Meeting held at 9:00am on 12 December 2024 at Stella House, Newcastle Upon Tyne.
Present:
Sue Douthwaite, Chair
Michael Brodie, Chief Executive
Kathy Gillatt, Non-Executive Director
David Leather, Non-Executive Director (via video conference)
Mathew McKie, Non-Executive Director
Randeep Sidhu, Non-Executive Director
Mel Tomlin, Non-Executive Director
Brendan Brown, Chief Operating Officer (items 24/158 to 24/177 only)
Darren Curry, Chief Digital, Data and Technology Officer (items 24/158 to 24/177 only)
Mark Dibble, Executive Director of People and Corporate Services
Andy McKinlay, Executive Director of Finance, Commercial and Estates (items 24/158 to 24/177 only)
In attendance:
Lucy Horgan, Commercial Strategy Lead, NHSBSA Sponsor Team, Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) (items 24/158 to 24/177 only)
Nigel Zaman, Senior Programme Manager, DHSC
David Jukes, Head of Governance and Corporate Secretary (Secretary to the Board), NHSBSA
Susan Airey, Programme Senior Responsible Officer, NHSBSA (item 24/168 only)
Michael Costello, Head of Strategic Finance, NHSBSA (items 24/170 and 24/171 only)
John Douglas, NHS Pension Scheme Finance Manager, NHSBSA (via video conference) (items 24/170 and 24/171 only)
Nichola Henderson, Head of Customer Experience and Business Innovation, NHSBSA (item 24/167 only)
Alyx Maving, Governance and Assurance Manager, NHSBSA (observer) (items 24/158 to 24/177 only)
Hasan Mubarak, Performance and Benefits Lead, NHSBSA (via video conference) (items 24/168 and 24/169 only)
Clare Murdoch, ESR Head of Strategic Communciations and Engagement, NHSBSA (Shadow Board representative) (items 24/158 to 24/176 only)
Ashleigh Peel-Lowes, Head of Strategy, Planning and Performance, NHSBSA (items 24/165 and 24/169 only)
Libby Pink, Chief Portfolio Officer, NHSBSA (via video conference) (items 24/168 and 24/169 only)
Neil Pragnell, Head of Portfolio Delivery, NHSBSA (items 24/168 and 24/169 only)
Chris Price, Future NHS Workforce Solution Transformation Programme Director, NHSBSA (items 24/168 and 24/169 only)
Kevin Richardson, Customer Experience and Business Innovation Lead, NHSBSA (item 24/167 only)
Lokesh Shrivastav, Boardroom Apprentice (observer) (items 24/158 to 24/177 only)
Samuel Ubanatu, Senior Data and Insight Analyst (BAME Network Co-Chair), NHSBSA (Shadow Board representative) (items 24/158 to 24/176 only)
24/158 Apologies for Absence and Declarations of Interest (Register of Interests Formal Review)
Apologies were received from Allison Newell. There were no declarations of interest in relation to the Board meeting agenda.
The Board confirmed that they had read and understood the NHSBSA Conflicts of Interest Policy and Procedure, and any required updates would be added to the Register of Interests in ESR and updated on the published register.
Interests declared by members of the NHSBSA Board were as follows:
Non-Executive Directors
| Name | Interests declared |
|---|---|
| Sue Douthwaite, Chair |
Chair, Melton Building Society Chair, Nexa Finance Ltd Non-Executive Director, British Business Investments Ltd Director, Apricus Consultancy Ltd Chair of International Advisory Board, Queens University Belfast Management School Virgin Money, shareholder Non-Executive Director (Risk Committee and Remuneration and Nominations Committee member), Melton Building Society (ended 8 August 2024 when appointed as Chair) |
| Kathryn Gillatt |
Non-Executive Director (Audit and Risk Committee Chair), Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust Pavegen, shareholder Severn Trent, shareholder Saga, shareholder Business and Financial Consultancy, sole trader |
| David Leather |
Transformation Director, EE BT Group, shareholder Apple, shareholder Nvidia, shareholder So-Fi Technologies, shareholder |
| Mathew McKie |
Head of Data and AI, Assystem Energy and Infrastructure Ltd Trustee and Treasurer, Friends of West Kirby Primary School |
| Randeep Sidhu |
Director, Green Field Ideas Ltd Board Fellow, AVIVA Trustee and Steering Committee Member, EPOC Guest Lecturer/Speaker, Kings College London (and other universities on ad-hoc basis) |
| Mel Tomlin |
Director and Consultant, North Star Products and Services Ltd Trustee, Rowland Hill Fund Royal Mail, shareholder |
Executive Directors/Officer Members
| Name | Interests declared |
|---|---|
| Michael Brodie, Chief Executive |
Chair of Sustainability Forum, Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Chair of Reference Group, Preventative Spend (CIPFA) Trustee, Community Foundation (Tyne and Wear and Northumberland) |
| Mark Dibble, Executive Director of People and Corporate Services |
Director, Personal Development Academy Ltd Vice Chair, Blue Cabin |
| Andy McKinlay, Executive Director of Finance, Commercial and Estates |
Parent Governor, Allerton Grange High School Trustee, Shadwell Recreation Centre |
| Allison Newell, Executive Director of Strategy, Performance, Business Development and Growth | Nothing declared |
| Brendan Brown, Chief Operating Officer | Nothing declared |
| Darren Curry, Chief Digital, Data and Technology Officer | Independent Governor/Board Member, Corporation Board (Finance and General Purposes Committee member and Remuneration Committee member), Gateshead College |
The Board REVIEWED the Register of Interests and NOTED the report.
24/159 Minutes of the Meeting held on 17 October 2024
The minutes of the previous meeting were AGREED as an accurate record.
24/160 Matters Arising and Outstanding Actions from Previous Meetings
The Board discussed outstanding actions.
All other actions were complete or not yet due.
The Board NOTED completed actions.
24/161 Chair's Opening Remarks
S Douthwaite welcomed L Horgan and A Maving to the meeting. S Douthwaite welcomed C Murdoch and S Ubanatu to the meeting as Shadow Board representatives. S Douthwaite highlighted that their Shadow Board tenures would end in December 2024 and the Board thanked them for their engagement and contribution. C Murdoch and S Ubanatu reflected on their time with the Shadow Board and thanked the Board members for their support.
S Douthwaite highlighted that this would be the last meeting attended by L Shrivastav as the NHSBSA 2024 Boardroom Apprentice and reflected on the positive first year of the NHSBSA taking part in the programme as a host board. The Board thanked L Shrivastav for his contribution during his time with the business. L Shrivastav thanked the Board for their support and encouragement during his time on the programme, highlighting his positive experience and his development journey over the previous twelve months.
The Board NOTED the update.
24/162 Confirmed minutes from the Audit and Risk Management Committee meeting held on 3 July 2024
The Board NOTED the minutes.
24/163 Update from the Audit and Risk Management Committee meeting held on 7 November 2024 - Alert, Advise, Assurance (AAA) Report
K Gillatt gave an update on the work of the Audit and Risk Management Committee - this was summarised in an Alert, Advise, Assurance Report issued to the Board.
The Board NOTED the update - and the alerts, advice and assurance provided.
24/164 Chief Executive's Report
M Brodie wished to thank the members of his Leadership Team for their support and contributions during 2024. M Brodie highlighted key points from his report, including in relation to:
- Ministerial meeting attended with Karin Smyth, Minister of State for Health
- DHSC/NHSBSA Accountability Review meeting
- NHSBSA's attendance at the DHSC Audit and Risk Committee
- DHSC/NHSE/NHSBSA Stakeholder Board
- Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA)
- NHSBSA 2024 Staff Engagement Survey
- North East Contact Centre Awards 2024
- Social Mobility Employer Index (SMEI) annual benchmarking
- 'Healthcare inequalities - NHS Prescribing of Hormone Replacement Therapy to treat symptoms of the menopause' report
- Voice of the Customer report - Hormone Replacement Therapy Pre-Payment Certificate
The Board NOTED the report.
(Ashleigh Peel-Lowes joined the meeting)
24/165 Business Performance Update (Operational Performance Temperature Check)
The Board reviewed the Operational Performance Temperature Check Report.
The Board NOTED the update.
24/166 Business Performance Update (Strategic Business Performance Report)
The Board welcomed A Peel-Lowes to the meeting. A Peel-Lowes provided an overview of the new style report, highlighting key points. The Board reviewed the Strategic Business Performance Report.
The Board thanked A Newell, A Peel-Lowes and their team, and wider colleagues, for their input into the creation of the report.
The Board NOTED the update.
(Ashleigh Peel-Lowes left the meeting)
(Nichola Henderson and Kevin Richardson joined the meeting)
24/167 Customer Experience (CX) Update
S Douthwaite welcomed N Henderson to the NHSBSA in the role of Head of Customer Experience and Business Innovation. N Henderson thanked the Board for the opportunity to attend the meeting.
K Richardson provided an overview of the report.
The Board NOTED the update.
(Nichola Henderson and Kevin Richardson left the meeting)
(Susan Airey, Hasan Mubarak, Neil Pragnell, Libby Pink and Chris Price joined the meeting)
24/168 Change Portfolio Update
L Pink provided an overview of the Change Portfolio paper.
The Board NOTED the update.
(Susan Airey left the meeting)
24/169 Future Workforce Solution Transformation Programme Status Update
C Price provided an overview of the paper.
The Board NOTED the update.
(Hasan Mubarak, Neil Pragnell, Libby Pink and Chris Price left the meeting)
(Michael Costello and John Douglas joined the meeting)
24/170 Finance and Commercial Report
M Costello provided an overview of the Finance Report. A McKinlay provided an overview of the Commercial update.
The Board NOTED the report.
24/171 Pension Scheme - Autumn OBR Cashflow Forecast
J Douglas provided an overview of the Pension Scheme - OBR Cashflow Forecast, highlighting key points.
The Board NOTED the forecast.
(Michael Costello and John Douglas left the meeting)
24/172 Software Engineering Contract
A McKinlay presented the Software Engineering Contract paper. Following discussion, the Board APPROVED exercising the option in the contract to increase the value of the existing software engineering contract with Kainos over its initial term by £3.75m.
24/173 Any Other Business
D Jukes highlighted that a new Boardroom Apprentice had been assigned to the NHSBSA by the Boardroom Apprentice Programme. They would start the programme on 1 January 2025, attending all NHSBSA Board meetings and some Committee meetings during 2025. Induction meetings had been arranged with Board members.
24/174 Communications from the Meeting
The Board would like to thank all colleagues for their hard work and contributions during 2024.
24/175 Forward Agenda and Training Plan
The Board NOTED the forward agenda and training plan.
24/176 Date and Venue of the Next Meeting
The next Board meeting was planned for 6 February 2025.
(Alyx Maving, Clare Murdoch and Samuel Ubanatu left the meeting)
24/177 Succession Plan
M Tomlin stated that the paper had been reviewed by the Remuneration and Nominations Committee. M Dibble provided the Board with an overview of the Succession Plan and wider work undertaken to review critical roles and critical individuals in the business.
The Board NOTED the succession plan.
(Brendan Brown, Darren Curry, Lucy Horgan, Lokesh Shrivastav and Andy McKinlay left the meeting)
24/178 Confirmed minutes from the Remuneration and Nominations Committee meetings held on 15 October 2024 and 5 November 2024
The Board NOTED the minutes.
24/179 Update from the Remuneration and Nominations Committee meeting held on 28 November 2024 - Alert, Advise, Assurance Report
M Tomlin gave an update on the work of the Remuneration and Nominations Committee - this was summarised in an Alert, Advise, Assurance Report issued to the Board.
The Board NOTED the update - and the alerts, advice and assurance provided.