HEART FAILURE AUDIT ANALYSIS AND
OUTCOMES (HALO)
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Version 2
10th August 2015
HEART FAILURE AUDIT ANALYSIS AND OUTCOMES
TERMS OF REFERENCE
1. TITLE
Heart failure Audit anaLysis and Outcomes (HALO)
2. INTRODUCTION
HALO is established to lead on all research activity relating to the National Heart Failure
Audit. These terms of reference set out the membership, structure of partnerships,
decision-making and accountability, work plan and performance management,
confidentiality and the arrangements for the conduct of business of the working group.
3. PURPOSE
Its purpose is to promote the use of National Heart Failure Audit data in high quality
research projects that have the ultimate aim of improving patient care. HALO is responsible
for appraising research applications to use National Heart Failure Audit data and
overseeing and collaborating on projects using audit data. HALO will also develop a
research agenda for the audit, including submitting grant applications, commissioning or
carrying out analysis, and preparing papers for publication.
HALO is represented on the NICOR Research Executive and the National Heart Failure
Audit Executive Group by the Chair.
MEMBERSHIP
3.1. The Chair
The Chair of HALO is appointed by the National Heart Failure Audit Executive Group. Their
responsibilities include:
 Inviting specialists and applicants to attend meetings when required by the group;
 Guiding the meeting according to the agenda and time available;
 Ensuring all discussion items end with a decision, action or definite outcome;
 Reviewing and approving the draft minutes before distribution; and
 Reporting on National Heart Failure Audit research activity to the NICOR Research
Executive.
3.2. The Project Manager
The National Heart Failure Audit Project Manager will be responsible for supporting the
Chair in the management of HALO business. Their responsibilities include:
 Scheduling meetings and notifying members;
 Preparing agendas and issuing notices for meetings, and ensuring all
necessary documents requiring discussion or comment are attached to the
agenda;
 Distributing the agenda and associated papers seven working days prior to any
meeting;
 Taking notes of proceedings and prepare minutes of the meeting;
 Brief minutes and action points arising from the meetings to be written and circulated
within 14 working days of the meeting;
 The minutes shall be checked by the Chair and accepted by HALO members as a true
and accurate record at the commencement of the next meeting.
3.3. Qualification of membership
HALO members shall be appointed by the Chair. HALO must have representation from
NICOR and the National Heart Failure Audit Clinical Lead. Eligibility for appointment and
reappointment will be considered when members reach the end of their term (three years
unless otherwise specified), when non-NICOR representatives terminate their membership,
or when members cease to represent their respective stakeholder group.
Member
Position
Stakeholder role
End of
membership
Henry Dargie
Honorary Professor of Cardiology (U.
of Glasgow) and chair of HALO
HALO
January 2019
Theresa McDonagh
Consultant Cardiologist (KCH) and
Professor of Heart Failure (KCL) and
National Heart Failure Audit Clinical
Lead
National Heart Failure Audit
January 2019
John Cleland
Professor of Cardiology (Imperial
College, London)
Consultant cardiologist
January 2017
Adam Timmis
MAG chair and Professor of Clinical
Cardiology at London Chest Hospital
MAG/MINAP
End of
membership
on MAG
Chris Gale
NIHR Clinician Scientist Award
Associate Professor of Cardiovascular
Health Research (University of Leeds),
Honorary Reader (UCL) and Honorary
Consultant Cardiologist (York
Teaching Hospital); NICOR Research
Executive and NICOR Research
Working Group Co-Chair
NICOR research fellow
January 2017
Ian Ford
Professor of biostatistics and Director
of the Robertson Centre for
Biostatistics (U. of Glasgow)
External statistician
January 2017
Akosua Donkor
National Heart Failure Audit Project
Manager
National Heart Failure Audit
(non-voting member)
Duration of
employment
3.4. Quorum membership
A quorum is necessary for the transaction of business. A minimum of three
members must be present before the meeting can proceed. The following of members must
be present before a meeting can proceed:

The Chair

The National Heart Failure Audit Clinical Lead

One other member
3.5. Invitees
Internal or external persons may be invited to attend meetings at the request of the Chair
on behalf of HALO to provide advice and assistance where necessary. It may not be
necessary for an invitee to attend the whole meeting and may be requested to leave the
meeting at any time by the Chair.
3.6. End of membership
HALO members will cease to be a member of the group if they:
 Resign from the group
 Fail to attend three consecutive meetings without providing apologies to the Chair or a
representative to attend the meeting
 Resign from their employment at NICOR
 Breach confidentiality
4. STRUCTURE OF PARTNERSHIPS
HALO reports to the NICOR Research Executive and the National Heart Failure Audit
Executive Group. The decisions of the audit Executive Group should take into account the
views of HALO.
5. DECISION-MAKING AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Decisions will be made by a minimum quorum membership or via email, if a decision is
needed within a short time frame.
6. WORKPLAN AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
Overall, HALO is responsible for all research activity within and relating to the National
Heart Failure Audit.
Specifically, this includes:

To have input into the annual report analysis plan;

Appraising internal and external applications to use audit data;

Overseeing and collaborating on projects using audit data;

Nominating members to sit on steering groups or advise on analysis
for projects using audit data, where applicable;

Developing an internal research agenda for the audit; and

Preparing papers for publication using audit data.
7. CONFIDENTIALITY
The business of HALO is not confidential, although the Chair reserves the right to censor
sensitive information from published minutes in exceptional circumstances.
8. ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
In addition to the ways of working highlighted within the roles of the Chair and project
manager, the following apply:
8.1. Frequency of meetings
The meeting will occur quarterly. Where possible they should occur shortly after the
quarterly Executive Group meetings.
8.2. Duration of meetings
The meetings will be scheduled for 120 minutes.
8.3. Location of meetings
All meetings will be held at UCL. Room availability permitting, all will be held at NICOR, 170
Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7HA. Travel expenses can be reimbursed. In line
with UCL procedure, all claims for reimbursement of expenses, incurred by an individual in
the course of UCL related business, must be supported by official receipts or some other
valid form of supporting documentation, providing details of the purpose of expenditure,
which will be signed by the claimant and an authorised NICOR staff member. All expense
claims must be presented for reimbursement within three months of the expenditure being
incurred and will be reimbursed via cheque or BACS to the nominated bank account. All
claims should adhere to the UCL Travel policy:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/finance/expensespol/travel_intro.html
9. REVIEW OF THE TERMS OF REFERENCE
The terms of reference and membership shall be reviewed annually from the date of
approval to ensure the group continues to be fit for purpose. They may be altered to meet
the current needs of all HALO members, by agreement by the Chair and the majority of
members.
10. TERMS OF REFERENCE – AGREEMENT
The terms of reference of HALO have been:
Reviewed: 22/01/2014
Agreed:
Date for review:
[NB: updated 10/08/2015 to account for changes to NICOR staffing]