Download North of England Cancer Network

Network Cross Cutting Groups (NCCG)
Terms of Reference - December 2008
1.
Role and Purpose of Cross Cutting Group
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The Network Cross Cutting Group is the Board's primary source of clinical
opinion on issues relating to their particular area of involvement in cancer
diagnosis, treatment and care.
The group with corporate responsibility, delegated by the Board, for coordination and consistency across the Network for cancer policy, practice
guidelines, audit, research and service improvement.
Consulting with the other Network Site Specific Groups and other cross
cutting groups on relevant issues.
Having ultimate accountability for clinical and corporate governance to the
statutory bodies in the Network.
Membership
Network cross cutting groups should be multidisciplinary with representation from
relevant professionals; involve users in their planning and review and have the active
engagement of all MDT leads from the relevant constituent organisations in the
Network.
The membership of the group will include at minimum, representation from each
acute hospital Trust providing cancer care within the Network.
Additional
representation may include the following:
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Patient/Carer Representative
Member of NECN team
The Network cross cutting group must have a named chairman (standard 10.1/20).
The tenure for the chairperson should be agreed by the Network cross cutting group.
(This may be an agreement that is Network wide).
3.
Service Development
NCCGs should ensure that service planning:
 Is in line with national guidance/standards (including reconfiguration where
necessary).
 Promotes high quality care and reduces inequalities in service delivery.
 Takes account of the views of patients and carers.
 Takes account of opportunities for service and workforce redesign.
 Recommends priorities for service development to the Network Board.
 Advises the Network Board on the three year service delivery plan and annual
business planning requirements, ensuring these are linked to manual of
standards guidance, the NHS plan, Improving Outcomes Guidance and
financial limits.
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Generates appropriate clinical guidelines (standards 10.1/21 and 10.1/22) and
review these annually.
Generates appropriate referral guidelines (standards 10.1/21 and 10.1/22)
and review these annually.
Advises on screening issues where appropriate e.g. breast, cervical and
colorectal screening.
Leads clinical discussions with primary care organisation leads.
Ensures decisions become integrated into constituent organisational
structures and processes.
Ensures representation on the NECN Clinical Advisory Group.
Workforce Development:
 Consider and advise the overall workforce requirements for the NCCG.
 Consider the requirements for the education and training of both teams and
individuals.
 Liaise with cancer unit, the cancer centre, Network Board and workforce
directorate at SHA to ensure that appropriate workforce numbers and
continuing professional development are available.
4.
Service Improvement
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Ensure commitment is given to service improvement. There is a designated
lead for service improvement for the group.
Ensure that CSCIP tools and techniques such as, demand analyses are
incorporated into all service improvements, where appropriate, so they
become the norm.
Monitor performance data related to cross cutting group.
Identify and publicise areas of best practice.
Promote evidence based practice and ensure it underpins all service
improvements.
Support the development of high quality, evidence based patient information
with constituent MDTs, for use across the Network.
Service Monitoring and Evaluation
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Agree priorities for common data collection (in line with national priorities e.g.
for NCASP). Also agree items over and above the MDS to be collected.
Review the quality and completeness of data, recommending corrective action
where necessary.
Agree at least one Network wide audit project for the cancer site with the
MDTs and the Network, and recommend these to the Network Board group
(standard 10.1/23). These audits should be reviewed and discussed,
actions/outcomes agreed and implemented.
Monitor progress on meeting national cancer measures and ensure action
plans agreed following peer review are implemented.
Report identified risks/untoward incidents to ensure learning is spread.
Need to identify a designated audit lead for the group.
Research and Development
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Identify and discuss emerging research and its implications for clinical
practice. Ensure that it is incorporated into practice where appropriate.
Influence the development of an evidence base for practice in the specialty.
This may be achieved through identified leads from NSSG to link with
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Research Networks by identifying potential research that could be supported
by NCRN.
7.
Annual Work Plan and Report
The Chair is to draw the above together in an annual work plan in the context of a
prioritised work plan, for approval by the Network Board; and ensure this is fed into
commissioning process supporting the developments of service specification where
necessary.
8.
Frequency of Meetings
The NCCG shall meet at least 3 times a year.
9.
Publication of Notes
Minutes of NCCGs will be posted onto NECN website.
10.
Reporting Arrangements
The NCCG Chair shall report to the Network Clinical Advisory Group and/or
the Medical Director.
11.
Responsibilities of the Chairperson
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The chair of the Cross Cutting Group is required to provide clinical leadership
for practitioners within their speciality.
The chair should participate in the meetings of Clinical Advisory Group and
will work closely with the Network Medical Director and Lead Clinician.
The chair shall be responsible for ensuring the Cross Cutting Group adheres
to the terms of reference and agrees an annual work programme with the
Network Medical Director.
The chair will ensure that the Cross Cutting Group meetings are arranged,
recorded and actioned.
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