The Roles and Responsibilities of a member of the Compass Carers’ Steering Group.

Background to the Compass Carers’ Service

The National Carers’ Strategy states that by 2018 every carer should be:

·  Recognised and Supported as an expert care partner

·  Enjoying a life outside caring

·  Not financially disadvantaged

·  Mentally and physically well; treated with dignity,

and that

·  Children will be thriving, protected from inappropriate caring roles

Somerset County Council and the Somerset Health Commissioners have commissioned Compass Disability Services to deliver the four priority areas identified from this strategy in Somerset, based around the nine GP Federation areas. The overall aim of the service is to ensure that as many carers as possible are identified and supported to access good quality information, advice and low level services. The service will help carers build capacity in their caring role and also seek, with them, ways to improve their own health and well-being.

Roles

As a user-led organisation Compass Disability Services value service users as the experts on their own lives and recognise the breadth of knowledge and experience they carry. We also have a commitment to ensuring that in all service delivery planning, the organisation’s plans, aims and proposed outcomes will be based on the needs of users and other stakeholders.

In order to ensure that the delivery of the Compass Carers’ Service complies with this ethos, the service will be overseen by a user-led carers’ steering group. This will be made up of a Carers’ representative from each of the nine GP Federation areas. We would also seek to have two further Carers’ representatives, one from the Carers’ Partnership Board and a person with experience of working on another similar board, who could bring the county-wide perspective to discussions.

The Carers’ Steering Group will have the autonomy to guide the implementation, delivery and development of the Compass Carers’ Service.

The steering group will in the first year of the service meet monthly. These meetings will be attended by the Compass Carers’ Service Project Manager, various senior team members and the Chief Executive Officer. The steering group would elect two carers to sit as Trustees on Compass Disability Services Board of Trustees.

In order for the Trustees to maintain a comprehensive overview of the work the organisation and projects are undertaking, the steering group will report to the Trustees on a bi-monthly basis at Board Meetings.

Responsibilities

1.  To be fully conversant with the Compass Carers’ Service specification in order to ensure that the service is delivered in accordance with those specifications.

2.  To work with the Compass Carers’ Service Project Manager, the Chief Executive Officer and the organisation’s senior team members to develop a work plan and monitor progress against agreed objectives and outcomes.

3.  To play an active and constructive role during meetings to support delivery of a professional service that meets the needs of carers.

4.  To develop positive working relationships with members of the Compass Disability Services team in order to ensure the success of the service.

5.  To ensure that the project is delivered in order to meet the Equalities Act and be appropriate to peoples’ diverse needs, including their disability, race, culture, religion, sexuality, age and gender.

6.  To review the monthly analysis of the budget, as provided by the Service Project Manager, to ensure that resources are deployed in accordance with the financial management policies and procedures.

7.  To report to the Trustees on a bi-monthly basis at Board Meetings in order to ensure that they maintain a comprehensive overview of the work of the organisation and its projects.

Person specification

One to one experience of caring on an unpaid basis within the last 5 years, and have the ability to:-

·  Demonstrate an understanding of a commitment to carers’ needs and equality of opportunity for all people within the community.

·  Work in consultation with others to develop plans, policy and working practice.

·  Speak, act and make decisions on behalf of a larger number of people.

·  Review the deployment of resources to ensure efficiency.

Date updated: 30/01/2014 / By whom: Paula Ingrey / Version number: 2
Location: Z:\Compass Files\Volunteering\Compass Carers\Steering Group\Steering Group member Roles and Responsibilities.docx