LABORATORY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY - TERMS OF REFERENCE

1. Article 25 of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 empowers the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to set up Advisory Committees for the purpose of obtaining advice upon any matter arising in connection with the performance of the duties of the Department under Article 4 of the Order.

REMIT

2. An Advisory Committee will be appointed under Article 25 to advise the Department on the planning and provision of Hospital Laboratory Services in Northern Ireland. Specifically the Committee will provide advice as follows: -

a. Policy guidance for the organisation of the Hospital Laboratory Services. Advice on clinical needs will be sought through medical channels.

b. Non-medical manpower needs, recruitment and training of staff (excluding terms and conditions of service).

c. Safety in service departments.

d. Maintenance and evaluation of equipment.

e. The import of research and development issues for service provision.

f. Local relevance and application of policy guidance generated in Great Britain.

3. The Committee will consider matters referred to it by the Department. It may also initiate matters to be brought under discussion.

MEMBERSHIP

4. The Chairman and members of the Committee will be appointed by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

5. The total membership of the Committee, including the Chairman, will not exceed 15 and will comprise 4 hospital pathologists, 1 university pathologist,

4 medical laboratory scientific officers, 2 non-medical graduate scientists,

1 non-hospital scientist, 1 engineer, 1 representative from the Laboratory Directors Forum and a representative of Health Estates as an ex-officio member.

6. Members of the Committee will be appointed for their knowledge and experience of hospital laboratory services and will be selected after consultation with: -

Northern Ireland Regional Council of the Royal College of Pathologists.

Institute of Biomedical Science.

Hospital Scientists Association.

Queen's University of Belfast.

University of Ulster.

Northern Ireland Branch of the Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management.

Laboratory Medicine Directors Forum.

Health Estates (ex-officio).

7. Members will be appointed to serve in a personal capacity for the individual contribution they can make to the work of the Committee and not to represent any particular interest.

TERMS OF OFFICE

8. Members will normally be appointed to serve for a 3-year term of office and will be eligible to serve a maximum of 2 terms, i.e. 6 years.

RESPONSIBILITIES

9. The Chairman should ensure that the subjects considered by the Committee fall clearly within the Committee's remit as outlined in paragraph 2 above. Where the subject matter for consideration impinges on the work of any other Advisory Committee to the Department the Chairman should arrange for the necessary

co-ordination and consultation with the Committee concerned.

QUORUM AND PROCEDURE

10. The Committee may regulate its own quorum and procedure.

SUB-COMMITTEES

11. The Committee may, subject to the agreement of the Department, appoint

sub-committees and may appoint to such sub-committees persons who are not members of the Committee.

EXPENSES

12. The Chairman and members of the Committee will be unpaid; travelling and other allowances will be payable in respect of expenses incurred on Committee business.

OBSERVERS AT MEETINGS

13. The Department's Chief Medical Officer or his representative may attend meetings of the Committee.

SECRETARIAT

14. The Department will make arrangements for servicing the Committee.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY

COMPOSITION OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE LABORATORY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE

PLACES NOMINATING BODIES

4 Hospital Pathologists N Ireland Regional Council of the Royal College of Pathologists.

1 University Pathologist Queen's University,

Belfast.

4 Medical Laboratory Scientific Institute of Biomedical

Officers Science.

2 Non-Medical Graduate Scientists Hospital Scientists

Association.

1 Non-Hospital Scientist University of Ulster.

1 Engineer Northern Ireland Branch of the Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management.

1 representative Laboratory Medicine Directors Forum.

1 representative Health Estates (ex-officio).