Network North is a group of five practices committed to working together and sharing responsibility for developing and delivering high quality, patient focused services for their local community. Whilst maintaining each of the five practices` individual identities we aim to:

• Continue to improve and develop effective clinical services.
• Share good practice and support each of the five practices.
• Develop communication and engage with patients, staff, community services and other stakeholders.
• Consider future options for sustainability for primary care, patients and staff.

Practices Involved

Ecclesfield Group Practice, Chapelgreen Practice, Foxhill Medical Centre, Grenoside Surgery and Mill Road Surgery.

Every member of staff within the five practices are represented by Michelle Payling, Dr Jessica Sibson, Dr Nicola Moody, Blake Foster,Mandy Neville, Dr Amanda Rosario, Dr James Moody, Chris Stocks, Angie Hartley and Dr Grace Vas at the attendance of whole group meetings.

Nominated steering group members: Michelle Payling, Dr Amanda Rosario, Chris Stocks, Dr Grace Vas and Dr Nicola Moody.

Full meetings should be at least two representatives from each of the five practices; however, on occasions attendees may be invited from any outside area by invitation of the group.

Steering group meetings should be at least one representative from each of the five practices, either the nominated member or their nominated deputy.

Inclusion of the five practices attached staff, both clinical and non-clinical and their respective patient participation groups will be fulfilled as part of our vision statement.

The working together of the members will be as set out by the steering group. The steering group and whole group practice representatives` will be accountable to their individual practices.

The steering group will have responsibility for reporting back to the wider group

The steering group will review the relevance of the collaboration, the relevance and value of its work, the meeting schedule and the Terms of Reference annually.

We will aim to adopt a shared learning approach and the aims stipulated in the shared vision statement.

The steering group will decide on projects to be taken forward.

We would aim for the steering group to meet monthly and the whole group to meet quarterly. This meeting would either be face to face or by other means depending on service delivery needs.

Minutes of meetings will be taken by a nominated secretary and circulated within a month of the meeting to be agreed as accurate.

A Project Lead would be nominated from each practice and they would then decide on the needs of their team. A collated skills mix from all of the practices would be used to help decide who makes up the team. An agreed template would be completed for each project. The knowledge and best practice from all five practices should be sought as part of the process. When a project is given to the leads the level of feedback required (either to steering group or individual practice managers) and a feedback date will be given by the steering group.  Final decisions will then be made by the steering group.

An e-mail communication group will be set up for both the steering group and the full group. A quarterly newsletter will be set up for communication to the wider group including all practice members, patients, patient participation groups and other stakeholders.

Each practice is governed by their own Rule Book duly set by NHS England as part of their individual contracts, to include Information Governance, Data Protection Act, Confidentiality Act and thereof.

Six months’ notice required to leave the group.

We Chapelgreen Practice, Ecclesfield Group Practice, Mill Road, Foxhill and Grenoside being the five named practices agree to remain independent to secure our autonomy and we will agree to continue to make decisions in line of best practice for each of the individual named practices, however, as part of the Collaboration Group we will support projects in order to facilitate decision making at each practice. 

i.e. we agree to work together on agreed projects without compromising our individual practice autonomy

These terms of reference will be reviewed annually and the next review date will be 13th February 2020.

Click on the links below to download a copy of our agreements