13 January - Mental Health Network webinar - Governance during the COVID-19 pandemic

Overheard during the discussion about ambitions and goals for 2022:

“Our focus for this year is prioritisation, we have streamlined our strategic plan so that it includes two clear focused internal and external goals. We are also looking to ensure that any enablers/solutions work towards at least two objectives e.g. digital solutions improving access and workforce solutions. I would also like there to be a focus on partnerships, and questioning on all occasions whether this could be delivered by partners. This includes challenging business cases much further.”

“We would like to have more of a focus on business case reviews and realization, to ensure that the aims set out when a business case was approved are being achieved. We are also focusing on purpose – and driving this through the organisation.”

We strengthened our board last year, with a focus on the complexity of partnerships and system working and the need to ensure board expertise and time on this. We will be using this year to focus on our role and sovereignty, versus what it is outside our close remit and integrated into system and partnership working. We’d like to focus on developing sustainability and continuity too, as we work within an increasingly complex system.”

“We would like to focus on building inclusion into our strategy, both internal and external. If we get our approach to inclusion right it helps the workforce, as well as how service users and families are supported. Culture evolution will need to be part of this, and the values will need to be enhanced so there is a real focus on inclusion.”

“Our focus will be on how to deliver our strategy, with the same main aims, but within the changing context. We will also be focused on rebuilding our board given changes in roles over the past two years, and on changing the perception of others within the system on their role and responsibilities as an organisation. This includes being more involved in the recruitment of the system non-execs and chief executive.”

[During a discussion about the mental health network webinars can support chairs in 2022]

“It would be useful for this group to focus on the place of mental health organisations, and how we play into our ICSs and how to champion mental health in the context of national leaders whose backgrounds are not from mental health, so this perspective will be valuable.”

“A focus on inclusion and equality would be beneficial. I would also like a focus on health inequalities and what they mean to mental health and community trusts, especially around workforce and

healthcare, with an emphasis on sharing case studies and providing learning.”

These meetings are by invitation only. For further details, visit our events page.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions about these webinars, please contact: events@good-governance.org.uk