Job responsibilities
Overgate Hospice
Overgate Hospice is an independent local
charity providing specialist palliative and end-of-life care for adults with
life-limiting conditions. Our home on Hullen Edge Road was generously donated
by Mrs Sylvia Graucob MBE, whose vision and philanthropy helped establish the
hospice as a cornerstone of compassionate care in Calderdale.
Today, Overgate Hospice continues to build on
this strong foundation. We provide in-patient care within our 12-bed unit, day
hospice services, and holistic support through our Patient and Family Support
Team comprising social workers, complementary therapists, counsellors, a
chaplain, occupational therapist, diversional therapist, and physiotherapist.
Beyond our clinical services, we operate a
network of local charity shops and deliver a wide range of fundraising events
and community activities throughout the year. We are currently in the middle of
a major capital appeal to support the construction of a new, purpose-built
inpatient unit and repurposed Day Hospice that will ensure we can continue to
meet the needs of our community for years to come.
The Hospice employs around 207 dedicated staff
and is supported by more than 700 volunteers who contribute their time,
expertise, and compassion across all areas of our work. Together, we are united
in our commitment to providing outstanding care, comfort, and dignity to local
people and their families at the most challenging times of their lives.
Our Mission
To ensure that our
patients and those close to them live with the best possible quality of life.
We do this by providing the highest standard of compassionate and
evidenced-based specialist palliative and end of life care for adults in
Calderdale who have active, progressive, life limiting conditions.
Our philosophy of Care
Our care is centred
on the patient. We respect individuality and their rights to privacy and
dignity. We care for the whole person their physical, emotional, spiritual,
social needs and goals. This includes support for their families and carers
through the illness and into bereavement.
We value
The support of our
community, without which we could not raise the funds necessary to provide
care. We value every penny raised.
The contribution
and diversity of our staff and volunteers
Partnership and
collaboration with other health and social care professionals the patient has
the best experience when we work together.
A culture of
learning and continuous improvement, teamwork, professionalism, honesty, inclusiveness,
and kindness.
Feedback that helps
us to learn and improve.
Role Purpose
To act as an ambassador for Overgate within
the Community, portraying a positive image and supporting the key messages.
To provide strategic leadership, maintaining a clear
sense of the big picture and not getting lost in detail.
To ensure the Charity acts in an effective, responsible,
and accountable manner and complies with all legal and regulatory requirements.
As a key member of the Overgate team to help
stretch and support the Senior Leadership Team, providing healthy challenge as
required.
To work collaboratively in helping to improve
services in line with our mission, values, and philosophy of care.
Remuneration
The role of the
Trustee is not accompanied by any financial remuneration although expenses for travel
may be claimed.
Time commitment
Trustees must ensure
That they are fully prepared for Board and
Sub-committee meetings.
Attend and contribute to a minimum of 70% of
Board meetings, except in exceptional circumstances. There are currently six
board meetings per year which commence in the early evening.
Contribute expertise to at least one sub-committee
and attend a minimum of 70% of meetings, except in exceptional
circumstances.
Assist the Board and senior staff in promoting
Overgates goals and values and represent the Boards agreed position when
speaking publicly on behalf of Overgate.
Term of Office
Trustees will usually serve a maximum of three
terms of three years, but the Board has discretion to support the re-election
of trustees who are contributing fully to continue to serve for a longer
period.
Key
responsibilities
Trustees are both directors and trustees of
Overgate and as such must act within the provisions of the governing document
and comply with Company and Charity law.
Trustees have and must accept ultimate
responsibility for directing the affairs of the Charity, (both service delivery
and fund raising) and ensuring that it is solvent, well-run, and delivering the
charitable outcomes for the benefit of patients with life limiting illnesses
and their families
Trustees should work collaboratively to share their
skills and experience and to make an important contribution to our strategic
direction and continuous improvement.
Compliance
Ensure that Overgate complies with charity
law, and with the requirements of the Charity Commission as regulator; in
particular ensure that the Charity prepares reports on what it has achieved and
annual returns and accounts as required by law.
Ensure that Overgate does not breach any of
the requirements or rules set out in its Articles of Association and that it
remains true to the charitable purpose and objects set out there.
Comply with the requirements of other
legislation and other regulators that govern the activities of the Charity
this includes a range of laws, the Care Quality Commission, General Medical
Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Health and Care Professions
Council.
Act with integrity and avoid any personal
conflicts of interest or misuse of charity funds or assets.
Duty
of prudence
Ensure that Overgate is and will remain
solvent and maintain proper financial control.
Monitor
the performance of Overgate against standards, to ensure provision of the
highest quality of care, balanced with the effective, efficient, and economic
use of resources and assets.
Use
charitable funds and assets reasonably, and only in the furtherance of
Overgates objectives.
Avoid undertaking activities that might place
the Charitys endowment, funds, assets, or reputation at undue risk.
Take special care when investing the funds of
the Charity or borrowing funds for the Charity to use.
Duty
of care
Use reasonable care and skill during trustee
activities, using personal skills and experience to ensure the Charity is
well-run and efficient
Consider obtaining external advice on all
matters where there may be a material risk to Overgate, or where trustees may
be in breach of their duties.
Collective responsibility
Trustees have collective responsibility for
the decisions taken by the Board, whether or not they are present at a meeting
and/or if they disagree/concur with a decision made by the majority.
Trustees are also responsible for contributing to discussion and debate before
a Board decision is made. They have collective responsibility to support
and carry out the decision.
Conflicts of interest/loyalty
Trustees must declare any conflicts of
interest/loyalty in Board or Sub-committee business. Where possible, the
matter should be raised with the Chair before the meeting. Depending on
the issue, the Chair and/or Board members should determine whether the Trustee
can contribute to discussion or leave the room during discussion and until a
decision is made.
Confidentiality
Trustees should maintain confidentiality about
matters discussed in Board and Sub-committee meetings
Code
of conduct
Trustees are expected to honour the content
and spirit of this code
Act within
the governing document and the law
being aware of the contents of Overgates governing document and the law as it
applies to Overgate
Be
accountable for their
decisions and actions to the public, funders and service users and must submit
themselves to what scrutiny is appropriate to their role
Act in the
best interest of Overgate as a whole considering
what is best for the organisation and its beneficiaries and avoiding bringing
it into disrepute
Behave with
integrity and not place themselves under any
financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that
might seek to influence them in the performance of their role. As well as
avoiding actual impropriety, avoid any appearance of improper behaviour. Avoid
accepting gifts and hospitality that might reasonably be thought to influence
their judgement
Manage
conflicts of interest effectively
registering, declaring, and resolving conflicts of interest. Not gaining
materially or financially unless specifically authorised to do so
Respect
confidentiality understanding
what confidentiality means in practice for Overgate, its service users, Board
and the individuals involved with it
Have a sound
and up to date knowledge of Overgate and its environment understanding how it works and the
environment within which it operates
Attend
meetings and other appointments or give apologies considering other ways of engaging with the
organisation if regularly being unable to attend trustee meetings
Prepare
fully for meetings and all work for Overgate reading
papers, querying anything they dont understand and thinking through issues in
good time before meetings
Actively
engage in discussion, debate and voting in meetings contribute positively, listening carefully,
challenging sensitively, and avoiding conflict
Act jointly
and accept a majority decision
making decisions collectively, standing by them and not acting individually
unless specifically authorised to do so
Work
considerately and respectfully with all
respecting diversity, different roles and boundaries and avoiding giving
offence
Show
leadership promote and
support the principles of leadership by example
