The Trust Board

The Trust Board has overall responsibility for the activity, integrity and strategy of the Trust. It is accountable through its chairman to the South Central Strategic Health Authority and the Secretary of State for Health. Its role is largely supervisory and strategic, and it has six key functions:

to set strategic direction, define objectives and agree plans for the Trust
to monitor performance and ensure corrective action
to ensure financial stewardship
to ensure high standards of corporate and clinical governance and personal behaviour
to appoint, appraise and remunerate executives
to ensure dialogue with external bodies and the local community

It consists of the chairman, five non-executive directors, chief executive, chief operating officer, director of finance and IT, medical director and chief nurse.

The Board meets six times a year in public and holds an Annual General Meeting in September. For latest dates, see Trust Board timetable.

The chairman is responsible for the overall conduct of the Trust, for managing the Board and for appointing and reviewing the performance of the chief executive and, with her/him, of other executive directors. The chairman and chief executive have key roles in leading the external and public relationships of the Trust and in establishing the appropriate internal environment.

The non-executive directors do not have any managerial or executive responsibilities but are available to provide support, advice and skills. They are also responsible for ensuring that the concerns and interests of the public and outside world are properly integrated into decision-making and, with the chairman, for monitoring the executive management of the organisation.

The chief executive is personally responsible with the NHS chief executive as parliamentary accountable officer for ensuring that the organisation works effectively in accordance with national policy and public service values, and maintains proper financial stewardship. The chief executive is also personally accountable for clinical governance and partnerships. The chief executive is directly accountable to the Board for ensuring that its decisions are implemented.

Trust Board sub-committees

The Board has the following subcommittees: