Terms of reference – Performance, Planning and Compliance Committee (PPC)

1. Introduction

In line with the NHS England (NHSE) Oversight Framework requirements, the Trust is obligated to ensure the organisation is well led, having robust processes in place to support the delivery of quality, sustainable services and all core performance standards. 

The Oversight Framework outlines the requirement that an NHS Foundation Trust should be well governed; this includes how they oversee care for patients, deliver national standards and remain efficient, effective and economic.  It focuses on five themes, which are quality of care (safe, effective, caring, responsive); finance and use of resources; operational performance; strategic change and leadership and improvement capability (well led).

The Oversight Framework provides one framework for overseeing NHS Foundation Trusts and sets out how NHSI will identify potential support needs, under the five themes, as they emerge.  The Oversight Framework sets out an on-going cycle of monitoring and gathering of insights about performance and capability under the five themes.  The information collected and reviewed under this Framework will also include annual plans and reports, operational information and other exceptional or significant data.

The Performance, Planning and Compliance Committee will take responsibility to oversee the delivery of the Trust’s performance and recovery planning on a regular basis, with the aim to provide assurance to the Board of Directors that the governance processes are in place to deliver on-going compliance against the key core standards covering national, contractual and local healthcare standards. 

2. Constitution

The Board of Directors has resolved to establish the Performance, Planning and Compliance Committee in line with the Trust’s strategic aim ‘Putting Patients First’’, with the following objectives: –

• Ensure performance and recovery objectives are delivered via appropriate recording, reporting governance mechanisms, as outlined in the Trust’s Performance Improvement Framework
• Ensure all risks (clinical and non-clinical) relating to the delivery of the organisation’s performance objectives are taken into account, outlined within the Trust’s Board Assurance Framework- demonstrating the provision of a focused approach to the management of risk
• Ensure well founded governance processes are in place for the overall delivery of performance, supported by sub governance processes for each key performance objective;
• Identify where there are gaps in controls, ensuring action plans are in place and monitored, initiating corrective action where applicable
• Oversee and, where appropriate, challenge non-compliance
• Confirm assurance and Self Certification declarations for NHSE on behalf of the Board of Directors
• Oversee and monitor delivery against  the Annual Plan
• Oversee and monitor the delivery of Business Planning
• Ensure operational efficiencies are delivered in line with the requirement to provide viable, clinically sustainable services, fit for the future
• Ensure that all delivery requirements and remedial actions with regard to performance, planning and recovery objectives, give due cognisance to the regulatory requirements of financial performance and effective budget management.

This committee will bring to bear the objectives of other committees of the Board of Directors, preventing duplication where possible and ensuring the delivery of all regulatory and statutory requirements in the course of delivering key strategic objectives.   

3. Membership

Core

• Non-Executive Director (Chair)
• Non-Executive Director (Member)
• Chief Operating Officer
• Director of Planning and Performance  
• Chief People Officer  
• Associate Director of Corporate Affairs and Strategy
• Interim Deputy Director of Planning and Performance
• Cancer Strategy Lead
• Interim Head of Strategy, Planning and Performance
• Planning and Performance Manager
• Care Group Directors or nominated representative
• Care Group Managers or nominated representative

Ad-hoc

• Internal Audit Representative (as required) through the governance and accountability processes and other representatives as required. 
• Attendance of other nominated Trust representative if specific topic to be covered.

The attendance of the Associate Director of Corporate Affairs and Strategy will enable oversight of Board of Director governance processes.

The Chair of the Committee will be the nominated Non-Executive Director and in any absence, the Director of Planning and Performance will chair the meeting.

4. Secretary

The Personal Assistant to the Director of Planning and Performance.will provide secretarial support for the Committee

5. Quorum

The necessary quorum will be a minimum of one Non-Executive Chair (or delegated representative) and one Executive Director (or delegated representative). Thus, the Committee that is quorate shall be competent to exercise all business.

6. Meeting frequency

The Committee will meet prior to the Board of Director meetings, with assurance provided to the Board of Directors through verbal feedback, alongside the formal board reports, recorded within the minutes of the Board meeting.

The Chair, may at any time, convene additional meetings of the Committee to consider business that requires urgent attention.

7. Notice of meeting

A programme for all meetings will be agreed annually.  Papers for the meeting will be available a minimum of 3 working days prior to the meeting.

8. Duties of the Committee

The Committee will consider all elements of performance, planning and compliance in a structured report and shall include as a minimum:-

• Corporate Dashboard
• Compliance and Performance Report including recovery against plan
• Recovery plans for performance areas highlighted at risk
• Forecast trajectories for areas of performance that have under-achieved
• Operational Efficiencies
• Board Assurance Framework
• Detailed supplementary information for areas of non-compliance
• Business Plans
• Annual Planning Cycle
• NHS Improvement Access Standards including (Referral to Treatment, PTL, Cancer Standards PTL, A&E Standards,)

And in addition, on an ad hoc basis:

• Drill down into specialty level performance
• New or revised guidelines for performance standards
• Benchmarking reports to provide an overview of the Trust’s position against local/national peers
• Results of Audit reports associated with delivery of the key standards
• Planning compliance

In summary the Performance, Planning and Compliance Committee will ensure that controls and assurances are in place to manage the on-going delivery of key planning objectives and key performance standards, including any anticipated risks, on behalf of the Board of Directors.   

9. Reporting responsibilities (Governance)

The Committee will act as a sub-committee of the Board of Directors and will provide a report to the Board of Directors within the schedule of annual meetings.  The minutes of the Committee will be formally recorded and submitted to the Board of Directors. The Committee will request reports and positive assurance from all members on the overall arrangements for governance, risk management and internal control of performance standards and planning objectives. In addition, the Committee will review the work of other groups within the Trust whose work can provide relevant assurance to the Performance, Planning and Compliance Committee.

This governance arrangement is supported by a sub governance reporting structure consisting of a series of operational groups which exist across the Trust, who will provide reports, information and assurance to underpin the work of this Committee.

10. Review

The terms of reference of the Committee shall be reviewed when required, but at least annually and recommend any changes to the Board of Directors.