Board meetings, Committees and Governance
NHS Surrey Heartlands is committed to creating governance structures that allow decisions to be made at the most local levels, as close as possible to the communities we serve, while still holding overall accountability.
NHS Surrey Heartlands is holistic in its make-up, with its membership consisting of an independent Chair, Chief Executive, independent Non-Executive Members, a mental health member, as well as NHS Trust/Foundation Trust, Primary Medical Services and Local Authority partners and other Executive members, all committed to supporting the development of the Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership.
You can read more about our Board members.
You can read more about our governance and decision-making in the links below.
Statutory committees
The ICB is required by law to establish the following statutory committees:
The Audit Committee
This committee is accountable to the Board and provides an independent and objective view of the ICB’s compliance with its statutory responsibilities. The committee is responsible for arranging appropriate internal and external audit and is chaired by an independent non-executive member who has the qualifications, expertise, or experience to enable them to express credible opinions on finance and audit matters.
The Remuneration Committee
This committee is accountable to the Board for matters relating to remuneration, fees, and other allowances (including pension schemes) for employees and other individuals who provide services to the ICB. The committee is be chaired by an independent non- executive with requisite skills and experience to manage its business.
Non-statutory committees
Whilst not required by law, the ICB has also established a number of other committees to assist it with the discharge of its functions. These committees are set out in the SoRD and further information about these committees including terms of reference, are published in the Governance Handbook.
ICS Executive Committee
The Executive makes recommendations to the Board on strategy and planning whilst also taking responsibility for day-to-day decisions on performance management and risk management to provide robust assurance to the Board. It also contributes to supporting collaborative working and decision making that improves health and social care outcomes across the System; developing effective partnerships between health, local authority and wider partnership organisations in Surrey whilst ensuring consistency in implementation of relevant policies in an evidence-based, cost effective and safe manner, supporting wider System commissioning intentions.
Quality and Performance Assurance Committee
Established to provide the Board with assurance that it is delivering its functions in a way that secures continuous improvement in the quality of services, against each of the dimensions of quality set out in the Shared Commitment to Quality and enshrined in the Health and Care Bill 2021. This includes reducing inequalities in the quality of care.
Strategic Finance and Assurance Committee
The purpose of the committee is to provide system-wide financial assurance and accountability for the delivery of transformational change and for the general financial management of health and care across Surrey Heartlands.
Health and Care Professional Committee
This committee allows senior clinical and multi-professional leaders to meet with a view to setting outcomes to reduce unwarranted variation, scrutinize clinical strategies and other respective items to help guarantee patient safety and help develop multi-disciplinary professional as leaders.
People Committee
This committee provides system wide strategic leadership and assurance; setting the ICS People Strategy aligned the NHS People Plan and national guidance whilst also agreeing on system priorities and approach to deliver transformational people programmes.
Pharmacy, Optometry and Dentistry Committee
The Pharmacy, Optometry and Dentistry Committee is also a committee of the ICB. The ICB has delegated responsibility of this Committee to the Executive.
Place-based partnerships committee structure
Within Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership, Place-Based Partnerships lead the detailed design and delivery of integrated services across their localities and neighbourhoods. These partnerships involve the NHS, local councils, community and voluntary organisations, local residents, people who use services, their carers and representatives and other community partners with a role in supporting the health and wellbeing of the population. These partnerships are not legal entities and with that they report into NHS Surrey Heartlands as the accountable body. They are entitled Boards but also committees of the NHS Surrey Heartlands Board. The four Place-Based Partnerships for Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership are represented by the:
- North West Surrey Alliance Board
- Guildford and Waverley Health and Care Alliance Board
- East Surrey Health and Care Partnership Board
- Surrey Downs Health and Care Partnership Board