terms of reference – Royal College Mental Health Expert Advisory Group Wales

Terms of Reference– Royal College Mental Health Expert Advisory Group for Wales

July 2021

Aims and Activities

To provide the Welsh Government and NHS Wales with independent, expert and evidence-based advice

To communicate shared priorities and views to NHS Wales and Welsh Government.
To provide NHS Wales and Welsh Government with timely and evidenced advice and guidance that represents the people that we all support across secondary care and in the community.
To ensure a much sharper focus and understanding on the current and necessary support for people under secondary care and in the community.

Influence policy, legislation and practice

Monitor, contribute to and support the development and implementation of national mental health policy and legislation which is relevant to people we represent.
To identify challenges and define priorities for the Welsh Government and NHS Wales in terms of service development.

Share intelligence, expertise and resources

Provide a forum made up of representatives from across the multi disciplinary team to discuss mental ill health and the support that’s available; exchange ideas and intelligence; and encourage good practice and innovation.
Help to monitor and review, and share intelligence as services respond to the challenges of the pandemic. It is crucial that Welsh Government takes advantage of this advice. This includes making sure a balance of representation on existing forums.

Representing Royal College Mental Health Expert Advisory Group for Wales

We have also developed this group with the vision that representatives from the group will be invited to external meetings.
Members should decide amongst themselves who is best placed to do so, taking into account experience, knowledge and the desirability of giving different organisations the chance to represent the group.
Wherever possible, the group should request the opportunity to bring a ‘shadow rep’, to allow those with less experience to develop their skills and confidence.
Members should always be clear about whether they are representing this group or their own organisation at any external meetings.
Expert group representatives are expected to circulate agendas and papers for meetings they are attending on behalf of the group to the rest of the membership a week before the meeting (or as soon as they are available).
All members should be encouraged to share their views and these should inform the representative’s contribution to the meeting.
Expert group representatives should circulate feedback from the meeting (if minutes are not available) within a week of the meeting taking place.
A list of all representatives on external groups will be kept as an annex to the Terms of Reference and reviewed annually.
Members reserve the right to request representation of all members at any meeting if it is felt that the membership does not have a collective view or if the discussion is of significant strategic importance to the membership.

Meetings

The group will look to meet every 3 weeks
Ollie John will chair the initial meetings and then this will be reviewed within 6 months of the first meeting.
Agendas will be circulated at least one week in advance of the meeting and all members will be invited to suggest items for discussion. The agenda should allow time for both reactive and proactive pieces of work to be undertaken.
Minutes and actions will be circulated within two weeks of the meeting.
The membership may establish sub-groups or task and finish groups to undertake specific pieces of work
Every 6 months members will review the strategic plan/ work programme.

Membership

The group was founded by a group of Royal Colleges in Wales but is open to members who represent patients in secondary services.

Current Priorities (July 2021)