and frameworks to drive continuous improvement and achieve the objectives of the Trust.

The Committee will advise and assure the Board on all matters relating to staff and workforce; including plans to nurture our people, enable our talent and build our teams to deliver safe and high quality health and social care.

The committee is chaired by a Non-Executive Director with the Director of Human Resources, Organisation Development and Corporate Communications as the deputy Chair and Lead Director.