Guidance for PCRS-UK Regional Leads on regional meetings & other activities
Delivering excellence in respiratory care locally
February 2014
Guidance for PCRS-UK Regional Leads on regional meetings & other activities
Summary of Key points
The regional/national leads are encouraged to promote their role but in doing so need to recognise that people are likely to interpret any viewsthey give as the views of PCRS-UK. Regional/national leads must therefore be careful to distinguish between when they are giving a personal view and when they are speaking on behalf of PCRS-UK.
PCRS-UK regional /national leads are encouraged to represent PCRS-UK on relevant regional / national committees but must comply with the PCRS-UK policy on representation
Any material produced bearing PCRS-UK name must be approved in accordance with PCRS-UK publications policy and/or endorsement policy. PCRS-UK regional /national leads are authorised to provide such approvals (provided relevant PCRS-UK headed paper isused)
Regional leads are responsible for raising money to fund regional activities (supported by RHI in case of regional meetings /events) but must not compete with PCRS-UK nationally for central funding
RHI are available to support regional leads to organise regional meetings / events. Contact for further information
PCRS-UK regional /national leads may get involved with meetings organised by third parties in their regions /nations but must ensure they comply with PCRS-UK policy on endorsement if the PCRS-UK name is associated with the meeting
For further guidance and support please contact PCRS-UK Development Director or .
Guidance for PCRS-UK Regional Leads on regional meetings & other activities
1.Introduction
PCRS-UK regional (England) and national leads (Scotland, Wales, N Ireland) have been appointed to drive PCRS-UK's strategy of 'delivering excellence locally'. The regional /national leads are accountable to the Regional Development group (RDG) which in turn is accountable to PCRS-UK Executive and the PCRS-UK Trustees. The regional /national leads are expected to undertake activities, make decisions and provide views on behalf of PCRS-UK in their regions /nations.
The regional / national lead role is pivotal the success of PCRS-UK's strategy of 'delivering excellence locally'.Reporting on progress by the regional /national leads via RDG to the PCRS-UK Executive Trustees is important to enable PCRS-UK to monitor and evaluate the success of its strategy and report back to its sponsors /members.
This document firstly confirms the expectations of and authority regional leads have in the following areas:
- Use of the title PCRS-UK Regional (or National) Lead
- Business planning and reporting
- Approval of materials (including meeting programmes, invitations and content)
- PCRS-UK representation& endorsement
- Fundraising for PCRS-UK regional activities
- Budget responsibility (inc contracting with sponsors, agencies and venues)
The document secondly provides more detailed guidance is provided on regional meetings
2.Delegation of authority: balancing central ‘control’ and local ‘empowerment’
The aim of the guidance is to ensure:
- Regional and national leads feel appropriately supported and empowered by PCRS-UK centrally
- PCRS-UK reputation/credibility with its members and stakeholders is enhanced by regional/local activities (and is in no way undermined)
- PCRS-UK is not exposed to undue financial or legal risk
The authority delegated to PCRS-UK regional /national leadshas been determined by the:
- Expertise of the regional lead, relative for example to the paid staff/contractors to whom such authority is already delegated
- Risk to PCRS-UK and thus the level at which the activity is appropriately approved.
3.Expectations of and authority delegated to regional /national leads
Use of the title PCRS-UK Regional (or National) Lead: The regional/national leads are encouraged to promote their role and to use it on email footers and the like as per the template in appendix 1 . In doing so however, it is important for regional/national leads to recognise that people are likely to interpret their view as that of PCRS-UK. Regional/national leads must therefore be careful to distinguish between when they are giving a personal view and when they are speaking on behalf of PCRS-UK. Regional/national leads should only speak on behalf of PCRS-UK when they are confident of PCRS-UK's position on the subject and /or they are 'representing ' PCRS-UK (see below).
Business planning & reporting: The regional/national leads are responsible for the business plan in their region and for reporting on activities conducted under PCRS-UK name. A standard template for reporting on activities has been devised (appendix 2)
Approval of materials: Regional /national leads have the authority to approve materials for use in relation to activities in their region/nation, provided they are produced in line with the PCRS-UK publications policyclick HERE and on the relevant PCRS-UK approved headed paper: contact for the relevant headed paper. Where regional leads are not confident to approve material, it should be referred to one of the co-chairs RDG / Development Director and if necessary to CE / Chair PCRS-UK Executive.
PCRS-UK representation: PCRS-UK regional /national leads are encouraged to represent PCRS-UK on relevant regional / national committees but must comply with the PCRS-UK policy on representationclick HERE
PCRS-UK endorsement: Where regional/national leadsare involved in a regional/national project or activity with a third party, they have the authority to grant ‘PCRS-UK endorsement’ of regional activities provided it complies with PCRS-UK policy on endorsement HERE
Fundraising: Regional leads are encouraged to approach the local NHS /CCGs health boards and /or regional pharmaceutical industry contacts for sponsorship to support PCRS-UK activities in their region. Any funding secured in the name of PCRS-UK must be confirmed with a written agreement and all such agreements must be approved by PCRS-UK Development Director/CE who will handle invoicing and will oversee related expenditure. Regional leads must ensure that any funding for regional activity is secured from regional (not national) budgets. Regional /national leads must not approach PCRS-UK Corporate Supporterscentrally (ie head offices) and if any approaches are made to the regional leads by central Corporate Supporter contacts, or funding is to be taken from a central budget, the CE/ Development Director must be consulted before any commitments are given. This is necessary to ensure risks to PCRS-UK core funding are managed. Guidance on fundraising and working with pharmaceutical industry will be available shortly.
Budget responsibility (inc contracting with sponsors, agencies and venues): PCRS-UK regional /national leads do not currently have any authority to commit expenditure in the name of PCRS-UK (without the prior permission of PCRS-UK Development Director /CE) and must not enter into any contract with sponsor, agency or venue in PCRS-UK's name. The PCRS-UK Development Director or Red Hot Irons will oversee any funds secured by the regional /national leads in the name of PCRS-UK and any related expenditure.
4.Regional (&national) meetings
One of the key activities that the regional /national leads are expected to undertake is the running of regional meetings /events to help them achieve their business goals / drive excellence locally. A range of meetings aimed at different audiences and with different content have been discussed and piloted across the various regions, including:
- Network meeting – multi–disciplinary, commissioners/providers by invitation
- Respiratory leader style meeting – to develop ‘champions’/future leaders
- Educational meeting –charging a delegate fee (free for PCRS-UK members)
- Workshop/meeting to promote/disseminate the EQUIP/ EQUIPMENT improvement tools
Regional/national leads are encouraged to develop meetings packages suitable to their region. A limited amount of central support via the Development Director is available to support regional leads in this respect. Once a meeting package has been developed / piloted, it can be reviewed / approved by PCRS-UK centrally via the PCRS-UK Development Director and shared with other regional leads.
There are also a number of different business models by which PCRS-UK regional /national leads may get involved with meetings in their region /nation, in terms of who is responsible for the content of the meeting, and running /organising it between PCRS-UK, a third party /sponsor or jointly (see table). Each model has a different level of work involved for the PCRS-UK regional /national lead and a different level of risk / benefit to PCRS-UK.
The first model, in which PCRS-UK is simply asked to participate in an event run by a third party involves relatively little work for the regional lead. It is also low risk to PCRS-UK and whilst the benefit is also relatively low, is a feasible /worthwhile model.
The second model in which a third party invites PCRS-UK to work in partnership with it to develop the content of the meeting and put PCRS-UK's name to the meeting is higher risk but also higher benefit. It is also thus a feasible /worthwhile model. The regional led must ensure he/she complies with the PCRS-UK policy on endorsement and must also ensure appropriate business benefit for
PCRS-UK (see section 5) A written agreement must be put in place, approved by the PCRS-UK Development Director (or CE) for any partnership with a commercial company. A template for such an agreement can be requested from
Table 1: Models for Regional Meetings
A ‘third party’ maybe pharmaceutical company, CCG/NHS body, Regional lead in NHS /non PCRS-UK role
An ‘agent’ is a third party whom PCRS-UK authorises to act on its behalf, in the same way as an employee can (model 4). The agent can work with /support the regional lead in undertaking regional activities, particularly with regards to logistical support and organisation. The regional lead however has 100% control over content providing advantages over the partnership model (2).
Model / Responsibility for Content / Responsibility for Organisation / logistics / Financial Responsibility / Risk / benefit to PCRS-UK1.Third party organised/run:
PCRS-UK invited to attend, speak and/or given promotional opportunities / Third party
(PCRS-UK must not be seen as endorsing content of meeting but may include logo/ standard agreed statement (grateful to XX for XX opportunities) / Third party/its agent
(No involvement by PCRS-UK ) / Third party – no transactions to PCRS-UK (Regional lead may be paid honorarium/fee by third party but contracted with third party not via PCRS-UK) / Low/low
2. Third party organised, developed in partnership with PCRS-UK.
PCRS-UK in this model is expected to put its name to the meeting ie PCRS-UK 'endorses’ the meeting / Joint: PCRS-UK/third party
PCRS-UK via regional /national lead must have input to content and must agree programme/speakers and must review/ approve all materials bearings it name / Third party/its agent / Third party –PCRS-UK should be paid fee for services by third party (maybe paid/ contracted with third party or with PCRS-UK) / Low/medium
3. Organised /run by agent(RHI) on behalf of PCRS-UK
Sponsored by third party (‘arms length’) / PCRS-UK regional /national lead (supported by RHI): PCRS-UK regional /national lead must agree all content and approve all materials Third party may wish to review content/sign off materials particularly if third party is to promote/distribute. Third party must be acknowledged on all materials / Agent Red Hot Irons ( RHI) – contracted to PCRS-UK via an agency agreement / Agent on behalf of PCRS-UK (supported by regional /national lead in terms of fundraising contacts) / Low/high
The benefit to PCRS-UK is greatest where it is a PCRS-UK organised event. PCRS-UK however on the one hand does not have the staff resources to run regional meetings /activities centrally and on the other the regional /national leads have neither the time nor the expertise (or authority see section 3) to take full responsibility for organising / running a PCRS-UK meeting. In order make a PCRS-UIK organised regional meetings viable, PCRS-UK has put a contract in place with Red Hot Irons (RHI) to act as its agent to run such meetings with the respective Regional /National leads (model 3). This reduces the level of work for the regional /national lead and takes advantage of the expertise RHI has in running/organising meetings. Under this arrangement, RHI works with the regional lead to define plan for the meeting using a standard templateHEREand is responsible for the planning /organisation of the event whilst the regional lead is responsible agreeing the content of the meeting and approving all associated materials. For further information and to secure the services of RHI to run a regional event, please contact (or )
5.Financial considerations & charitable return
From a financial perspective, it is important that all costs (including overhead costs) incurred by PCRS-UK in running regional meetings (or other activities) are taken into account and included within the budget for the meeting such that the meeting is fully ‘self funding’. RHI will take responsibility for working through the financial considerations with the regional lead for PCRS-UK meetings (model 3)
It is important to also recognise that the PCRS-UK Trustees have a duty to make the best use of the charity’s assets. Two of our key assets are our name / logo and our database of members /primary care health professionals: it is therefore important to negotiate the best possible return for their use in any regional activities. The return can be assessed and measured from the benefits to PCRS-UK, with respect to ‘charitable benefit’, fees charged (e.g. for a mailing service or license to use the PCRS-UK logo) and gifts in kind (e.g. marketing opportunities):
- Education with a view to improved care and charitable impact
- Increased awareness of PCRS-UK and what it offers, through marketing activity associated with the event/activity
- New contacts that PCRS-UK can retain on its data base with a view to future activities*
- Increased membership of PCRS-UK providing income generation, on-going engagement and increased potential for charitable impact
- Income generation from fees charged for regional leads time /advice, mailing services, licence to use PCRS-UK logo
*data protection is a critical issue impacting how PCRS-UK can collect/use contact data and is thus key to address in the written agreements for any regional activity (including for example ensuring permission is sought from delegates for their details to be passed to PCRS-UK)
The template provided for partnership agreements /model 2 and those used by RHI (model 3) ensures the above considerations are taken into account.
Appendix 1: RDG Signatures for Email – Example template
June Roberts
Consultant Nurse Salford Royal NHSFoundation Trust
PCRS-UK Regional Lead North West
Advancing Quality COPD Clinical Lead
Follow me on Twitter@skimmingstones1
Tel: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Email: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Website:
Dr Steve Holmes
M Med Sci, MB ChB, FRCGP, DRCOG
Education and Respiratory Development Programme Lead, Primary Care Respiratory Society UK
Joint chair IMPRESS (BTS / PCRS-UK)
Clinical Respiratory Lead, PCRS-UK Regional Lead South West
GP Partner. The Park Medical Practice, Cannards Grave Road,Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 5RT
Mobile: XXXXXXXX
Email: XXXXXXXX
Website:
Appendix 2 Regional Leads Feedback Template
Let’s celebrate your successes and hear all about your future plans
Feedback Areas / Progress to date / How many?Have you made any contact with local PCRS-UK members
Have you identified members who are willing to be local champions
Contacted your local nurse group / How many in your area
Identified local people to join your network / How many
Run a local network meeting / Dates:
Booked a local network meeting for the future / Dates:
Made contact with Asthma UK local manager / Name
Made contact with local BLF manager / Name
Had the opportunity to promote PCRS-UK to local influencers /leaders in your region / To whom?
Had the opportunity to use PCRS-UK resources and share with local colleagues e.g. Quality Award. / Which resources?
Have you run any PCRS-UK endorsed events in your area
Are you a representative on any key projects in your region / Which
Any other activity locally you have been involved in?
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