UCLH News Issue 17 Spring 2010 V5 LRes 190410 - University ...

Welcome
Editors Welcome I am delighted to bring you this special edition of UCLH NEWS, in
which I interview the Chairman Peter Dixon and Chairman-Elect Richard Murley. I am also pleased
to report that the governors reappointed Jane Ramsey and Sue Atkinson as non-executive
directors, who will work alongside Richard Murley on the Board. Richard, with whom I worked
closely when he recently chaired the quality and safety committee, has made a significant
contribution strongly representing the patients’ interest and I look forward to this continuing when
he takes the reins as Chairman. This is also the election edition! – of course I mean for governors
and not MPs - and I would encourage all members to vote - you may also like to consider becoming
a governor yourself. In this edition we feature the work of governors and tell you something about what
motivated them to get involved. Tricia Pank, Patient Governor
Tricia Goes Face to Face with the Chairmen!
Sir Peter Dixon is leaving
in June after a highly
successful term as Chairman. I
chatted to him in his office
overlooking the impressive UCH
Hospital. Peter has been Chairman
since 2001 and the first Chairman
of UCLH FT. He was also the first
local resident to become a
member, saying this he reached for his wallet and
proudly showed me his membership card number
001! Members and governors alike owe a lot to Peter
and his style of leadership - when asked about his
strategic vision he said “I’m not a great one for
strategy but when we achieved FT status in 2004
and established the Members’ Council (now
Governing Body) I did have a vision of using the
Governing Body to make the Trust more responsive
to patient needs, I think we have achieved that”. The
introduction of members and elected governors has
required greater openness and accountability from
the Trust. Peter continued “I am very proud of what
the Governing Body has achieved - we have found
effective ways of working together, striking a balance
between what governors and the Board do to ensure
we get real value and patients get real benefit from
governor involvement. There was some scepticism
in the early days as to whether FTs would work; there
is general acceptance now that the governors
through the knowledge they bring to the Trust have
brought us closer to our patients - it is about respect
and trust and building good working relationships”.
Peter wants his legacy to be fully involved governors
– many of the current governors have been on the
Governing Body since 2004 and will be leaving in the
next two years. He said “It is really important they
hand over the mantle to new governors who can
continue their excellent work.” He finished by saying
“membership is part of being an active citizen; this is
to be encouraged.”
On behalf of the Trust and its members, I thank
Peter for everything he has done; his leadership,
humanity and openness will leave a lasting legacy
for the Trust. 001 a hard act to follow!
R
ichard
Murley who was
appointed by the Governing
Body as the new Chairman will take
up his post in July. Richard, a local
resident and member, has been a
non-executive director for 18
months. I asked for his thoughts
about the Governing Body he was
inheriting and the contribution it
makes to the Trust. He said “governors have a very
important role to play because the Trust’s main focus
must be on patient care - the key role of governors is
to keep the Trust’s nose to the grindstone. I really
think it is excellent that governors are so committed
and that they sit on sub-committees such as the
quality and safety committee. I am very impressed by
the efforts individual governors make to understand
some of the complex issues; they are well informed
and act effectively in the interests of the patient. There
is a clear correlation between how informed, briefed
and ‘under the skin’ governors are and the
contributions they make.” Richard is very supportive
of governors’ efforts to make sure the Trust does what
really matters for patients. “It is an excellent
arrangement and should continue. The governor’s
role has an important statutory function as well as an
important practical one which focuses on patient
issues. Governors hear what patients want.” He
believes the involvement of governors in formal and
informal groups is important and will make efforts to
keep them well briefed. Like Peter, Richard also
wants to encourage a higher number of patients and
local residents to become members – this really gives
people an opportunity to identify with the Trust and get
involved - it gives people a voice. He would like to see
the highest possible turnout in this year’s Governing
Body elections to ensure that the members are fully
represented and said he would strongly support
initiatives to encourage more members.
I wish Richard success in his new role, I am
confident he will be a worthy successor to Peter
Dixon.
UCLH News Issue 17
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