NORTHERN QLD PRIMARY HEALTH NETWORK

CLINICAL COUNCIL INFORMATION PACK

Primary Health Networks (PHNs) have been established with the key objective of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of medical services for patients particularly those at risk of poor health outcomes, improving coordination of care to ensure patients receive the right care in the right place at the right time, and undertaking population health planning to identify and address local needs. The North Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) Board is currently seeking nominations to fill the following positions for the NQPHN Clinical Councils in the Cairns/Cape & Torres region and Townsville/Mackay region. Each member shall be registered with AHPRA and actively practicing (with the exception of the Allied Health professional appointee not having to be AHPRA registered).

Cairns/Cape & Torres Region One (1) General Practitioner (nominated by the Board)

One (1) Community Pharmacist (nominated by The Pharmacy Guild (Queensland Branch))

One (1) Community Dentist

One (1) Community Nurse

One (1) Aboriginal & Torres Strait Island representative (actively practicing)

One (1) Allied Health Professional

Two (2) Other members determined by the Nomination Committee

Chairs of local HHS Clinical Councils (or their nominated delegate) in accordance with Clause 4.1.2 of the Charter

Townsville/Mackay Region One (1) General Practitioner (nominated by the Board)

One (1) Community Pharmacist (nominated by The Pharmacy Guild (Queensland Branch))

One (1) Community Dentist

One (1) Community Nurse

One (1) Aboriginal & Torres Strait Island representative (actively practicing)

One (1) Allied Health Professional

Two (2) Other members determined by the Nomination Committee

Chairs of local HHS Clinical Councils (or their nominated delegate) in accordance with Clause 4.1.2 of the Charter

Aims & Objectives: The North Queensland Primary Healthcare Network Clinical Council provides NQPHN with expert clinical and specialist knowledge through the engagement of key stakeholders in clinical primary health, to ensure the advice provided to the Board to inform strategic planning and decision-making is high quality, evidence-based, cost effective, patient-centred and outcome-driven, informing primary healthcare across the NQPHN region, in line with national and local priorities informed by the NQPHN Health Needs Assessment and the Strategic Plan. Clinical Council roles provide an excellent opportunity to help shape the delivery of primary health care in North Queensland.

NQPHN Clinical Councils

Call for Nominations

Roles & Responsibilities: The Clinical Council acts in an advisory capacity. The key role of the Council includes (but not limited to):

Advise on the development of local strategies

Advise on opportunities to improve health services

Advise on National or PHN-specific priorities

Collaborate with neighbouring Clinical Councils

Identify solutions to current system obstacles

Provide leadership and guidance to the NQPHN in Clinical Governance

Actively and positively promote the role and activities of the NQPHN

Meeting Schedule: The council will meet up to 4 times each year face-to-face, with provision for interim meetings to be conducted by video conference or teleconference as necessary. Face to face meeting routinely run for 3-4 hours each. Council Members should anticipate up to 3 hours of pre-reading for each meeting and the same between each meeting for business arising out-of-session. An annual Forum will be held in conjunction with the NQPHN and education and CPD provider. Members of the NQPHN Clinical Council will receive locum expenses in line with the NQPHN’s policy.

Selection Criteria: The ability to make recommendations on clinical governance matters

Must be registered with AHPRA and actively practicing (with the exception of the Allied Health professional appointee not having to be AHPRA registered)

The ability to assess complex primary health care issues and suggest appropriate strategies

The ability to promote a culture that implements best practice based on evidence

The ability to give consideration to the diverse needs of the North Queensland Community

Demonstrated knowledge and experience working in primary health care in North Queensland

To Apply: Please submit a cover letter (a maximum of 2 pages) specifying the desired region, outlining your

professional experience and detailing the contribution you believe you can make to the Clinical Council, based on the selection criteria above and a copy of your current resume.

Email your application to Megan Barrett, Company Secretary via NQPHNComSec@primaryhealth.com.au no later than Monday 8th May 2017 at 5pm

Questions regarding the application process may be addressed to Megan Barrett, Company Secretary at the above email address

Application and Appointment Process All applications received by the deadline will be reviewed and a short list developed.

The final candidates will be recommended to the NQPHN Board of Directors for final approval.

Unsuccessful candidates will be advised in writing via email.

1. Definition of Primary Health Care

Socially appropriate, universally accessible, scientifically sound first level care provided by health services and systems with a suitably trained workforce comprised of multi-disciplinary teams supported by integrated referral systems (Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute); and The first level of health care or the entry point to the healthcare system for consumers, with the primary healthcare workforce including community-based general practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, nurses and allied health practitioners (The Australian Institute of Health & Welfare).

2. Aims and Objectives

2.1 The North Queensland Primary Healthcare Network Clinical Council (the Council) provides NQPHN with expert clinical and specialist knowledge through the engagement of key stakeholders in clinical primary health, to ensure the advice provided to the Board to inform strategic planning and decision-making is high quality, evidence-based, cost effective, patient-centred and outcome-driven, informing primary healthcare across the NQPHN region, in line with national and local priorities informed by the NQPHN Health Needs Assessment and the Strategic Plan. 2.2 One Council will be established for each major geographic region in the NQPHN footprint – representing North Queensland and Far North Queensland. For the purposes of this document, a reference to Council means each and either of the two separate Councils. 3. Roles and Responsibilities of the Council:

The Council will act in an advisory capacity only and must conform to any rules and regulations that may be imposed by the Board. The role of the Council includes but is not limited to:

3.1. Advise on the development of local strategies, in partnership with Hospital and Health Services, to improve the operation of the health care system for patients in the NQPHN footprint, facilitating effective provision of primary health care, to reduce avoidable hospital presentations and admissions and thereby reduce the overall health burden of the community.

3.2. Report and advise on opportunities to improve health services through strategic, cost-effective investment and innovation including pathways between hospital and general practice.

3.3. Advise on National or PHN-specific priorities, including enabling the improved and efficient management of the needs of populations experiencing chronic and complex conditions within the primary health care system.

3.4. Collaborate with Clinical Councils in neighboring PHNs to ensure that pathways follow patient flows including across PHN boundaries.

3.5. Identify and propose solutions to current system obstacles 3.6. Report to the Board on matters including clinical issues, potential efficiencies and gains in the delivery

of acute and primary health care services and potential matters of significance which might arise in the NQPHN footprint

3.7. Report to and advise the Board on any matters for which the Board seeks guidance 3.8. Annually review the primary funding schedules to ensure the NQPHN is appropriately identifying and

responding to the needs, challenges and priorities of its communities 3.9. Establish relationships with key stakeholders to ensure adequate and appropriate engagement for and

by the NQPHN, including but not limited to reciprocal rights of attendance at other fora (for example, HHS Clinical Councils)

3.10. Review and contribute to the evolution of the Health Needs Assessment (HNA) document, citing and sourcing additional data in areas of expertise as appropriate

3.11. Actively and positively promote the role and activities of the NQPHN 3.12. Provide leadership and guidance to the Board and NQPHN in Clinical Governance, working in close

tandem with the Nomination Committee to ensure appropriate Clinical Governance frameworks and systems are implemented and maintained.

NQPHN Clinical Council Charter

4. Membership

4.1 Each Council will have up to ten (10) members, all of whom shall be registered with AHPRA and actively

practicing (with the exception of the Allied Health professional appointee not having to be AHPRA registered),

consisting of:

One (1) General Practitioner (nominated by the Board)

One (1) Community Pharmacist (nominated by The Pharmacy Guild (Queensland Branch))

One (1) Community Dentist

One (1) Community Nurse

One (1) Aboriginal & Torres Strait Island representative (actively practicing)

One (1) Allied Health Professional

Two (2) Other members determined by the Nomination Committee

Chairs of local HHS Clinical Councils (or their nominated delegate) in accord with Clause 4.1.2 4.1.2 Other clinicians may be co-opted or invited to attend as required, however a maximum membership of ten shall not be exceeded at any one time. Members of the Council must reside or practice in the geographical area of the relevant Council to which they are appointed. 4.1.3 A member may nominate a proxy to attend the meeting in their stead as necessary. To nominate a proxy, the member is required to provide to the Company Secretary, in writing and not less than five (5) working days prior to a meeting of the Clinical Council, the following details of their nominee:

Full name of the nominee

Full delivery address for the nominee

Email address for the nominee

Telephone contact details for the nominee

Advice of whether the nominee has the right to cast a vote on behalf of the member at a Clinical Council meeting.

4.2 Nomination of a Chair and Deputy Chair

4.2.1 The Council Chair will be one of the GP Board Directors appointed by the Board and the Deputy Chair will be the Pharmacist appointed by the Pharmacy Guild. 4.2.2 The tenure of the Chair will be congruent with the term of their appointment as a Director. The tenure of the Deputy Chair will be one year with eligibility for re-election. 4.3 Nomination of Members

4.3.1 The NQPHN Company Secretary will call for Council member nominations through a public process. Members will be appointed in accordance with the membership list cited at Section 3 of this policy. 4.3.2 The Nomination committee will appoint Council members based on the selection criteria set by the Board. 4.3.3 Members are selected for their expertise regardless of any affiliation with specific stakeholder groups or services. As such, Members are appointed as individuals to fulfill their role on the Council and it is expected they will act in the public interest. 4.3.4 Members of the Council will be appointed for a period of up to two years. The specific period of appointment may vary for each member to allow a gradual renewal of the membership over time. 4.3.5 Members will receive locum expenses for their attendance at meetings as determined by the Board from time to time, in addition to the reimbursement of expenses.

5. Quorum

5.1 A quorum will consist of 50% of the Council membership plus one member. In the event that half is not an equal number, then the next higher whole number will be the quorum. 6. Voting

6.1 Members should normally aim to arrive at decisions by a consensus. Where consensus cannot be reached, a simple majority of the present voting members is required. Abstentions are not considered when determining the majority.

7. Meeting Schedule

7.1 The Council will meet up to 4 times each year of which 1 meeting will be face to face. Video conferencing and tele-conferencing facilities will be available for meetings. The Chair of the Council and/or the NQPHN CEO (via the Chair) has the right to convene extraordinary meetings when considered necessary, to remain flexible to clinical and service priorities and requirements. 7.2 A Council may convene additional meetings between quarterly meetings, to be undertaken by video or teleconference. 7.3 An annual Forum will be held in conjunction with the NQPHN and education and CPD provider. 8. Communication Mechanisms

8.1 Agendas will be distributed seven calendar days prior to each meeting. A record of the proceedings of all meetings will be documented and distributed within one week of each meeting. 8.2 Members will be invited to contribute agenda items, for consideration by the Chair of the Council to be included at any meeting. 8.3 The Council Chair is responsible for ensuring that the minutes of meetings, produced by the Secretary accurately record the decisions and discussions at each meeting. Once agreed by the Chair, the minutes and a formal Council report will be provided to the NQPHN Chair for review and included on the next Board agenda. 9. Expected Member Conduct

9.1 All Members of Clinical Council are required to read and execute the NQPHN Code of Conduct and these Terms of Reference, prior to attendance at their first meeting, or at the next possible opportunity.

9.2 Members of the NQPHN Clinical Council agree to:

a. Observe the highest standards of impartiality, integrity and objectivity in relation to the advice they

provide;

b. Be accountable for their activities and for the standard of advice they provide to the NQPHN;

c. Declare their relevant personal and non-personal interests at the time of their appointment and complete

the same disclosure each annum. Members will inform the Secretary before each meeting of any

change in their relevant interests. The minutes of each meeting will record declarations of interest and

how that conflict was managed.. If a conflict exists on a matter of business at a meeting, the conflicted

member must remove themself from the meeting whilst such matter of business is discussed and

considered, and is not entitled to vote on the matter;

d. Members should not have a business interest in any agenda item under discussion. If a member

(including the Chair or Deputy Chair) have an interest in a matter on the agenda, they will absent

themself from that part of the meeting. If the Chair and Deputy-Chair are both absent, the Chair is

responsible for nominating another Chair for that agenda item.

10. Confidentiality

10.1 From time to time, the Councils will have access to sensitive information which might not be in the public domain or otherwise readily available. Members will protect and manage the confidential nature of such information and will adhere to an expectation of non-disclosure and not forwarding or otherwise sharing confidential information. 10.2 In the event that a Member is unsure of the nature of information shared at a meeting, it is incumbent upon the Member to seek the advice of the Chair regarding the confidentiality or otherwise of the information. 11. Public comment/media engagement

11.1 Clinical Council Members (including the Chair) are not authorised to make any public comment which is, or may be perceived as, representing the NQPHN. Members should avoid making public comment which may be construed as an NQPHN position or opinion. 12. Council performance

12.1 Each Clinical Council will undertake a self-assessment process annually which includes: a. Comparing Council practice and operations with its Charter requirements b. Identifying improvements to Council practice; and c. Making recommendations for change to the Council Charter.

12.2 The function and effectiveness of the Council may be reviewed by the Board at any time.

Rev Date Comments Owner Checked By Approved By

1 June 2015 New Charter Company Secretary

Board Chair

Clinical Council Chair

Board

2 September 2015

Amended Roles and Responsibilities and Proxy clause

Company Secretary

COO

Board Chair

Board

3 March 2017 Comprehensive revision Company Secretary

Chair, Clinical Council

Nominations Committee

Board

Northern Queensland Primary Health Network

Get to know us

Our goals

• To place individuals at the centre of their own health and wellbeing.

• To work with communities to understand local needs, and design and implement solutions that improve local health and wellbeing.

• To ensure an integrated approach to health and wellbeing.

• To build local capacity to improve health and wellbeing outcomes.

Who we are

Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) is an independent, not-for-profit organisation funded by the Australian Government to commission services to meet the health needs and priorities of our region.

Primary health care is recognised as the most effective way to keep communities and individuals healthy and well.

Our purpose is to ensure people of northern Queensland access primary health care services that respond to their individual and community needs, and are relevant to their culture, informed by evidence, and delivered by an appropriately skilled, well-integrated workforce.

We aim to improve health outcomes for all by working with GPs, pharmacists, dentists, nurses, allied health professionals, and organisations specialising in chronic disease management, health promotion, aged care, mental health, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. We also work with secondary care providers, hospitals, and the wider community.

OUR VISION:

Northern

Queenslanders

live happier,

healthier,

longer lives.

Who we support

We have experienced portfolio teams dedicated to support healthcare sectors. They include:

• Indigenous health

• maternal and child health

• mental health

• practice support

• workforce development.

• after hours

• aged care

• chronic disease

• digital health

• HealthPathways

What we do

We identify health needs through extensive analysis across our region, working with health care professionals and other key stakeholders. We then commission services through private, not-for-profit, and government organisations to meet those needs and foster healthier communities.

Some of our initiatives include:

• supporting primary health professionals in delivering high quality, easily accessible services

• supporting consumers, especially at risk patients, to more easily access coordinated, integrated health care

• providing ongoing education and training for health professionals

• driving health service and system improvement through digital enablement

• collaborating with stakeholders to lead regional readiness for health reforms

• maintaining strong governance, robust processes, and a skilled workforce.

For more on what we do, view our Strategic Plan 2016–19 at is.gd/StratPlan

OUR KEY PRIORITIES

There are 31 Primary Health Networks (PHNs) across Australia. The Australian Government has agreed to six key priorities for all PHNs.

These key priorities are:

• mental health

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health

• population health

• health workforce

• digital health

• aged care.

NURSING

ALLIED HEALTH

PHARMACY

GENERALPRACTICE

COMMUNITYDENTISTRY

Indigenous people (11% of our population and 11% of total Australian Indigenous population) Source: Queensland Health83,000

Our region

Our region spans an area of 510,000km2 and is home to over 730,000 residents, of whom 11 per cent are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people. The majority of our population is located within the regional centres of Cairns, Townsville, and Mackay, but a significant amount of people live outside of the cities in rural and remote areas, including Cape York Peninsula and the Torres Strait Islands.

Our footprint includes four Hospital and Health Services, and covers 31 local government and Aboriginal Land Council areas.

4Hospital and Health Services

Local Government Areas (LGAs) of our population live in

‘outer regional Australia’

21 31 LGAs have people living in very remote areas

outof

of our population live in ‘remote’ or ‘very remote’ areas

NQPHN offices

Thursday Island

Cairns

Townsville

Mackay

Clinical Council North

Clinical Council South

From 2016 to 2036, our population is projected to increase 1,033,500

Our governance

We have a commitment to strong, effective governance. We are an independent not-for-profit Company, limited by guarantee. We are registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.

We are a membership-based organisation governed by a Constitution and a skills-based Board of Directors. A Nomination Committee and a Finance, Audit and Risk Management (FARM) Committee report to the Board.

Our Clinical Councils and Community Advisory Groups

We have two Clinical Councils: Clinical Council North (covering the Cairns, and Cape and Torres regions), and Clinical Council South (covering the Townsville and Mackay regions).

The membership is representative of healthcare providers in our region and they provide us with expert specialist knowledge. They also play a critical advisory role in supporting best possible decision making on health and primary/community-based healthcare, and provide input into our Health Needs Assessments and annual plans.

In a shared initiative with local Hospital and Health Services, we have also established Community Advisory Groups, which consist of a diverse range of community members. The aim of these groups is to provide a community perspective to decisions made by NQPHN. The groups help ensure that decisions are patient centered, cost effective, and relevant to our communities, while also promoting a ‘one health system’ view.

How we deliver funding

Commissioning is a process to enable the procurement and coordination of health services. It helps ensure resources are best directed to meet the health service needs of the communities in our region, particularly those at most risk of poor health outcomes.

To establish those needs, NQPHN consults with local service providers, consumers, and healthcare providers to analyse and then report on the health status and needs of our region to deliver an annual Health Needs Assessment (HNA). View our latest HNA at is.gd/NQPHN_HNA

NQPHN Commissioning Framework

myPHN CONFERENCE

Each year, NQPHN hosts the national myPHN Conference, which brings together a world-class array of speakers and expert health industry professionals to explore the ever changing landscape of health across Australia.

Visit www.myphn.com.au to find out more.

NQPHN’s robust commissioning framework underpins our organisation’s core capabilities and structure. It is based on sound commissioning practices and ensures we:

• conduct a whole of region needs assessment to determine the health needs of our area

• design effective, efficient services to meet prioritised health needs

• empower communities and partners to co-design services and solutions

• consider the most appropriate delivery method (e.g. purchase, partner, or coordinate).

Stay connected on funding opportunities by registering at www.tenderlink.com/nqphn

p: 1300 PRIMARY (7746279) e: hello@primaryhealth.com.au www.primaryhealth.com.au

Northern Queensland Primary Health Network respectfully acknowledges the Traditional and Historical Owners, past and present, within the lands in which we work.

CairnsLevel 3, 36 Shields StreetCairns, Qld 4870

TownsvilleJCU, Building 500, Level 31 James Cook DriveDouglas, Qld 4811

MackaySuite 3, Level 1, Post Office Square67–69 Sydney StreetMackay, Qld 4740

Torres and Cape80–82 Douglas StreetThursday Island, Qld 4875

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