Questions or comments are welcomed on any matter which is within the powers and duties of the Trust. Questions may be submitted in writing to the Company Secretary by 10.00 am, five clear working days before the date of the next available meeting. The Chair has discretion to allow verbal questions or comments to be raised at the meeting without notice having been given.
Questions and Comments from the Public at Meetings Standard Operating Procedure
Introduction
This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) sets out how the Trust will manage questions and comments from the public at meetings of the Trust held in public.
Questions or comments are welcomed from people who live or work in the local community, or who are affected by the work of the Trust, and may ask any of the following a question on any matter which is within the powers and duties of the Trust:
- the Chair of the Trust Board;
- the Chief Executive;
- a Director of the Trust with responsibility; or
- a Chair of any other Board level committee, whose remit covers the subject matter in question.
Members of the public are advised that meetings of the Trust Board (Part 1) and the Annual General Meeting are held in public but are not public meetings. Time is allocated at each meeting to receive questions and comments from the public.
The Chair reserves the right not to respond to questions or comments which relate to issues which are the subject of current confidential discussions, legal action, or any other matter at their discretion.
Written questions or comments for meetings held in Public
Questions on any topic within the Trust’s powers and duties may be submitted in writing to the Company Secretary by 10.00 am, five clear working days before the date of the next available meeting.
A written answer will be provided to a written question and will also be read out at the meeting by the Chair or other Trust Board member to whom it was addressed.
If the questioner is unable to attend the meeting in person, the question and response will still be read out and a formal written response will be sent following the meeting.
A record of all written questions asked, and the Trust’s response, will be included in the minutes of the meeting for public record.
If information is not readily available to enable a response by the date of the meeting, the Company Secretary, or a nominated Director, will inform the questioner accordingly and give an indicative time when a response will be provided [no later than 20 working days in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act].
Verbal questions or comments without notice
The Chair has discretion to allow verbal questions or comments to be raised without notice having been given.
A member of the public who has submitted a written question may, with the consent of the Chair, ask an additional verbal question on the same subject.
An answer to a verbal question will take the form of either:
- a direct verbal answer; or
- if the information required is not immediately available a written answer will be sent to the questioner [no later than 20 working days in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act].
A record of all verbal questions asked, and the Trust’s response, will be included in the minutes of the meeting for public record.
When raising a verbal question, members of the public are asked to note:
- When asking a question, to introduce themselves and declare whether they are attending as a representative of any group.
- To enable as many attendees to ask a question or make a comment each attendee is restricted to asking just one question or comment. This may be increased at the discretion of the Chair.
- The Chair reserves the right not to respond to questions or comments which relate to issues which are the subject of current confidential discussions or legal action or any other matter at their discretion.
- The time available for questions or comments should not prejudice the proper and timely conduct of the meeting.
Exclusions
4.1Written questions may be rejected and verbal questions need not be answered when the Chair considers that they:
- are not on any matter that is within the powers and duties of the Trust;
- are defamatory, frivolous or offensive; or
- are substantially the same as a question that has been put to a meeting of the Trust Board in the past six months; or
- would require the disclosure of confidential or exempt information; or
- relate to individual patient care or an individual staff member.
