Corporate report

PHE Cancer Board: terms of reference

Published 14 July 2016

Background

In July 2015, the Independent Cancer Taskforce published its recommendations report Achieving World Class Cancer Outcomes. The report highlights Public Health England’s (PHE’s) critical role in delivering many of the outcomes either as lead organisation or as a contributor to a significant number of recommendations.

The impetus of the taskforce provides an exciting opportunity to bring together the wealth of cancer related activity across PHE and to raise awareness of the breadth of our skills, expertise and tools.

The PHE Cancer Board provides senior-level oversight and co-ordination of all PHE cancer related activities; strengthening our internal and external partnerships to excel in our work against cancer which will include, but not be limited to, PHE’s response to the taskforce recommendations.

Purpose

The PHE Cancer Board and its membership will:

  • provide senior strategic leadership to PHE’s cancer-related activities
  • develop a cancer strategy for PHE and oversee its implementation and delivery
  • co-ordinate PHE’s activity to deliver on the Independent Cancer Taskforce recommendations
  • identify resources needed to deliver the PHE cancer strategy and seek opportunities to secure these
  • provide information and make recommendations to the PHE Management Committee on PHE’s position on cancer
  • act to commission research and identify further funding opportunities
  • ensure that new cancer related activity is integrated with the PHE Cancer Strategy
  • ensure regular and timely communication and engagement with PHE staff and external stakeholders, with members acting as spokesperson as required

Membership

The membership of the board will be the senior lead for each of the main functions that contribute to PHE’s cancer activity. Deputies are not permitted unless previously agreed with the Chair.

For the meeting to be quorate, at least 4 members must be present including the Chair or a delegated deputy Chair.

Member Role or department
Duncan Selbie Chief Executive; Chair
John Newton Chief Knowledge Officer
Kevin Fenton Director of Health and Wellbeing
Alison Tedstone National Lead Diet and Obesity
Anne Mackie Director of Screening
Brian Ferguson Chief Economist
Dominic Stanley Senior Communications Officer (CKO/ Cancer)
Fran Woodard External Stakeholder Representative, Macmillan
Jem Rashbass PHE Interim Lead for Cancer; Director National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service
Jenny Harries Regional Director, South
Jill Meara Acting Director CRCE
Julia Verne Head of Clinical Epidemiology; Clinical Lead End of Life Network
Lily Makurah Deputy National Lead Mental Health and Wellbeing
Mary Ramsay Consultant Epidemiologist and Head of Immunisation
Rosanna O’Connor Director Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco
Sarah Woolnough External Stakeholder Representative, CR-UK
Sheila Mitchell Health Marketing & Public Engagement Director
Sophie Newbound Cancer Programme Manager

At the Chair’s invitation, the Board may also request other staff and stakeholders to attend meetings.

Governance and Accountability

The PHE Cancer Board is accountable to the PHE Delivery Board and externally the board will respond to the Independent Taskforce National Cancer Transformation Board.

Method of Operation

The board will meet face to face bi-monthly with teleconferences convened on as necessary.

The agenda and papers will be circulated no less than 5 working days in advance of the meeting and a call for items will be circulated to all members beforehand.

Minutes will be circulated within 3 working days after the meeting.

Review

These terms of reference will be reviewed in December 2016.