Non-Executive Directors and systems | 19 May 2023

As part of its mission to promote good governance, GGI has been hosting facilitated virtual meetings to give NHS non-executive directors an opportunity to share their concerns, challenges and ideas as we rethink the future of health and social care.

The goal is to collectively think about the role NEDs play as part of the controlling mind of their organisations, to discuss immediate safeguarding issues and to ensure we all learn from this experience to assure better outcomes for citizens in the future. If you would like to join this meeting, please email events@good-governance.org.uk.

ABOUT:

Chair: Aidan Rave, Principal Consultant, GGI

'Non-Executive Directors and systems' in conversation with: Lynne Hunt, Trust Chair, Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust

The focus on systems precipitated by the introduction of Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in July 2022 has illustrated something of an inconvenient truth about systems thinking in the UK public sector: Just calling something a system doesn’t automatically make it a system. Systems are by their nature volatile, unpredictable, complex and uncertain and leading them requires a series of skills that don’t necessarily transfer from being an effective organisational leader.

For the last twelve months or so, we’ve been working with about half of the country’s integrated care systems as they become established. In doing this, we’ve identified perhaps the most fundamental challenge facing systems: adapting and reshaping leadership skills from organisations to systems.

Tackling this is proving to be quite a challenge and we think more time needs to be invested in understanding the role of systems thinking in leading not only ICBs, but Trusts, local authorities, charities and the myriad organisations that make up what we characterize as places.

So, in that spirit, we want to take an hour to explore with you the role of NEDs within systems and specifically how board priorities and system priorities can be best aligned to the improvement of outcomes in places.


WHO SHOULD ATTEND

This meeting is by invitation only and is open to all NHS non-executive directors, chairs and associate non-executive directors of NHS providers. Others may attend by special invitation. For further details, comments, questions and suggestions please contact: events@good-governance.org.uk.

To register for this event, please click the link below:

We hope that you will join us for what will be an interesting and insightful discussion.

Should you have any questions, please contact events@good-governance.org.uk.

Next time – save the date

The next session will be held on Friday 16 June, from 10.00 to 11.00.

Meet the contributors:

Lynne Hunt, Trust Chair, Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust

From front-line care, through clinical leadership roles and at board and system level, Lynne’s career has been dedicated to championing people experiencing mental health challenges and improving their care, treatment and opportunities available to them.

Lynne has worked relentlessly to make sure patient, service user and carer voices are not only heard, but that they are central to organisations’ decision making. Lynne’s vision is for mental health and community services to be led by those that use them, and this has driven the organisational and cultural changes within the organisations she has led.

Lynne’s four decades of public service have been within NHS mental health services. She began as nurse in Dorset, before moving to London where she rose to Director of Nursing and Deputy Chief Executive at East London NHS Foundation Trust. Lynne returned to the south, becoming Vice-Chair of Dorset Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, before joining Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust in 2017 as Chair.

Lynne joined Southern Health at a time when the organisation was facing unprecedented challenge and scrutiny. In five years, she has overseen significant improvements to culture and practice and in January 2020 the trust was awarded an improved CQC rating of ‘Good’ for the first time in its history. Lynne has also beenpivotal in ensuring that mental health is seen as a priority in the local health and care system, pushing for parity of esteem and resources as part of an overall population health improvement approach.

Chaired by:

Aidan Rave, Principal Consultant, GGI

Aidan focuses on supporting senior leaders to make better decisions through both individual and board-wide coaching, reviews, advisory and challenge. He is an expert in culture change, organisational design and developing corporate strategy and specialises in performance turnaround and optimisation.

As a former chief executive, elected member and advisor, Aidan has a broad and very practical insight into the workings of local government and the critical importance of effective governance at the heart of high-performing organisations.

He has also been a corporate-level director of two national charities, a senior civil servant within DHSC and UKHSA and a senior consultant within a big four environment. He has held several high profile non-executive positions including the Regional Development Agency, Yorkshire Forward, and the Improvement & Development Agency for Local Government. He is currently a non-executive director of the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West (BOB) Integrated Care Board.

At GGI, Aidan focuses on board development and facilitation, with a particular emphasis on Integrated Care Boards, organisational design and senior level coaching and development.

Aidan holds a degree in Social Sciences, an MSc in human resources management and an MBA. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Outside of work Aidan is an enthusiastic cook and keen cyclist.