NHS trusts should be more open about board performance, says report

NHS trusts should be more open about board performance, says report:

Review concludes that trusts must use annual reports to give a 'much more rounded articulation' of where they are
NHS trusts need to be more open about the performance of their boards and board members, according to a new study.
Few NHS organisations included details on how performance was measured in their annual reports, the review by business and financial advisory firm Grant Thornton found.
When asked how much explanation was given of how the board, committee and directors are evaluated for their performance, 56% of trusts (not including foundation trusts and primary care trusts) said none at all.
Paul Hughes, public sector governance lead at Grant Thornton, said: "More than half are not saying anything about how they are evaluating their own effectiveness. That can't be right. These are public bodies spending public money. There's a duty for them to take more care and ensure proper, good-quality descriptions in their annual reports."
With trusts having to make tough and sometimes unpopular decisions, they should be using the annual report to give explanations and to outline the challenges they are facing, said Hughes.
They need to give a "much more rounded articulation" of where they are and where they are going, he said.
The review surveyed 60 NHS leaders, including chief executives, finance directors and audit committee chairs, and looked at the reports of 100 NHS trusts from 2011-12. It did find that there had been a slight improvement in NHS governance reporting from 2010-11, with foundation trusts making particular progress.
However, Hughes said: "What hasn't necessarily improved is the quality of the disclosure."
The review also revealed concern about the readiness and effectiveness of clinical commissioning group boards, with just 20% of respondents thinking they are fit to launch.
Just over a third of NHS leaders said there was room for improvement in their trust's corporate structures in ensuring clear lines of accountability. And 67% of respondents felt it was the chief executive, rather than the chair, who set the tone of governance.
"Trust and confidence in public bodies is high on the public agenda at the moment and transparent, effective governance is particularly important for the NHS over the next few years," said Bill Upton, head of healthcare at Grant Thornton. "Good governance has an impact on the quality of care given to patients; it inspires confidence that public money is being wisely invested and supports and protects clinicians in their decisions.
Upton adds: "There are positive signs that NHS trusts are strengthening annual reporting, benefiting from non-executive expertise and championing gender diversity. However, there is a real need to prepare for new commissioning models." Guardian