From financial to clinical? Perceptions and conversations in NHS boardrooms

Board effectiveness is a hot topic and particularly scalding in two sectors. Firstly in financial services following the failure of bank boards to change the culture of large bonus payments; and secondly in the NHS where widespread criticism has been levelled at trust boards in the wake of several 'scandals' due to failure of clinical care quality.

This criticism has been particularly felt in the NHS in the West Midlands which has been the focus of the Stafford Hospital Inquiry. A Burdett Trust board development programme to seek improvements in patient quality, safety and experience was run within the West Midlands during 2009-10.

This report presents the findings of the IES programme evaluation study and in doing so sheds light on issues of wider interest to CEOs, chairs and board development specialists in all sectors about the engagement, governance and leadership of their boards.