1. OBJECTIVES
1.1 To advise NHS Surrey on matters affecting contractors and performers undertaking general ophthalmic services in the locality.
1.2 To enable contractors and performers undertaking general ophthalmic services in the locality to formulate collective views on the administration of the services and in particular to make suggestions for their improvement and to transmit them to NHS Surrey.
1.3 To disseminate information about the general ophthalmic services among contractors and performers in the locality and to assist individual optometrists to understand and to comply with their terms of service, copies available on request.
1.4 To consider any complaint made to them by any contractors and performers against any other practicing contractor and performer in the locality for which the committee is constituted involving any question of the efficiency of the general ophthalmic services.
1.5 To advise NHS Surrey on matters affecting contractors and performers in relation to the hospital eye services, the scope and efficiency of those services, and in connection with the provision of ophthalmic services from Health Centres, Clinics and the like.
1.6 To carry out such other advisory or consultative functions as may be incidental to or assist in the attainment of the above objects, including liaison within the locality.
2. MEMBERSHIP
The committee must have a minimum of 6 members and maximum 12 members and be made up of equal numbers of local Contractors and Performers.
Adoption of the new Model Constitution means electing a new committee irrespective of the length of time the previous committee has served and it will be subject to election every third year thereafter.
The members of the Committee must be local contractors or local performers, in other words that they either have a contract with the PCT(s) or work as performers in the area and have notified the PCT that they wish to be represented by the Committee. Under the new legislation, Dispensing Opticians (DOs) – as contractors – will again be legally entitled to be members of LOCs (as will lay contractors); however the guidance recommends that a number of local DOs who are not contractors are also properly included in their memberships by means of co-option.
All those attending the AGM must on entry identify themselves as either a local Contractor (or nominated representative) or a local Performer. An optometrist who is both a local Contractor and a Performer must decide which category s/he wishes to belong to.
Only local Contractors may vote for local Contractors and only local Performers may vote for local Performers. Therefore, each person present can only exercise one vote.
Provision for proxy and postal votes for election of Members, Officers and voting on published resolutions should be included. At the end of the 21 day period proxy and postal vote forms should be issued complete with the names of the candidates standing for election.
In order to achieve the required balance between local Contractors and Performers the maximum number of candidates available as either local Contractors and Performers should be determined in advance if possible in order to ensure a corresponding number of candidates for the other category.
An optometrist, who is a member of the Committee and holds the position of Optometric Adviser to NHS Surrey, cannot hold a position of office on the Committee. If not a member of the committee then the Optometric Adviser should be invited to meetings when relevant but will not be eligible to vote.
3. OFFICERS OF THE COMMITTEE and TERM OF OFFICE
The term of office of members shall be 3 years and shall be eligible for re-election. The Committee shall elect a Chairman and Treasurer from among their number, all of who normally hold office for one year and may stand for re-election. The Committee will require a Secretary from among their number, or appoint a lay Administrator.
4. VACANCIES ETC. NOT TO INVALIDATE PROCEEDINGS
The proceedings of the Committee shall not be invalidated by a vacancy in their membership, or by any inappropriate appointment of any member of the Committee.
5. PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITTEE
The Committee shall hold meetings at least three times per year, at such time and place as shall be generally agreed. An AGM should take place within 3 months of the end of the Committee’s financial year in February.
Minutes shall be kept of each meeting of the committee including information on those present. An account of the income and expenditure shall be maintained. Such accounts to be examined and audited annually by two appropriate persons not being members of the committee, appointed at the Annual General Meeting.
All Contractors and Performers have access to agenda, minutes and annual accounts report via Committee’s website
6. NOTICE OF MEETINGS
Notification of meetings will be placed on Committee’s website. All Contractors and Performers will be notified 42 days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting
.
April 2009