Partnership Group

Terms of Reference 

1. Role of the Group

The LCRN Partnership Group is the formal forum of LCRN Partners. Its role is to provide active oversight, discussion and constructive challenge in relation to LCRN strategies, plans, activities, and performance in order to support the LCRN to achieve its ambitions for the benefit of all LCRN Partners.

2. Membership

The members shall be:

▪ the Chair;

▪ a representative from each ‘Category A’ LCRN Partner;

▪ appropriate representation from ‘Category B’ and ‘Category C’ LCRN Partners;

▪ appropriate representation from patients and the public;

▪ a representative from the LCRN Host Organisation to represent the organisation’s interests as a research site, which are separate and distinct from its role in hosting the LCRN Leadership and Management Teams. This representative should not be the LCRN Host Organisation Nominated Executive Director;

▪ the LCRN Leadership Team.

Representatives of LCRN Partner organisations (and including the LCRN Host Organisation as a research site) must have the authority to act on behalf of their organisation in respect of all Partnership Group business. This authority to act should be a delegated authority from the organisation’s Chief Executive Officer (or equivalent).

Representatives may only be deputised for at Group meetings by another colleague with the same level of authority as the representative.

At the discretion of the Chair, observer status may be granted to representatives from other relevant organisations, e.g. local authorities, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), Integrated Care Systems (ICSs), Service Commissioners, Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs), other NIHR infrastructure and centres.

3. Chair

The Partnership Group shall be chaired by a Chief Executive Officer or, alternatively, another very senior officer, of an LCRN Partner organisation.

The Chair shall not be an officer of the LCRN Host Organisation.

The Chair shall be selected and appointed by invitation of the LCRN Executive Group.

4. Business

a) advise the LCRN Executive Group on LCRN strategies, proposals, and plans through independent thinking and constructive dialogue;

b) review the following documents, confirm whether or not they are supported by the Partnership Group, and make recommendations to the LCRN Executive Group in respect of their formal approval:

▪ LCRN Strategies

▪ LCRN Annual Plan

▪ LCRN Annual Financial Plan

▪ LCRN Annual Report to the CRNCC

▪ LCRN Public Annual Report

c) receive progress reports on LCRN developments, activities and performance, including Key Performance Indicators, and advise the LCRN Executive Group on amendments and improvements as required;

d) act as the key forum for engagement and dialogue between the LCRN Leadership Team and LCRN Partners, and between LCRN Partners themselves, based on the mutual understanding of CRN purposes and policies;

e) advise the LCRN Executive Group on patient, carer and public involvement and engagement in the activities and structures of the LCRN;

f) advise the LCRN Executive Group on equality, diversity and inclusion in the activities and structures of the LCRN, including LCRN studies;

g) provide a key forum for engagement and dialogue with other parties relevant to LCRN business.

5. Voting

The Group is expected to agree recommendations and make decisions by consensus. In this, the Group should always have regard to the best interests of the LCRN Partners as a whole, and not the specific interests of any one party or sector.

Should voting be required, only the voting members shall vote (and not observers).

The Chair shall have a casting vote.

No individual member or combination of members shall have a power of veto.

6. Quoracy

A meeting will be quorate when at least half of the members are present, these must include the Chair and the LCRN Clinical Director / Deputy Director or LCRN Chief Operating Officer / Deputy Chief Operating Officer. Four of the eight category A partners and a minimum of 1 Lay Executive.

7. Meeting arrangements

The LCRN Clinical Director shall convene the LCRN Partnership Group (i.e. shall ensure that the Group is established and meet regularly).

Meeting frequency shall be a minimum of three meetings per year.

The LCRN Management Team shall provide the secretariat function.

Review Date: ToRs will be reviewed in April 2024.