Directors’ Report

Our Trust Board, consisting of our Chair, five Non-Executive Directors, the CEO and four Executive Director members, is the corporate decision-making body of the Trust. Being accountable for all strategic, operational, and financial decision-making, and has powers to delegate and make arrangements to exercise any of its appropriate functions through a Sub-Committee.

Our Trust Board and Sub-Committee structure during 2021 - 2022

Audit Committee

  • Auditing compliance
  • Internal/external audit
  • Financial systems
  • Internal control (standing orders, scheme of delegation, reservation of powers), BGAF
  • Risk assurance
  • Process for monitoring compliance regulation, legislation
  • Security management
  • Systems and processes
  • Annual report / account including charity
  • Declarations
  • Information governance
  • Counter fraud
  • Assurance of board sub-committees
  • Data quality and security

Remuneration and Nomination

  • Determining arrangements for remuneration, terms and conditions and performance criteria for the CEO and Executive team
  • Non-contractual payment arrangements
  • CEO and Executive Directors succession planning
  • Trust Board structure, size and composition
  • Appointments panel for executive directors

Quality Governance

  • Clinical quality, safety and effectiveness
  • Patient experience
  • Clinical audit
  • Research and innovation
  • Ethics
  • Quality account
  • CQC registration and compliance
  • Learning from experience
  • Serious incidents
  • Medicine management
  • Infection, prevention and control
  • Safeguarding
  • Mandatory clinical training
  • Private ambulance oversight

Performance and Finance

  • Delivery of objectives for finance and performance
  • Capital development
  • Quality cost improvement programmes
  • Financial statements and investments
  • Activity and performance analytics
  • Information management and technology
  • Patient Transport Service provision

Workforce

  • Culture
  • Workforce performance and development
  • Recruitment and retention
  • Vetting and barring
  • Health, safety and wellbeing
  • Employee relations casework and employee tribunals
  • Training and education
  • OFSTED compliance
  • Gender pay gap
  • Equality Act compliance
  • Workforce Race Equality Standards
  • Workforce Disability Standards

Transformation

  • Programme and project management
  • Strategy development oversight
  • Programme delivery
  • Sustainable transformation plan progression in line with the NHS Long Term Plan
  • Strategy progression assurance
  • Digital strategy progression
  • Estates, Fleet, Make Ready strategy suite progression

People Engagement

  • Patient and public involvement
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Staff engagement and inclusion
  • Vision and values assurance
  • Accessible information standards
  • Staff survey

 

Our Board and Sub-Committee Evaluation

The Board and its sub-committees review their effectiveness formally on a yearly basis through an approved evaluation process. Within the 2021- 2022 year, the effectiveness reviews were undertaken in February and reported to Board in March 2022. Development plans were prepared to address the findings from the committee reviews.

In accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, the Board holds its meeting in public every other month. The agenda and reports for the Board are published on the website and available to the public ahead of the meeting. 

Board Member Declarations of Interest for 2021 - 2022

Name and Position

 

Declaration of Interests

Board Term of Office

From

To

Nicola Scrivings
Trust Chair

Chair of Cambridge Housing Society Limited (CHS) Group – (Ceased September 2021
Independent Lay member – Health and Care Professions Council Remuneration Committee (ceased September 2021)
Volunteer and member of Council Nominations Panel for Youth Hostel Association (YHA) (ceased October 2021)

18/11/2019

17/11/2022

Alison Wigg

Non-Executive Director

Partner works for BT - Trust Supplier


Chair of Strategic Digital Investment and Assurance Board for Suffolk and North East Essex

15/01/2018

14/01/2024

Carolan Davidge
Non-Executive Director

Sole Director - Carolan Davidge Ltd
Trustee Arthur Rank Hospice
Independent Board Member at Samphire Homes

04/07/2019

03/06/2022

Julie Thallon
Associate Non-Executive Director

Owner and Director - Meraki interim Solutions
Associate Director of Quality - Bristol North Somerset and Gloucester CCG (ceased September 2021)
Interim Practice Development and Management Support - Cromer Group Practice - Norfolk
Trustee and Interim Deputy Chair- The Patients Association

04/01/2021

03/01/2024

Mrunal Sisodia
Non-Executive Director

Director and Co-Chair- National network of Parent Cover Forums
Steering Group member for Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum
Self-employed - Management Consultant

01/05/2020

30/04/2023

Neville Hounsome
Non-Executive Director

Member - NHS Pay review Body
Independent Lay member – Health and Care Professions Council Remuneration Committee
Board member - Samphire Homes
Self employed as HR Consultant includes interview panels for Kings College Group
0 hours associate with Chameleon People Solutions
Associate with Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH)

Associate Gatenby Sanderson

10/07/2019

09/07/2024

Wendy Thomas
Non-Executive Director

Magistrate for the North Essex Bench
Safeguarding Adult Reviewer - Essex County Council
Vaccinator – Essex Partnership University Trust

04/07/2019

03/07/2023

Kiran Mahil
Associate on-Executive Director

Senior Position - Nationwide

01//04/2021

31/03/2024

Victoria Corbishley
Associate Non-Executive Director

Director of Health and Local Crisis Response - Red Cross
Trustee and Vice Chair - Brandon Centre

01/02/2021

30/01/2024

Tom Abell
Chief Executive Officer

Deputy Chair and Trustee of National Aids Manual (NAM) Aidsmap

02/08/2021

 

Juliet Beal

Director of Nursing

(interim)

Nil

4/11/2020

03/05/2022

Kevin Smith
Director of Finance

Nil

 

 

 

01/06/2014

 

Marcus Bailey
Chief Operating Officer

Nil

 

 

01/03/2019

 

Marika Stephenson
Director of People Services

 

Enterprise advisor - strategic support schools on careers (role approved prior to commencement)

01/12/2021

 

Melissa Dowdeswell

Director of Nursing

Nil

08/03/2022

 

Simon Walsh
Medical Director (interim)

 

Clinical Lead at Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust
Deputy Chair of British Medical Association’s UK Consultants Committee

Consultant in Emergency Medicine – Barts Health

01/12/2021

 

Tom Davis

Acting CEO/Medical Director

Board member, Hertfordshire Independent Living Service (HILS, social enterprise)

Retainer of GP status at Wendover Health Centre

Club Secretary - Mursley United FC

 

02/02/2018

02/08/2021

Bob Champion
Director of Workforce

(interim)

 

Nil

08/04/2021

14/12/2021

Board/Sub-Committee composition and membership attendance 2021 – 2022

Membership and Attendance 

Public

Board Formal Meeting 

Private

 Board Formal Meeting

Audit Committee 

Performance and Finance Committee 

Workforce Committee 

Quality Governance Committee 

Remuneration and Terms of Service Committee 

People Engagement Committee 

Transformation 

 Committee 

Chair

Nicola Scrivings 

 Mrunal Sisodia 

  Julie Thallon 

Neville Hounsome 

 Wendy Thomas 

 Alison Wigg 

Carolan Davidge 

Alison Wigg 

 

 

 

Executive Lead

Chief Executive Officer

Director of Finance

Chief Operating Officer/ Director of Finance

Director of Workforce

Director of Nursing/  Medical Director

Chief Executive Officer

Director of Workforce

Director of Finance

Nicola Scrivings 

6/6

12/12

 

 

 

 

7/7

 

 

Alison Wigg  

 

5/6

11/12

 

 

6/7

 

7/7

 

4/4

Carolan Davidge 

 

6/6

12/12

5/5

6/6

 

 

7/7

3/4

 

Julie Thallon 

 

6/6

11/12

 

5/6

6/7

 

6/7

 

4/4

Mrunal Sisodia 

 

6/6

11/12

5/5

 

 

6/7

5/7

 

¾

Neville Hounsome 

 

5/6

11/12

 

 

7/7

 

6/7

4/4

 

Wendy Thomas 

6/6

11/12

4/5

 

 

7/7

7/7

4/4

 

Tom Abell

5/5

8/8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bob Champion

5/5

8/8

 

 

5/5

 

 

2/2

 

Juliet Beal

5/6

9/12

 

 

 

5/6

 

 

 

Kevin Smith

6/6

11/12

4/5

4/6

 

 

 

 

4/4

Marika Stephenson

3/3

5/5

 

 

2/2

 

 

1/1

 

Marcus Bailey

5/6

10/12

 

5/6

 

7/7

 

 

 

Melissa Dowdeswell

1/1

1/1

 

 

 

1/1

 

 

 

Simon Walsh

3/3

5/5

 

 

 

2/2

 

 

 

Tom Davis

3/4

6/6

 

 

 

2/4

 

 

 

 

As far as I am aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the Trust’s auditors are unaware, and I have taken all the steps that I ought to have taken to make myself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the entity’s auditors are aware of that information.

To the best of my knowledge and belief, I have properly discharged the responsibilities set out in the NHS Foundation Trust Accounting Officer Memorandum.

Tom Abell

Chief Executive Officer

 

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