'Don't be captured by the CEO': the secrets of being a good chair (26 April 2024)

Summary

In this HSJ blog, Ken Jarrold highlights three key things he learned during his ten years as chair of NHS trusts:

1. Focus on the people that matter—service users and frontline staff
2. Keep an appropriate level of contact and relationship with the chief executive
3. Live the values of the trust.

He emphasises chairs keeping their focus on the people they serve and ensuring they feel at home interacting with staff and service users, as well as other leaders. He also states his hope that the Leadership Competency Framework for conducting annual appraisals of NHS chairs published by NHS England in February 2024, if applied appropriately, will result in improvements in how chairs serve their organisations.