Membership

Members will be appointed to advise the trustees on CLEFT’s international activity. They will be appointed for 3 years in the first instance subject to renewal.

It is intended that membership will reflect the disciplines involved in the care of patients with cleft lip and palate and related conditions, including anaesthesia.

The Chair and Vice-chair will be trustees.

Apart from the Chair and Vice-chair,  trustee members of the committee can vote only once – either in the committee meeting or the trustees’ meeting.

Other trustees may attend the meetings as non-voting members

Quorum for meetings

A quorum should be 50% of voting members plus 1. The chair and vice-chair are part of the quorum

Voting

Voting will be by majority.

Role and responsibilities of members

Members will advise trustees on matters concerning the second charitable objective of CLEFT as registered with the Charity Commission:

2) TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF PEOPLE AFFECTED BY CLEFT LIP AND PALATE AND RELATED CONDITIONS THROUGH THE PROVISION OF  SUPPORT, EDUCATION, PRACTICAL ADVICE AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO CLINICAL WORKING IN LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES AS DETERMINED BY THE WORLD BANK LIST OF ECONOMIES (OR EQUIVALENT) FROM TIME TO TIME.

This will include:

1. Advising the trustees on the best use of undesignated overseas funds.
2. Building on a database of international projects. 
3. Encouraging the development of new international projects.
4. Ensuring that all projects supported by CLEFT are in line with the CLEFT International ethos (below).
5. Advising on the development of projects and, in particular, that they become multi-disciplinary. 
6. Disseminating lessons learned.
7. Developing projects for remote teaching and sharing with centres supported by CLEFT.
8. Encouraging the development of research in the supported centres.
9. Ensuring that each project has a realistic plan for fund-raising
10. Following the progress of projects.
11. Assisting with the monitoring of spending on projects if required.
12. Advising on the appropriate use of funds if, for some reason, projects cannot continue. 

The ethos of CLEFT

• Costs will be kept low.
• UK clinicians visit as the guests of the overseas centre.
• The local team set the agenda.
• Visitors work with the team and do not 'take over'.
• There will be no big 'missions' except for teaching.
• CLEFT supported centres will be in training centres – preferably government hospitals
• Multi-disciplinary team care is a priority.
• CLEFT will support the development of paediatric anaesthesia.
• Long-term care will be encouraged.
• Outcome measurement will be supported.
• Training will be the priority.
• CLEFT will aim to provide necessary equipment and facilities.
• Collaborative research will be encouraged.
• The aim will be independence of the overseas centre – in 5 years if possible

Mode of working

It is planned that most meetings of the steering group will be held remotely, arranged by the Chair and as frequently as required – perhaps 4 monthly initially approximately 2 weeks before the trustees’ meeting.

If possible, one meeting per year will be face-to-face, perhaps at the time of the annual meeting of the Craniofacial Society of Great Britain and Ireland