UKMi Quality and Risk Management Group Terms of Reference

Background

The Quality and Risk Management Group (QRMG) is a sub-committee of the UKMi Executive to plan and deliver work streams related to running a Medicines Information/Advice (MI/A) service efficiently and safely.

Purpose 

The Group develops quality assurance and risk management guidance and associated documentation for NHS MI/A services in line with relevant NHS policy. This ensures safe and effective work practices.

Outputs and functions of the Group include:

  • Providing key documents and guidance on running a safe and effective MI/A service, including topics such as appropriate resources, enquiry answering and peer review.
  • Providing key documents and guidance on audit and benchmarking.
  • Monitoring errors and near misses relating to enquiry answering or relevant publications and sharing learning from these with the UKMi Network.
  • Providing advice, where appropriate, on legal aspects affecting enquiry answering, e.g. GDPR, confidentiality.
  • Collaboration with other UKMi Working Groups to ensure safe and efficient practice.
  • Representation on the UKMi Executive Working Group

Membership

Membership represents the wide variety of MI/A services and includes the devolved home countries. Members should be MI/A pharmacy staff experienced in both enquiry answering and service delivery.

Membership is usually granted through nomination or expression of interest.

When subgroups or short-life working groups are required to address particular areas of work or projects, lead(s) will be identified. Subgroups or short-life working groups may draw upon the expertise and assistance of non-members.

Membership is indefinite, or until the member no longer meets basic requirements.

Members of the Group are expected to:

  • Attend QRMG meetings on a regular basis. If this is not possible, they should send either an appropriate deputy or comment on the circulated papers.
  • Contribute to discussions in meetings.
  • Gather the views and feedback of relevant colleagues on matters under consideration.
  • Reach decisions by consensus in a reasonable timeframe.
  • Be involved in work streams and take the lead for projects at the request of the Chair, reporting back regularly to the Group and seeing the projects through to completion and implementation. 

Quoracy depends on the work stream and is determined by the Chair/vice Chair.

Stakeholders

  • Stakeholders of the Group include: UKMi Working Groups, in particular the UKMi Executive.
  • Specialist Pharmacy Service (England).
  • Association of MI Practitioners (Scotland).
  • Welsh Medicines Advice Service.
  • Northern Ireland Medicines Information Service.
  • Pharmaceutical Information and Pharmacovigilance Association (PIPA) 

UKMi Executive 

QRMG representation on the UKMI Executive is essential to enable effective two-way communication. 

Therefore, the QRMG will have at least one member who is also part of the UKMi Executive Working Group; this will usually be the Chair. 

In the event that the usual QRMG representative cannot attend a UKMI Executive meeting, a deputy should attend. This will usually be the vice Chair. 

Governance 

The work plan is constructed based on:

  • Current issues within the Network, which may include specific feedback and requests.
  • The need to address an issue raised by or affecting stakeholders.
  • Updating current guidance and documents.

The QRMG can ratify its own outputs and recommendations if quorate. Exceptionally, a decision may need escalation to the UKMI Executive at the Chair’s discretion. 

The wider QRMG must ratify outputs and recommendations from Subgroups or Short Life Working Groups. 

Ratification can take place during meetings or via email circulation for comment.

Meetings

The Group meets every 2 months.

Administration

An internal working space is held on the FutureNHS website. Agendas and papers will be made available before meetings, and draft minutes made available for comment after meetings. The ratified Minutes are held on the FutureNHS website. 

A ‘Highlights’ document is produced from the Minutes after each meeting. This document details items discussed within meetings that are important or that may lead to change. It is circulated around the UKMi Network and published on the UKMi website, for discussion within local teams. 

Where appropriate, outputs are published on the UKMI website.

Last Reviewed: Nov 2024