Lack of transparency in Foundation Trusts

Surrey's Health Scrutiny Committee has raised concerns about the transparency of Foundation Trusts who hold board of director's meetings in private.

A poll carried out by the Health Service Journal highlights that ‘less than a quarter of foundation trusts are holding their board of directors' meetings in public'.  Just seven of 30 foundation trusts questioned allowed the public to attend even a part of their directors' meetings. 

Foundation trusts were set up to enable greater accountability to local people.  Those foundation trusts that do hold board meetings in private are still bound by the Freedom of Information Act so the public still has access to minutes of meetings.  The Code of Governance for foundation trusts states "The board of directors should operate a code of conduct that builds on the values of the NHS foundation trust and reflect high standards of probity and responsibility. The board of directors should follow a policy of openness and transparency in its proceedings and decision making unless this conflicts with a need to protect the wider interests of the public or the NHS foundation trust (including commercial-in-confidence matters) and make clear how potential conflicts of interests are dealt with".   

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust and Medway NHS Foundation Trust both hold their board of director's meeting in private in line with their constitutions.

What do you think about NHS Foundation Trusts holding their board of directors meeting in private?

M. BERNARD
Posts: 4

Medway Maritime Hospital
Reply #6 on : Thu March 15, 2012, 12:26:36

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Re: Post on transparency.
Medway Maritime Foundation Trust Hospital DO NOT post full Mins. of Meetings online. They are edited . Anything that is detrimental to their "Caring Image" is removed before posting.
This has happened TWICE to me. Once on a Board of Directors meeting where I was invited to speak about the very poor standards of care and lack of understanding of Dementia and once on a Board of Governors meeting.

M. BERNARD
Posts: 4

TRASPARENCY
Reply #5 on : Sat October 24, 2009, 06:01:49

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The major problem is that although they are deemed RESPONSIBLE they are not ACCOUNTABLE for their actions / non-action. Until such time as they are made accountable for their actions they will continue in the same way and draw salaries way out of proportion with their responsibilities.

R Smith
Posts: 4

Transparency
Reply #4 on : Tue September 15, 2009, 07:37:34

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Members of the FT can attend part of the Board meetings and the minutes are the on the organisations website

Jonathan Duckworth
Posts: 4

Transparency or lack of
Reply #3 on : Tue August 18, 2009, 14:50:40

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Having been the subject of poor care whilst in the Medway Hospital and experienced their poor excuse for patient liaison I think that they should be made to hold their board meetings in public so that concerned members of the public can attend and monitor what is decided in our, the general public's, name.

janine
Posts: 2

Comment from Dick Bushell
Reply #2 on : Tue June 30, 2009, 12:28:25

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All board of directors meetings should be held in public. Holding them in private is not the way to get the public on your side

janine
Posts: 2

Comment received by Ray Harris (participant) via post
Reply #1 on : Thu June 18, 2009, 10:14:05

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Public Bodies should not hold their Board meetings in private. Have they got anything to hide? Full transparency and accountability should be the order of the day.

Hardly a day goes by at the moment where evidence to the contrary of openness is not illustrated by some ‘cock-up’, inefficiency, bad management and the like.

Hands on the table, everything above board I say.

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