Warwickshire Quality Partnership

Working to raise standards through staff development
and training within health and social care

CONSTITUTION

1. Name
   
   The title of the partnership shall be the Warwickshire Quality Partnership (WQP).



2. Aim
   
   The aim of the WQP is to raise standards and enhance the quality of health and social care provision through training, development and by offering the best services to Warwickshire service users.



3. Objectives
   
   To promote training and development within the health and social care sector.
To provide Warwickshire health and social care employers with a network of communication. To develop partnership strategies across sectors within the context of Best Value. To enable members to co-operate as a body with other Organisations in pursuit of the aim of the WQP. To enable members to demonstrate continuous quality developments at appropriate levels. In line with these objectives a Business Plan will be set and agreed by the Board and performance reviewed annually.


4. WQP's Status
   
   The WQP is an unincorporated association of health and social care Organisations working together to achieve the mutual purpose identified in the aim and objectives.
The WQP shares responsibilities for representing the training and development needs of the health and social care workforce across Warwickshire. The WQP will operate transparent and inclusive processes so that members can fully engage with any activities most relevant or of most interest to them. There will be an ongoing development of the role of the WQP to link with other appropriate organisations. The continuance of the Partnership will be agreed annually at the Annual General Meeting.


5. General Membership
   
   Membership of the WQP shall be open to all health and social care providers in Warwickshire who are registered by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) as Warwickshire providers.
   
   
6. Warwickshire Quality Partnership Board
   
   The WQP Board will comprise representatives from the full range of service sector providers to represent member organisations with shared interests.  The current membership of the Board is set out in Schedule1.  The Board itself decides whether or not to admit additional representatives, but there will be a top limit of 17 members.
   
   Board members must provide the Board with enough notice to find a replacement, e.g. 28 days should they wish to stand down.
   
   Board representatives need to get authority from their own agencies to make certain decisions.

Responsibilities of the Board

The Board will be responsible for:


• Ensuring the development of policies and procedures needed to contribute to achieving the aims of the WQP
• Monitoring and reviewing on an on going basis the implementation of the policies against any agreed criteria, and to take any necessary action following the review
• Appointing and managing a paid Administrator and full time Project Manager with WCC taking the lead on this and employing the staff on behalf of the Partnership.
• Ensuring that the infrastructure of the WQP is adequate for the purpose of the WQP work.
• Quality assuring training provision for the WQP's recommendation
• Quality assuring assessment and verification services for the WQP's approval.
• Preparing an annual report for members
• Receiving questions and new ideas from the members and responding to them
• Representing the WQP at local and national levels where appropriate
• The research of training and policy needs of the members and identifying funding opportunities to meet those needs.
  
  Structure and operation of the Board
  
  
• Board members will be entitled to send alternates to act as representatives at Board meetings and they will have voting rights.
• The members will appoint to the Board a Chair and Vice Chair each year by election at the Annual General Meeting.  The paid Administrator will act as Secretary.
• The Board shall have the power to co-opt onto the Board members where agreed as appropriate by resolution.
• The Board shall have the power to establish sub group working parties at anytime for an identified period when special expertise in a specific area is required. The Board shall have the power to specify the level of adequate decision-making the sub group is able to make. Each sub group will be chaired by a WQP Board member and will be required to report at regular intervals to the Board.
• Meetings of the Board will be held at least every 8 weeks and will be chaired by the Chair, or in the absence, the Vice Chair.
• Meetings of the Board will be quorate if 30% (with a minimum of 4) or more members are present.  This includes attendance of alternates.  Extraordinary meetings can be called by a Board member only with agreement from the Chair or Vice Chair.

Finance

• The WQP will not hold any monies or maintain accounts
• Each partner agency will be responsible for looking after its own monies that are being applied to the WQP.
• The Board shall agree by resolution which of the partners becomes fund holders for additional monies acquired through further bidding (unless there are specific requirements from the funding agency).
• The Project Manager shall prepare and submit a financial statement to members attending the AGM in sufficient detail to show funds accessed for the previous financial year.
• The Partnership must ensure that appropriate audit trails are maintained by nominated lead agencies managing funds on the Partnership's behalf.
• All funds received by the WQP will be used to progress the aims and objectives of the WQP.
• The financial year for the WQP will run from 1st April – 31stMarch
                                        

Annual General Meeting

• Ordinary members will be invited to an AGM at 28 days notice.
• Members will receive an annual report on the activities of the WQP.
• Members will receive a financial summary of activities for the previous financial year.
• Members will be entitled to one vote for the appointment of the WQP Board Chair and Vice Chair and other board members by attendance or proxy.

     Amendments to the Constitution
• The constitution or any part of it may be altered from time to time by the WQP Board as deemed necessary, at a Board meeting.  For this purpose a resolution passed by a minimum of 30% or minimum of 4 Board members present at the meeting will be sufficient to agree amendments.

 Dissolution of the WQP

The WQP may be dissolved only be a resolution passed by 30% or minimum of 4 or more members of the Board present at an Extraordinary Board meeting convened for the purpose, at 21 days notice.  If a motion to dissolve the WQP is carried out, surplus funds, property and assets (if any) following settlement of debts and liabilities will be distributed within the rules of the funding agencies.

Board Members

'The WQP Board is made up of representatives from the independent and statutory sector to be the voice of older people, learning disabilities, mental health and domiciliary care forums.'