Board of directors

Overview

As an NHS foundation trust, QVH has a Board of Directors and a Council of Governors. The Board of Directors is responsible for the strategy and performance of the Trust and the Council of Governors holds the Board of Directors to account for the Trust’s performance. The Trust Chair leads both Board and Council.

Directors

The Board of Directors has six non-executive members and five executive members. Their names, roles, portraits and terms of office are set out in the biographies available on the right.

Principles

The Board of Directors in a unitary board. This means that the non-executive directors and executive directors share the same liabilities. Together, they are responsible for the effective and proactive leadership of the trust.

The QVH Board of Directors meets monthly. Meetings are held in public in alternate months. Members of the Council of Governors, foundation trust, general public and media are welcome to attend the meetings in public. Meetings are attended by the Chief People Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, and the Company Secretary.

Sub-committees

There are two statutory committees of the QVH Board of Directors:

• Audit and Risk Committee, Chaired by Paul Dillon-Robinson, Non-Executive Director. The Audit and Risk Committee meets five times a year to maintain an effective system of governance, risk management and internal control (including financial, clinical, operational and compliance controls and risk management systems). The committee is also responsible for maintaining an appropriate relationship with the trust’s auditors.
• Nomination and Remuneration Committee (N&R), Chaired by Jackie Smith, Trust Chair. The N&R Committee meets at least three times per year to review and make recommendations to the board of directors on the composition, balance, skill mix and succession planning of the board and recommendations on the appointment of executive directors. It is also responsible for setting the overall policy for the remuneration of all trust staff and it specifically authorises the remuneration packages and contractual terms for the chief executive, the executive directors and other senior managers who report directly to the chief executive.

There are four formal sub-committees of the QVH Board of Directors

• Quality and Safety Committee (Q&S), Chaired by Shaun O’Leary, Non-Executive Director. The Q&S Committee meets monthly to assure the board that all reasonable steps are being taken to manage risk and drive continuous improvement in quality and patient safety.
• Finance and Performance Committee (F&P), Chaired by Peter O’Donnell, Non-Executive Director. The F&P Committee meets bi-monthly to assure the board that all reasonable steps are being taken to ensure in year delivery of financial and performance targets and in-year delivery of the trust’s strategic objectives.
• Strategic Development Committee, Chaired by Jackie Smith, Trust Chair. The Strategic development committee meets monthly to provide strategic oversight and direction regarding the planning and development of the Trust wide organisational strategy including work relating to clinical and enabling strategies.
• QVH Charity, Chaired by Karen Norman, Non-Executive Director. The QVH Charity meets quarterly to oversee the management, investment and disbursement of the Queen Victoria Hospital (QVH) NHS Foundation Trust Charity within the regulations provided by the Charities Commission and to ensure statutory compliance. It manages the income and expenditure of a suite of general funds and supervises the expenditure and income of a suite of directorate funds.

Terms of reference for each sub-committee are available to the right.

Other responsibilities

The Board of Directors also acts as the corporate trustee of the QVH Charity and holds an annual meeting in this capacity each autumn and receives regular reports from the QVH Charity.

More information and enquiries

More information about the governance of NHS foundation trusts and boards of directors is available from the website of NHS Improvement who are responsible for overseeing foundation trusts and NHS trusts, as well as independent providers that provide NHS-funded care.  In particular, the Monitor Code of Governance sets out the best practice guidance for the governance of foundation trusts. QVH aims to be broadly compliant with the principles set out in the code.

Any queries or requests for information regarding the board of directors should be addressed to the company secretary on 01342 414362 or qvh.info@nhs.net

Page last updated: 10 June 2024