Northern Clinical Networks & Senate
Terms of Reference
NORTHERN TRAUMA SYSTEM CLINICAL
ADVISORY GROUP
Purpose of the Northern Trauma System (NTS) Clinical Advisory Group (CAG)
To improve the quality of care and equity of service provision for people experiencing
trauma across the North East and Cumbria.
Main aims and objectives of the group
These are to:
This committee will be a regionally representative trauma network to drive the
development of an integrated service to deliver quality trauma care in the region.
1. The CAG is an integral part of the governance arrangements for the Northern Trauma
System. The CAG will ensure clinical leadership and expertise underpins the ongoing
development of the System.
2. The CAG will inform the development of the Trauma Networks and support the
commissioning of high quality, evidence based, clinically effective services.
3. CAG members will be expected to act as ambassadors of the Trauma System
communicating the rationale for change to relevant audiences and providing leadership on
implementation across the Networks. CAG members will be required to make
recommendations which are based on a balanced view of the full picture and not only
reflective of their professional group or employing organisation’s individual context.
4. The CAG will develop a broad programme of work that responds to the key national
recommendations
5. The CAG will oversee the development of safe and efficient patient pathways to allow
optimum outcomes in major trauma;
6. The CAG will provide clinical expertise and leadership for specific Trauma System
projects.
7. Engage with other professional networks to inform and support the Trauma System in
terms of reviewing patient pathways, and resolving bottlenecks in the pathway, to achieve
continuous service improvement
8. Work across the whole pathway: prevention; immediate treatment; secondary
treatment; and rehabilitation
9. Promote equity across the NTS
10. Support validation of Major Trauma Centres and Trauma Units through a selfassessment and peer review process
11. Work closely with partner organisations on issues relating to the trauma workforce,
training and education
12. Compare and openly discuss performance against agreed standards to monitor and
evaluate service provision.
NTS Clinical Advisory Group
April 2014
1
13. Support service reviews of existing services, in particular where indicators show that
performance on outcomes is below average
14. Identify research and educational needs and opportunities
Membership
 Chair – Dr Jackie Gregson
 Deputy Chair – Dr Dave Bramley
 Deputy Chair – Northern Trauma System Network Manager
 Representative from each Trust in the region
 Key tertiary specialities as required
 Stakeholder Ambulance Services
 Great North Air Ambulance
 Lay member
Other individuals to be co-opted onto the group when necessary:



CCG Commissioning Lead
Specialist Commissioning Manager
Clinical Networks Information Analyst
Role of members:
 Members of the Group should be accountable and responsible for implementing
changes and service development within their own organisations/areas and teams.
It is therefore expected that members of the Group should be of sufficiently senior
level to be accountable and responsible for ensuring any actions that need to be
implemented by them and/or their teams are carried out.
 Members must ensure that representation and communication is maintained
between the NTS Clinical Advisory Group and local operational teams.
 It is the responsibility of all members of the NTS Clinical Advisory Group to
communicate discussions and outcomes agreed at the meetings to and from any
relevant groups, teams, front line and other staff in their own organisations.
 It is expected that members attend at least 75% of meetings
 Tenure for chair of this group will be 3 years
 The group will elect a Chair who would be responsible, with the NTS manager for
co-ordination of the group’s work.
 Most of the work will be done outside of these meetings by small work streams who
will report back to NETSCAG.
 Members will be expected to play an active and visible part of meetings, including
the various anticipated work streams.
 A nominated deputy is encouraged.
 The group will agree an overarching programme of work reflecting the
recommendations of the previously mentioned national reports. This will be divided
into manageable sections year by year, i.e year 1, year 2 etc.
Frequency of meetings:
 Meetings will take place on a quarterly basis.
 Action points will be taken at each meeting and will be shared prior to the following
meeting.
 The action points will be agreed and matters arising discussed at each subsequent
meeting.
 The meeting will be quorate with attendance from more than half of its constituent
organisations.
NTS Clinical Advisory Group
April 2014
2
Reporting/communication arrangements
The NTS Clinical Advisory Group will report to the NTS Executive Group who in turn report
to the Northern Clinical Networks and Senate Oversight Group
The NTS Executive Group will link closely with other Network groups including:
 NTS Clinical Advisory Group
 NTS Trauma Rehab Group
 Other groups as necessary depending on work programme
General:
 Task and finish groups will be established if required
 Meetings will be conducted in an informal manner encouraging discussion and
debate
 Members will respect other colleague’s views and opinions at all times
NTS Clinical Advisory Group
April 2014
3