CONSTITUTION

CHESHIRE LOCAL OPTICAL COMMITTEE

1 November 2016

DEFINITIONS

1.In this Constitution unless thecontext otherwiserequires:

1.1“theCommittee”meanstheLocalOpticalCommittee (LOC)recognisedbyNHS EnglandundertheNationalHealthService Act 2006section125(1).

1.2“localcontractor”meanseachperson(includingabody corporate)who,undera GeneralOphthalmic Servicescontractenteredintoby him,is providingPrimary OphthalmicServicesinthearea forwhichthecommitteeisformed, as describedin theNationalHealthServiceAct2006section125(2);ortheir nominated representative.

1.3“local performer”meanseachoptometristwho:

1.3.1is performing primary ophthalmic services in the area for which the committeeisformedand

1.3.2hasnotified NHS Englandthathewishestoberepresentedbythe committee, andhas not notifiedit thathewishestoceasetobeso represented

as describedin section125(3)oftheNationalHealthServiceAct 2006.

1.4“NHS England” means the NHS Commissioning Board established under section 9 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

1.5“LOC Central Support Unit” (LOCSU) means the national support organisation for LOCs.

1.6“Clinical Commissioning Group” (CCG) means NHS organisation established by theHealth and Social Care Act 2012to organise the delivery ofNHSservices in England.

TITLE

2.The Committee is to be known as the CheshireLocal Optical Committee.

FUNCTIONS

3.ThefunctionsoftheCommitteearethoseprescribedintheNationalHealthService Act 2006. The Committee may undertake such activitiesas are necessary to supporttheprescribed functionsandtorespondtorequests from NHS England, CCGs and other relevant commissioning bodies.

MEMBERSHIP

4.1TheCommitteeshall consist ofatleastsix elected members.Where practical halfthe elected membersshall belocalcontractors(ortheir appointedrepresentative)electedby local contractors;andhalfshallbelocal performers electedbylocalperformers.

4.2Allthelocalcontractorsshallbeentitledtovoteintheelectionofthemembersof theCommitteewhoshallbelocalcontractors.Allthelocal performers who have elected to be represented by the LOC under Clause 1.3.2 shallbe entitledtovoteinthe election ofthe members ofthe Committeewhoshall belocal performers.

4.3ThetermofofficeofthemembersoftheCommitteeisthreeyears.Ontheexpiryof his term ofoffice,amemberiseligible for re-election.

4.4AChairman,TreasurerandSecretary(where a lay secretary has not been appointed) shall be elected by the committee at the first meeting following theAnnualGeneral Meeting.[1].They shallserve foroneyear and be eligible forre-election. A Vice-Chairmanmay alsobeelected onthesame terms.

4.5 TheCommitteemayco-optuptothreememberswhomay ormay notbelocal contractors or localperformers[2]. This should include at least one dispensing optician practicing locally who is not eligible to stand for election as a contractor or contractor’s representative.

DISQUALIFICATIONOR RESIGNATION OF MEMBERS

5.1AnelectedmemberoftheCommittee,whoceasestobealocalcontractor,local performer or an appointed representative of a local contractor,shall vacatehis placeontheCommitteewithimmediateeffect.Insuch circumstances acasual vacancyshallbedeclared.

5.2IfamemberoftheCommitteehasbeenabsentfromthreeconsecutivemeetingsof theCommittee, theCommitteeshalldeclare that hisseat ontheCommittee has beenvacated, unless theCommitteeissatisfiedthat his absencewas duetoillness orother reasonablecause.

5.3Amember oftheCommitteemayat any timeresign his placeon theCommitteeor post as anofficer in writing totheSecretary or lay secretary.

METHOD OF FILLINGCASUALVACANCIES

6.If, byreason of the resignation, death or disqualification of a member of the Committee,acasualvacancy isdeclared,theCommittee mayelectapersontofill thevacancy. Wheretheoutgoingmemberisanelectedmember,theperson electedtofillthevacancy mustbealocalcontractororlocalperformer,as thecase may be.Themembersoelectedshall hold office fortheremainderofthetermof office ofthemember oftheCommitteewhohas beenreplaced.

VALIDITYOF PROCEEDINGS

7.TheproceedingsoftheCommitteeshallnotbeinvalidatedbyavacancyinits membership orbyanydefectintheappointment ofanymemberoftheCommittee.

PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITTEE

8.1TheCommitteeshallmeetatleastthreetimesayear,atsuchtimeandplaceasis generallyagreed.

8.2Theofficersshallgiveatleast21days’noticeofeachmeetingoftheCommittee to all local contractors and performers.In cases of urgency,thisperiod ofnoticemaybereducedto5days.

8.3OnethirdofthenumberofthemembersoftheCommittee,shall formaquorumofthe Committee.Where onethirdisnota wholenumber, the quorum shall be thenextwholenumberaboveonethird. Where one third is only two members, the quorum shall be three members.

OBSERVERS

9.1Subject to rule 9.4, any local contractor or local performer may observe the meetings oftheCommittee.

9.2TheCommitteemayalsoinviteotherpersonstoattenditsmeetings(inpartorin whole)asobservers.Suchobserversmay include the Chair of the Local Eye Health Network, clinical advisors and other representatives of NHS England and CCGs and other stakeholders as appropriate.

9.3Observersshallnormallybegivenmeetingpapersandinvitedtoparticipateinthe discussions;butthey shall not beentitledtovote.

9.4TheCommitteemay,atitsdiscretion,gointoprivatesessionandaskobserversto leave.

METHODS OFCOMMUNICATION

10.1CommunicationswithintheCommitteeandbetweentheCommitteeandthelocal contractorsandlocal performers should be in writing by email fax or post,as appropriate. It is the duty of local contractors and performers to inform the secretary of their contact details.

10.2The LOC should have a website that contractors and performers can refer to for information.

FINANCE

11.1AmajorityoftheelectedmembersoftheCommitteeshall,inrespectofeachyear, determine the administrative expenses tobeincurredintheperformanceofits functionsandrequestNHS EnglandtoallotsuchsumsasNHS England may determine fordefrayingsuchexpensesbymeansofdeductions fromtheremunerationoflocal contractors,pursuanttosections125(9)to(11)oftheNationalHealthServiceAct 2006.

11.2The administrative expenses in 11.1 may include membership of LOCSU.

11.3 TheCommitteeis alsoempoweredtoraisefundsbyvoluntarylevyforsuch otherpurposes astheCommitteemayapprove.

11.4TheCommitteeshallarrangeforitsannualaccountsofincomeandexpenditureto beindependently inspectedby suitable person orpersons andreportedtotheAnnual General Meeting andtoNHS England.

RECORDS

12.WrittenminutesshallbekeptofeachmeetingoftheCommitteeandbemade availablefor inspectionto alllocal contractorsandlocal performers.

GENERALMEETINGS

13.1TheCommitteeshallarrange an AnnualGeneralMeetingofalllocalcontractors andlocalperformerswithinthreemonthsofthe endoftheCommittee’s financial year.

13.2AnExtraordinaryGeneralMeetingmaybeheldatanytime,ifcalledeitherbythe Committee or byatleasttwentylocal contractors and/or localperformers.

13.3TheSecretaryoftheCommitteeshallgivenoticeoftheAnnualGeneralMeetingor anExtraordinary GeneralMeetingatleast21daysinadvancetoallthelocal contractors andlocal performers,inwriting or electronically.Inthecaseofan ExtraordinaryGeneralMeeting,theSecretaryoftheCommitteeshallnotifythe date,time,placeand purposeofthemeeting toall thelocalcontractors andlocal performers,inwritingor electronically.

13.4ThebusinessoftheAnnual General Meetingshall include:

  • thereportoftheCommittee’s activitiesofthepastyear;
  • thepresentation oftheinspectedaccountsofthepastyear;
  • theappointment ofaccounts inspectorsfor thefollowingyear;
  • the election of one third of Committee members[3].

ELECTIONOF THE COMMITTEE

14.1FortheelectionoftheCommittee,theCommitteeshallappointaReturningOfficer tosupervisetheelection.Intheeventofthepersonappointedas ReturningOfficer being unabletoact, hemustappointaperson,otherthananelector,toactas deputyinhisorherplace.TheReturningOfficershallnotbeacandidatefor electiontothe Committee.

14.2The Committee may reimburse to the Returning Officer allexpenses properly incurred byhimintheconductofthe election.

14.3Alllocalcontractorsandlocalperformersshallbeentitledtobepresentandtovote attheAnnualGeneral Meeting;ortoappointaproxyto cast their votes for them whoshallbealocalcontractor orlocalperformer; ortovoteinadvanceinwritingonthe publishedresolutions and theelection ofthe Committee.

14.4Inan election,noindividual shallvotetwice,althoughheorshemayalso actasaproxyforoneormorelocal contractors or localperformers.

14.5ThelocalcontractorsandlocalperformerspresentattheAnnualGeneralMeeting may appointaChairmantopresideoverthe meeting andappointtwoscrutineersto assist theReturningOfficer inthecounting ofvotes.

GOVERNANCE

15.1MembersoftheCommitteeshalldeclare any interestswhenstandingforelectionand onappointmenttotheCommittee,aswellasatthestartofeach Committeemeeting and relevant itemon the agenda.

15.2MembersoftheCommittee,havinganactualorpotentialconflictofinterestin relationtoanissue,shallnotengageindiscussion, or vote,onthatissue.

15.3MembersoftheCommittee as elected representatives of registered healthcare professions shall at all times behave in a professional manner and within thenormalrules and expectationsofcommercialandprofessionalconfidentialityrelatingtotheworkof theCommittee. Theyshallnotdivulge, actinappropriately upon,oruse inappropriately any information obtained byvirtueoftheirmembershipofthe Committeeoritswork. They shallbedemonstrably scrupulousinthisregardatall times and, particularly, when they might have anactual or potential personal interest.Theyshallberemindedofthis requirementat eachmeetingas appropriate. Anyinfringementofthisrequirementshallbedealtwith,astheCommitteejudges fit and recorded in the minutes.

15.4InconnectionwiththeirmembershipoftheCommitteeandits work,membersofthe Committeeshall ensuretransparency andequal provision ofinformationandopportunity for alllocalcontractorsinmattersrelatingtothecommissioning and provisionoflocal optical services.

AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION

16.1TheCommitteemaymakeamendmentstotheConstitutionwiththeapprovalofno lessthanthreequarters ofthemembers oftheCommittee.

16.2The Committee shall notify and provide details of any amendments to the constitution toNHS England.Such amendment(s)shall notcomeinto force untilNHS Englandindicatesthatitiscontent tocontinuetorecognisethe Committeeafter suchamendment(s)come(s) intoforce, including by silence within a reasonable period[4].

LOC PROVIDER COMPANY

17.1A Company Limited by Guarantee has been incorporated by the LOC to act on behalf of all local contractors in the LOC area who wish to participate when local Commissioners of community optical services wish to contract with a sole provider rather than directly with individual local contractors.

17.2The following Memorandum of Understanding between the LOC and LOC Provider Company is in place

[Memorandum of Understanding]

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDINGdated ……………………………………2017

Between CheshireLOC (“the LOC”) of……………………………………………………………………….. andPrimaryEyecare (Cheshire) Limited(“the LOC Company”), CompanyRegistered Number………………………………………., Registered Office Address 2Woodbridge Street, LondonEC1R 0DG

Wherebythe LOC Companyacknowledges andagrees that:

1)Ithas been incorporatedbythe LOC to acton behalf of all LocalContractors in the LOC area when LocalCommissioners of communityopticalservices willonlycontract with a sole provider rather than directlywith LocalContractors;

2)It willactatalltimes in the best interests of all the LocalContractors in the LOC area;

3)It is the vehicle for the single provider commissioningof communityeye care services and willensure thatall LocalContractorswho wish to participate in providingthose services andhave the appropriate equipmentandaccreditation willbe able to do so if theyso wish either atthe startof such services being contractedfor or atanytime in the future;

4)It willappointa Clinical Leadfor localeye care services contractedfor andwillensure thatthe Clinical Lead works with the Directors and with the LocalContractors to ensure thatthe LocalContractors meetthe requirements of the Commissioners in providingthe services;

5)It willensure thatthe LocalContractors providingthe services enter into a contract with the LOC Companythatreplicatesthe terms of the contractthatthe LOC Companyhas entered into with the Commissioner of the services;

6)It willbudgetfor an annualsurplus sufficientonlyto ensure ithas adequate working capitalto operate andanysurplus in excess of such requirement willbe utilisedfor the benefitof all Local Contractors for exampleprovidingapprovedCETcourses;

7)Atalltimes, it willactwith openness andtransparencyand willnotbringthe LOC or its Members into disrepute;

8)It willprovide such managementaccounts andexplanations of its activitiesto the LOC Officers that theymayreasonablyrequire together with copies of all minutes of Boardmeetings;

9)If agreedbymembersofthe Cheshire LOC atan AnnualGeneralMeetingorat an ExtraordinaryGeneral meetingor retrospectively atsuch meetings to provide an interestfree loan to the LOC Companyto provide initial working capital, the Directors of theLOC Companywilluse their bestendeavours to ensure thatthe loan is repaidas soonas is possible;

10) Its Directors willonlyconductsuch activities in thebest interests of all LocalContractors atthe behest of the LOC thatthe LOC cannot conduct itself andthe Directors willensure that its costs of operation are kept to the absoluteminimumto trade both legallyandappropriatelyin the best interests of all LocalContractors.

11) This memorandumof Understanding willbe available atallBoardMeetingsand willbe a standard agenda pointatallBoardMeetings for the Chair of the meetingto refer allDirectors attendingto note the terms.

Signedthis …. Dayof ………..2017

For andonBehalf of Cheshire LOC by:

Lyndon Taylor, Chair………………………………….………………………………………………..

Mark Simpson, Secretary……………………………………..………………………………….……

For andonBehalf of PrimaryEyecare (Cheshire) Limitedby:

……………………………………………………………. Director …………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………. Director …………………………………………………

[1]See also Clause 14.3

[2]e.g. to make the LOC more representative of the local optical community or to fill skills gaps

[3] Committee elections to be staggered for continuity and succession planning

[4]‘Reasonable‘ in this context is considered to be six weeks or, exceptionally in the case of August, two calendar months