TEST: Board development

Course overview

Board members have responsibility for ensuring that services are safe, effective, and sustainable. As a board member with joint and several liability, there is an expectation that directors will have an appropriate level of knowledge and understanding of NHS quality to provide the required oversight and challenge 

This training provides an overview of the NHS policy landscape in relation to quality, including patient safety as a domain of quality, to enable non-executive directors to understand the national agenda in these areas, alongside exploring the non-executive director role in challenge and gaining assurance that high quality, safe services are being delivered for patients and service users, or that appropriate actions are being taken to address areas of improvement. The board also has an important role in creating a culture to support continuous improvement where all staff, patients and service users are empowered to speak up if there are areas of concern. 

Everyone has a role to play in quality. This training aims to provide non-executive directors with sufficient knowledge and understanding of quality in the NHS to develop confidence in executing their challenge, assurance and support role as a member of a unitary board.