Annual Report and Accounts 2012/13 - Royal Bournemouth Hospital

Governance ReportNon-ExecutiveDirectorWhen appointedTerm of officeDavid Bennett 01.10.2009 4 yearsPankaj Davé 01.02.2011 3 yearsBrian Ford 01.04.2005 (reappointed 01.10.2009,01.04.2012 and 01.04.2013)1 yearSteven Peacock 01.10.2009 4 yearsAlex Pike22.06.2006 (reappointed as a Non-ExecutiveDirector on 21.06.2010 and as SeniorIndependent Director on 09.10.2011)3 years asNon-ExecutiveDirector2 years as SeniorIndependentDirectorJane Stichbury 01.04.2010 4 yearsKen Tullett 01.04.2005 (reappointed 01.10.2009,01.04.2012 and 01.04.2013)1 yearAll of the non-executive directors areconsidered to be independent by theBoard of Directors. This includes BrianFord and Ken Tullett who have servedon the Board of Directors for more thansix years from the date of their firstappointment and have been reappointedby the Council of Governors for a furtherperiod of one year beginning on 1 April2013. The reappointment of Brian Fordand Ken Tullett for a further period of oneyear was made as these reappointmentswere viewed as necessary in orderto provide continuity for the Board ofDirectors due to the proposed merger.The decision also recognised thedifficulty there would be in recruiting newindividuals to non-executive directorroles for a potentially short period andto allow sufficient time for them tobegin to operate at full effectiveness,given the merger was scheduled to takeeffect in November 2013 at the time thereappointments were made.In determining their independence, theBoard of Directors considered whethertheir previous tenure as non-executivedirectors of the Trust might affect theirindependence. The Board’s conclusion,based on a number of factors includingtheir experience and knowledge fromother senior executive and non-executiveroles and the fact that they have alwaysexercised a strongly independentjudgment during the preceding period oftenure as non-executive directors, wasthat the independence of their characterand judgement was not compromised.The terms of office and the periodof appointment of the non-executivedirectors is set out in the table aboveand are approved by the Council ofGovernors.The Board of Directors has given carefulconsideration to the range of skills andexperience required for the running of afoundation trust and it confirms that thenecessary balance and completenesshas been in place during the year underreport.The performance of the non-executivedirectors and the Chairman wasevaluated during the year. The Chairmanled the process of evaluation of thenon-executive directors and the seniorindependent director undertook theevaluation of the performance ofthe Chairman. The outcome of bothprocesses was shared with the Councilof Governors and the governors alsocontributed to the appraisal of theAnnual Report and Accounts 2012/13 107