Directors’ report

Our Trust Board and Sub-Committee structure 2022-23:

• 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

• 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

• 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
• Patient involvement

• Delivery of objectives for finance and performance
• Capital development
• Quality Cost Improvement Programmes (QCIP)
• Financial statements and investments
• Activity and performance analysis
• Information management and technology
• Patient transport services provision

• Culture
• Workforce performance and development
• Recruitment and retention
• Vetting and barring
• Health, safety and wellbeing
• Employee relations casework and employment tribunals
• Training and education
• OFSTED compliance
• Gender Pay Gap
• Equality Act compliance
• Staff engagement and inclusion
• Staff survey
• Vision and values assurance

• 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

The Board and its sub-committees review their effectiveness formally on a yearly basis through an approved evaluation process. Within the 2022/23 year, the effectiveness reviews were undertaken in March and reported to the audit committee in May 2023. The effectiveness review identified many significant improvements across the Board and sub-committees, and future improvement themes were identified, supported by action plans.

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.

Voting Directors Nicola Scrivings, Trust Chair Wendy Thomas, Senior Independent Director Mrunal Sisodia, Chair of Audit Committee Alison Wigg, Chair of Transformation Committee Neville Hounsome, Chair of Quality Governance Comittee Julie Thallon, Chair of Performance and Finance Committee Tom Abell, Chief Executive Officer Kevin Smith, Director of Finance Marika Stephenson, Director of People Services Melissa Dowdeswell, Director of Nursing Marcus Bailey, Chief Operating Officer (until Aug 2022) Carolan Davidge, Chair of Remuneration Committee(Until Dec 2022)

Non-Voting Directors Dr Simon Walsh, Medical Director Emma De-Carteret, Director of Corporate Affairs and Performance Hein Scheffer, Director of Strategy, Culture and Education Kate Vaughton, Director of Integration and Deputy CEO Kiran Mahil, Associate Non-Executive Director Victoria Corbishley, Associate Non-Executive Director

EEASTs Trust Board undertook a review of the skills and expertise throughout the membership during 2022. The approach was one of self-assessment, whereby a comprehensive list of both technical knowledge and leadership qualities were listed, with Board members individually self-assessing against these criteria to give a rating as well as some qualitative rationale:

1. Limited or no experience demonstrated
2. Practitioner - developing or inconsistent demonstration
3. Expert in the area and demonstrating

The following specific areas are recognised gaps across the Board as a collective. These are the core areas where recruitment or development was required.

1. Strategic IMT experience, as well as strategic application of digital improvements.
2. Estates/Fleet/logistics/security management
3. Commercial or business development

The table below highlights the skills across the full Board.

Membership and attendance

Next page: Governance statement

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