Meeting regularly in public, the Board of Directors manages the business of the Trust and is legally responsible for delivering its objectives.
The board also has a business focus, providing active leadership of the Hospital to ensure compliance with the terms of its NHS foundation trust authorisation.
All members of the board have joint responsibility for every decision it makes, regardless of their individual skills or status. Before making final decisions, the board will discuss its plans and proposals with the Council of Governors.
The role of the board includes:
- Setting targets, monitoring performance and ensuring that resources are used in the most appropriate way;
- Providing active leadership of the NHS foundation trust within a framework of prudent and effective controls, which enables risk to be assessed and managed;
- Making sure the NHS foundation trust performs in the best interests of the public, within legal and statutory requirements;
- Responsibility for ensuring the quality and safety of healthcare services, education, training and research delivered by the NHS foundation trust and applying the principles and standards of clinical governance set out by the Department of Health, the Care Quality Commission and other relevant NHS bodies;
- Being accountable for the services provided and how public funds are used, and exercising those functions effectively, efficiently and economically;
- Making sure the NHS foundation trust complies with its ‘terms of authorisation' set by Monitor;
- Having specific duties relating to audit, remuneration, clinical governance, charitable funds and risk assurance;
- Deciding the Trust's strategic direction - in consultation with the council of governors;
- Setting the Trust's values and standards of conduct and ensure that its obligations to its members, patients and other stakeholders are understood and met; and
- Working in partnership with the council of governors.