Governance Conference 2023
Tuesday 11 July | Grand Connaught Rooms, London, WC2B 5DA
boards in times of challenge and change
Our governance conference returned this year on Tuesday 11 July, at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London. A free, in-person event, we explored the role of trust boards in governance and making the duty to co-operate a reality.
We considered how boards prioritise and retain oversight, and seek improvement, while addressing the dilemmas of competing demands for scarce resources in times of change. The conference also stressed the need to build common cultures between organisations as well as dealing with some of the nuts and bolts of the board role in collaboration and when grappling with sustained challenges at home.
Why attend Governance Conference?
Our Governance conference is a unique experience and the only one of its kind in the sector. Primarily aimed at chairs, chief executives, company secretaries and non-executive directors, the conference is an opportunity to:
- hear from high profile speakers on topics that matter to you
- meet members within the sector who are committed to improving governance
- network with your peers in our first in-person governance conference since 2019
- gain a depth of guidance and information that you won't find anywhere else.
"A great opportunity to refresh your thinking, learn from others and network with peers." - Previous delegate
Follow #Governance23 for all the latest updates.
Programme
09.50
Registration, refreshments, and showcase
10.20
Welcome and introduction
Welcome and introduction
Sir Ron Kerr will welcome delegates to our first face-to-face Governance Conference since 2019.
Chair
Sir Ron Kerr
10.30
Plenary One
Systems and governing under sustained pressure
NHS Providers chief executive Julian Hartley opened the conference with NHS England's director of provider development, Miranda Carter to provide their policy perspectives in the context of system working. The session included key themes that are emerging around good governance in systems, and areas of focus for NHS England.
Chair
Sir Ron Kerr
11.15
Plenary Two
Reading the signals: developing ‘problem-sensing’ boards
This session focused on the challenges of accessing, collating and making use of various sources of intelligence about the quality and safety of healthcare in provider organisations, including the question of how to 'read the signals', the role of the board, and the challenges and opportunities posed by integration. In particular the session discussed:
- The challenges of assurance and prospective identification of possible problems of quality and safety, and what indicators are available that offer valid sources of knowledge about the state of healthcare organisations.
- The range of behaviours and dispositions found among boards and other groups of leaders in healthcare organisations and elsewhere, and what is important in creating a 'problem-sensing' culture
- Specific approaches to generating, collating and making sense of information about quality, safety and behaviour, and the evidence bases behind them.
- What actions board members might take to gain assurance or direct concern, including both the specific opportunities offered by different types of board role, and work to routinise and support vigilance, constructive challenge and openness across the organisation.
Chair
Sir Ron Kerr
Speaker
Professor Graham Martin
12.00
Refreshments, networking, exhibition and showcase
12.25
Breakout sessions
Making collaboration happen
Based on extensive work with provider collaboratives, this session explored the legal and policy framework for collaboration, evaluated the various available models, discussed how to overcome barriers and the factors that appear to make collaboration work. Considerations for provider boards around accountabilities, liabilities, decision-making and conflicts were also be set out along with examples of ways of working in different forms of collaborative from across the country.
Chair
Manjeet Gill
Working together on improvement
Featuring a representative from NHS England's improvement team in conversation with experienced chief executives, this session explored the regulator's aspirations to 'work with' when seeking organisational improvement. The chief executives also shared their own innovative, provider-driven approaches to improvement.
Chair
David Williams
Managing conflicts of interest in the context of system working
The Health and Care Act 2022 means that directors of NHS foundation trusts and NHS trusts may have multiple roles: trust directors may also be a partner member of an integrated care board (ICB). In these cases, the director will have duties to the relevant foundation trust or trust and, at the same time, to the ICB. In most cases, these duties will be aligned. In theory, though, it’s possible that these duties conflict. This session explored directors’ duties in the context of system working, including for foundation trust/trust ICB partner members, and suggested approaches to minimise perceived and material conflicts of interest.
Chair
Miriam Deakin
Joined-up risk management
A discussion of the theory and practice of risk management within systems, including determining risk appetite, transferral of risk between organisations, and the challenges of dynamic risk assessment within systems (for example around patient pathways).
Chair
Natalie McMillian
13.20
Lunch break, networking, exhibition and showcase
14.20
Plenary Three
Boards under sustained pressure
How should boards prioritise, strategise, retain oversight, manage risk, motivate the workforce and keep them and their patients safe, we well as make improvements under the current pressures and when there is again much change in the NHS? Our panel discussed the present challenges and opportunities for boards, drawing on their own experiences and the shared experiences of board members from across the NHS in England.
Chair
Sir Ron Kerr
15.20
Refreshment break
15.45
Breakout sessions 2
Building the right board
Our panel discussed the importance of sustained effort to build an effective board. Questions explored included:
- What are the values and behaviours required and how to we recruit for them and sustain them?
- How do we build an appropriate diversity of perspective and experience to achieve representation and facilitate effective decision-making and challenge?
- And ultimately, what is the 'right' board, and how do we know whether we have it?
Chair
Dr Farah Jameel
Effective and legal delegations
Advice and Q&A session on legal powers of delegation. This session set out the statutory context and underpinning, defining delegation in a system context and contrasting this with conferral of discretions, and included discussion of factors applicable to group models. We also considered the risks and benefits of using new powers of delegation once available.
Chair
Gilbert George
Making time for strategy
The pressures on boards mean their focus and bandwidth is stretched, and it can be challenging to find time to focus on anything but immediate pressures and demands. Equally, it will be important for boards to develop and sustain a clear sense of their own direction of travel beyond the short-term, enabling effective planning and also meaningful conversations with system partners. This breakout will explore the benefits of making time for strategy and introduce tips and tools to support this.
Speaker
Laurie McMahon
Provider collaboration: exploring a federated model
This session covered the genesis, structure, relationships, and decision-making within an established provider collaborative. West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT) was established in 2016 and brings together six acute trusts to work on projects and programmes of mutual interest and patient benefit, while maintaining individual organisational oversight, autonomy and flexibility. With ample opportunity for questions, their director and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust company secretary Jo Bray, explored their views of the key success factors behind WYAAT's work to improve patient care in West Yorkshire and Harrogate.
Chair
Hattie Llewelyn-Davies
16.40
Conference close
16.40
Drinks reception, networking, exhibition and showcase
Drinks reception (supported by Hunter Healthcare)
Join us post-conference for an opportunity to network with peers and further explore our conference exhibition and showcase.
We would like to thank Hunter Healthcare who will be sponsoring our drinks reception.
Speakers
Dal Babu
Chair, The Seacole Group and Non-Executive Director, Islington NHS Foundation Trust
Dal served for over 30 years in the Metropolitan Police and is the former borough commander of Harrow. He was the first chair of the National Association of Muslim Police. He has extensive board level experience in policing, international development, sport bodies, community safety, child and adult safeguarding. In 2010, Dal was awarded an OBE for services to the police and communities. He is a trustee for a School Academy, Quentin Blake Centre, Artichoke, Comedy School and Safeguarding advisor to Middlesex County Cricket Club. Dal continues to work with police forces across the UK.
Jo Bray
Company Secretary, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Matt Carter
Principal Consultant, Mutual Ventures
Miranda Carter
Director of Provider Development, NHS England
Miranda also acts as the shareholder representative on the board of Supply Chain Co-ordination Limited - a management function within the NHS supply chain focussed.
Prior, Miranda was the director of assessment at Monitor, the independent regulator of NHS foundation trusts (FTs), responsible for the development and implementation of the assessment process supporting the FT policy.
A qualified chartered accountant, Miranda started her career at Deloitte, joining PWC in 1997, spending four years in the Transaction Services Department. Her portfolio of financial experience includes mergers and acquisitions, due diligence and initial public offerings.
Lucy Cole
Director, West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT)
Miriam Deakin
Director of Policy and Strategy, NHS Providers
Miriam is currently leading our programme of work on sustainability and transformation partnerships and accountable care to inform our influencing activities on trusts’ behalf and ensure we are offering the support that trusts and their partners need to deliver new, collaborative arrangements.
Miriam started her career as a graduate trainee in local government, working in social care and for the Local Government Association before joining NHS Providers.
Christian Dingwall
Partner, Browne Jacobson
Jenni Douglas-Todd
Chair, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
In 2012, Jenni became chief executive and monitoring officer for the Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner and took on the role of investigating committee chair for the General Dental Council in 2014 and, in April that year, founded the Diversa Consultancy.
Jenni is also a member of the Judicial Conduct Investigating Office and has had other significant roles including chair of the of the Dorset Integrated Care System (ICS) in February 2020, held the role of non-executive director, deputy chair and senior independent director at UHS, director of quality and inclusion with NHS England in 2020 and in July 2022, Jenni became chair of University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.
Peter Edwards
Partner, Capsticks LLP
Capsticks
Gilbert George
Director of Corporate Governance, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
A focussed and driven executive with a track record of success, described by Professor Andrew Colbert (chief executive of the Good Governance Institute) as; “A leading governance influencer with an engaging approach that binds cutting edge intellectual thinking with a winning of hearts and minds; firmly placing governance as the bedrock for organisations striving to be outstanding; skilled in providing proactive policy advice to governors, chairs, trust boards and fellow executives in the NHS.”
David Gibson
Senior Associate, McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Manjeet Gill
Chair and Board Director, Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes NHS Integrated Care Board and Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
She is currently a board member of the Bedford Luton and Milton Keynes ICB, chairing the People and Communities Committee and Voluntary Sector Strategy Forum. She is also a board member of an acute trust, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Steve Hams
Chief Nursing Officer, North Bristol NHS Trust
Sir Julian Hartley
Chief Executive, NHS Providers
Fiona Howgego
Managing Director, South East London Acute Provider Collaborative
Her experience has shown her the importance of bringing systems to work together in new ways and she deeply believes in the value of collaboration within the NHS to drive improvement.
Dr Farah Jameel
Non-Executive Director, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust
Having lived in UAE and India, she has experience in national and international healthcare systems. She draws on her clinical experience to influence health policy, strategy, and implementation. She is passionate about the use of technology and data to improve patient outcomes.
Robert Kurau
Board Risk Advisor, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Caroline Kurzeja
National Director of Intensive Support and Delivery, NHS England
Sir Ron Kerr
Chair
NHS Providers
Olivia King
Deputy Director WRES, NHS England
Olivia is passionate about human rights advocacy, quality improvement for patient care, reducing avoidable health inequalities and embedding evidence-based anti-discriminatory processes in organisational structures. Olivia has experience on the board of the National Association for Patient Participation and regularly designs and supports boards with equality strategy, governance, transformation and culture programmes. In her free time she volunteers as a mentor and coach of university students and also delivers human rights awareness sessions for third sector organisations aimed at improving service user experience, care and outcomes.
Hattie Llewelyn-Davies
Chair, Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
Before joining the NHS, Hattie was a chief executive in the housing sector. Hattie chairs Eastlight Community Homes, a housing association based in Essex and works with a wide range of housing organisations on governance, strategy and resident involvement.
Professor Graham Martin
Director of Research, THIS Institute, University of Cambridge
Laurie McMahon
Director, The Realisation Collaborative
Natalie McMillian
Managing Director, McMillan and Associates
Dr Mike More
Chair, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Linda Nash
Group Chair, LiveWest Homes Ltd.
As chair of Knightstone Housing, Linda led the board to merge with Devon and Cornwall Homes in March 2018, taking over as chair of the newly merged LiveWest Homes Ltd. In addition to housing, Linda has many years’ experience of leading and working with a diverse range of boards in key areas such as the development of strategy, governance, risk management and delivering results. Past and present roles include chair of audit for Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust, chair of King’s Schools, chair of Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, chair of North Somerset Community Partnership and member of the supervisory board of the European Institute for Governance Awards.
Anton Obholzer
Deputy Director ICS Policy and Partnerships, NHS England
He has undertaken a range of system policy roles at NHS England, building on his experience of working as an operational manager and in Whitehall.
Kawan Patel
Deputy Director - Provider Policy, NHS England
Michael Rourke
Partner, Hempsons
Hempsons
Allied to his work on contractual arrangements, Michael advises integrated care systems and NHS trusts on service reconfigurations, decommissioning and changes to services.
Daniel Scheffer
Company Secretary, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Following a successful career in high street and private banking in the UK, and further afield, Daniel chose to make the move into the civil service. From an initial role in the NHS South-East regional office he moved into a number of roles in Whitehall. These included working in the private office of a number of Health Ministers and latterly as the Ambulance Policy lead for England. His time in Whitehall was pivotal in cementing his desire to work in the NHS.
Daniel took on challenging operational roles in the NHS in Cumbria, gradually building expertise in organisational governance. He left the NHS in Cumbria as a trusted Company Secretary, with a strong track record of supporting organisational culture change and collaboration at scale.
His previous experience of building high performing and happy teams is something he seeks to bring to his role at LUHFT and across the wider system. People are what make the NHS, and whilst it may be a cliche, there is no 'I' in Team.
David Williams
Head of Policy and Strategy, NHS Providers
Nicola Wise
Interim Director of Secondary and Specialist Care, Care Quality Commission
Care Quality Commission
Showcase
As part of our Governance Conference, we also be hosted our Governance showcase. The showcase is an opportunity for trusts to submit case studies of their best practice in governance and for them to share their work at our conference as part of our exhibition.
This year's showcase winners were:
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
- Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
- Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
- South West Provider Collaborative
- Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
- University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS GrouP
To learn more about our winners' case studies, please visit our showcase page.
Sponsorship
We'd like to thank our drinks reception sponsor Hunter Healthcare for joining us at this year's Governance Conference. Hunter Healthcare are recruitment company who specialise in health, placing high quality, qualified candidates into the right positions.
If you would like to learn more about the services Hunter Healthcare offers to NHS trusts, visit their website to learn more.
EXHIBITORS
We would like to thank our exhibitors for joining at this year's Governance Conference. If you would like to learn more about the products and services that they offer to NHS trusts, do view their profiles below and visit their websites to learn more.
BD
BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company develops innovative technology, services and solutions that help advance both clinical therapy for patients and clinical process for health care providers. BD has 65,000 employees and a presence in virtually every country around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. BD helps customers enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase efficiencies, improve safety and expand access to health care.
Twitter: @BDandCo
www.bd.com/en-us
Browne Jacobson
Browne Jacobson are legal experts working together with health and social care providers, commissioners and regulators. Our experience across the private and public sectors means we understand your rapidly changing environment. Our clients choose and stay with us because of our extensive sector knowledge, accessible advice, progressive approach to making legal services easier for our clients and our commitment to delivering exceptional service as our standard.
With a large team of healthcare solicitors operating nationwide, you can rely on us whether you need assistance on a national or local scale. We’re sure our specialist, pragmatic and bespoke healthcare legal advice will help you to achieve the results you are looking for.
Twitter: @brownejacobson
www.brownejacobson.com/health
Capsticks LLP
Capsticks is a leading UK law firm providing specialist legal advice to the health, housing, regulatory and social care sectors. For over 40 years Capsticks has worked with the NHS, providing specialist full-service legal advice, so they truly understand the unique challenges and opportunities that trusts face. They advise on some of the most ground-breaking, high-value and politically sensitive cases across a vast range of practice areas including employment, procurement, real estate and litigation. Like the organisations they represent, making a positive impact on people's lives is important to them, and the work they do means just that. Capsticks pride themselves on being world-class in their services, taking a commercial approach and treating all clients, employees and stakeholders with kindness and respect.
Twitter: @CAPSTICKSLLP
www.capsticks.com/our-expertise/nhs-healthcare
Hempsons
Hempsons, a specialist health and social care law firm working across the public, private and third sectors, act for over 200 NHS organisations nationwide on strategic and operational issues including integrated care, collaborations, STPs, service reconfigurations, estates projects and workforce. Hempsons continue to support their NHS trust clients through the COVID-19 pandemic and have worked with NHS Providers on a joint publication COVID-19: Key legal considerations arising from the pandemic, which looks at the legal liabilities that are likely to arise due to the environment created by the pandemic and suggests ways in which trust boards could respond.
Twitter: @hempsonslegal
www.hempsons.co.uk
Hunter Healthcare
Hunter Healthcare is an award winning resourcing business that places people at the epicentre of healthcare. Where disciplines, geography and potential intersect, we match the future of the industry with the people who'll build it.
SCW
Recovering and restoring services, the changing needs of populations, squeezed budgets, a workforce that’s struggling to cope with demand. These are just some of the many challenges keeping you up at night. SCW know that, more than ever, you need support to find solutions to your pinch-points. As an NHS organisation bringing together some of the brightest and best in health and social care, SCW is perfectly placed to help you define your issues and co-design solutions. As partners, we’ll support you at every step of your journey to overcome the pandemic pressures and ultimately, to help you provide the best possible care to people.
Twitter: @NHSscw
www.scwcsu.nhs.uk
Get in touch
If you have any questions or concerns, please do get in touch with our events team.