Terms of reference

The Oral Surgery Clinical Network exists to work in partnership for improved oral surgery outcomes for Kent and Medway service users. The Network will focus on improving the patient pathway and delivering sustainable change, and is well placed to bring service users, carers, commissioners, providers as well as other stakeholders together for the benefit of the local population.

The Kent and Medway Oral Surgery Clinical Network is a forum of multi-professional clinicians, managers, service users and commissioners from a range of care settings. It has been established in order to make strategic recommendations for the delivery of care. The network will lead a programme of work to deliver change within local oral surgery pathways; the chair will act as a conduit to the national agenda through the Dental Local Professional Network.

Role

• To provide clinical leadership in assessing the need for change in delivery of oral surgery services across Kent and Medway
• To provide clinical leadership and endorsement for strategic decisions on the design of these services
• To provide objective, evidence-based solutions to clinical quality and safety challenges, free from organisational bias
• To make recommendations to commissioners regarding service configuration and design where appropriate
• To work with stakeholders on the development of quality assurance, education and training in relation to oral surgery pathways

Governance

The Oral Surgery Clinical Network provides clinical and operational advice to the Local Dental Network. Clinical networks are non statutory bodies. Each network has a expert group, provided through the membership, which will act as a vehicle for transformational change and pathway improvement. Subsequent outcomes, work plans and results from these groups are reported through the Local Dental Network.

Key functions

Vision

• To provide the best possible oral surgery care in Kent and Medway. Implementation will be through establishment of effective models of care delivered through networks of care settings across the region.
• Services will be delivered by best value pathways which will be commissioned on a whole pathway basis though all levels of commissioning.

Providing Clinical Leadership

• Determine and direct clear clinical recommendations on the most appropriate configuration and design of these services in Kent and Medway through the Local Dental Network
• Serve as clinical champions of future service changes

Clinical Commissioning

• Work collaboratively with commissioners to produce commissioning plans that support clinical vision and strategies.
• Work with commissioners to help develop commissioning levers to support delivery of quality and safety in new and existing models of care

Membership

Chairs

The Chair will be nominated from its members for an initial period of 3 years who can be reappointed. The  Chair will become a member of the Local Dental Network.

Members

Membership is broad enough to reflect the range of views that would be encountered across the community of stakeholders on significant clinical strategic issues. Members are requested to send deputies as substitution for their attendance. The Chair may approach clinicians and other stakeholders directly to enable membership to reflect the skills, backgrounds and expertise required for its work. Patient representatives will also be included and supported to work with this group. The current members are listed in Appendix 1.

Appointment Duration

Membership to the group will run initially for one year when the group membership will be reviewed to ensure it reflects the requirements of the following year’s priorities.

Ad hoc attendees

Ad hoc attendees may be permitted to join pending prior approval from the Chair.

Declaration of interest

It is expected that all members declare interests and their applicability to the group prior to appointment and/or relevant discussion.

Meetings

Frequency

The group will meet initially four times a year. If an interim meeting is required to address an urgent or pending issue, the Chairs will call an additional meeting.

Quorum

A quorum for meetings will be six including the Chair.

Participation

Members are expected to attend at least 66 per cent of meetings during the year. Members with less frequent attendance may be asked to resign their position.

Agenda and minutes

Agenda items are required to be submitted by email to the Oral Surgery Clinical Network a minimum of two weeks prior to the next scheduled meeting.

The agenda and any supporting documents will be circulated by email with a target date of one week prior to the meeting. Papers may be tabled with approval of the Chair.

Review

The Network will review its purpose, function, performance and terms of reference annually.

Members of the Oral Surgery Managed Clinical Network

• Nic Goodger – Chair/Consultant Oral Maxillo-Facial Surgeon
• Alison Cross – Commissioning Manager
• Brett Duane – Consultant Dental Public Health
• Aisha Alshawaf – IMOS Performer Representative/ BAOS Rep
• Uj Patel – IMOS Provider Representative
• Ken Hymas – Dental Practice Advisor
• Chris Hudson – General Manager – Surgical Division
• Julian Unter (Deputy Mike Watts) – Local Dental Committee Representative
• Ken Sneddon – Consultant Oral Maxillo-Facial Surgeon
• T B C General Manager – Surgical Division (Queen Victoria)
• Amit Rai – IMOS Triage Representative
• Mark Johnstone – Dental Services Representative EKCHT
• Stephen Lambert Humble – Health Education KSS Representative
• T B C – Patient Representative
• Barry Hayes – Orthodontic Network Representative
• Andrew Elder – Restorative Network Representative
• Mary Henderson – Oral Health Promotion Advisory Group