Who knew what? Assurance and reassurance | 19 September 2023

At GGI's September health and care leader’s webinar, the topic of discussion will focus on ‘Who knew what? Assurance and reassurance.’

The event is taking place on Tuesday 19 September, from 08.30 to 09.30 and will be run virtually on Zoom.

Our special guests will be Sir Keith Willett CBE, FRCS, FRCS(Ed), Professor of Trauma Surgery, Oxford University, Huw Morris, Honorary Professor of Tertiary Education at the Institute of Education, University College London, and Liz Butler, Chair of Audit Committee, Royal British Legion.

In the aftermath of any sort of crisis, large or small, comes the inevitable scrutiny: “Who knew what? When did they know about it? What did they do about what they knew? If they didn’t know, why didn’t they know?" Being on the receiving end of these questions is rarely a pleasant experience and yet every member of every board in every sector has the prospect of being confronted by them at some time.

Most people recognise that assurance is a critical feature of good governance and well-performing organisations. It is more than a by-product of governance, it is specific activity at the heart of good governance and one that carries a required skillset. Despite being increasingly crucial to the effective function of any modern board, assurance rarely features explicitly in the many lists of key duties of a board, and it is not uncommon for the word to be conspicuously absent from many role descriptions.

In this session, we will take a very practical look at assurance and reassurance and the role they have in governance and how board members can develop a better understanding of their role in relation to the organisations they serve

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

We will be joined by:

Professor Sir Keith Willett CBE, FRCS, FRCS(Ed), Professor of Trauma Surgery, Oxford University

With 42 years in the NHS, Keith has extensive experience of trauma and emergency care, healthcare management and service transformation across many countries.

In 1994, Keith co-founded the consultant-resident Oxford Trauma Service and in 2003 the Kadoorie Centre for Critical Care Research in Oxford. In 2008 he became the first National Clinical Director for Trauma charged with improving hip fracture patient care and establishing regional major trauma centres and networks. By 2012 both reorganisations were credited with marked improvements in patient care and survival.

He also deployed as a civilian to support aeromedical repatriation in Afghanistan and Libya during the conflicts. Then, as Medical Director for Acute Services for NHS England, he had national responsibilities ranging from ambulance services, emergency departments, urgent surgery, acute medicine, armed forces veterans, and national major incidents. He led the NHS urgent and emergency care Keogh Review and Ambulance Response Programme.

Keith was NHS National Director for Emergency Planning and Incident Response and, from 2018-2020 as Strategic Commander, he prepared the NHS to leave the EU. From January 2020, as Strategic Incident Director, he led the NHS response to the coronavirus pandemic. Keith is now Chair of South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

He has presented research, and taught surgery and health leadership internationally. He was awarded a CBE in 2016 and knighted in 2021 for services to the NHS. He was a Queen’s appointment as Honorary Air Commodore to RAuxAF 4626 aeromedical squadron from 2019.

Huw Morris, Honorary Professor of Tertiary Education at the Institute of Education, University College London

Between 2013 and 2022, Huw was Director of Skills, Higher Education and Lifelong Learning within the Welsh Government, where he was responsible with colleagues for the oversight of universities, colleges, apprenticeship providers, Careers Wales and government-funded education and training programmes for people over the age of 16.

Before working in Welsh Government he held academic posts in a range of universities, moving from research assistant to deputy vice chancellor over a 25 year period. Over the last 35 years he has served on three university governing bodies, four senates/academic boards and five audit, risk and assurance committees.

Huw has also been a QAA reviewer, REF panel member and team leader for UK Government major programmes reviews. He will be bringing these experiences and his involvement in UK HE policy development to the discussion of reassurance and assurance in the university sector.

Liz Butler - Chair of Audit Committee Royal British Legion

Liz is an experienced chartered accountant, chair and non-executive director. She worked for Price Waterhouse as an audit manager on a number of prestigious clients before starting her own accountancy practice, specialising in business start-ups.

She has developed a portfolio of non-executive roles, and is currently a board member and chair of the audit committee of the Regulator of Social Housing, trustee and chair of the audit committee of the Royal British Legion, non-executive director of Connect Health Ltd, chair of the audit and risk committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and independent member of the governance, risk and audit committees of the Bar Standards Board and the GMC.

Liz’s previous roles include chair of Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust, Bromley PCT and Queen Mary’s Sidcup NHS Trust, board member of Hyde Housing Association and chair of its audit committee, chair of the audit committees of the Royal College of Nursing and the Electoral Commission and a member of the audit committee of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.

She is a founder member of the University of Exeter alumnae group, supporting female graduates through their professional careers, she has mentored several BAME managers on the NHS Next Director programme and regularly coaches and mentors aspiring non-executive directors.