NHS Tayside Transformation Support Team: report

8. AAG Recommendation 8 – Corporate Structure

"The Board should build on current restructuring of the senior executive team and recruitment of non-executive members, addressing skill-mix gaps, particularly for effective strategic planning and oversight. It should maximise opportunities for induction and development of non-executive members to ensure robust and effective governance and scrutiny of the executive function of the Board."

8.1 NHS Tayside's Assessment – Rating = Amber

"The Executive Team re-structuring is substantially complete with the remaining redesign of the Operational Unit, Corporate Services and Strategic Change structures progressing through organisational change under the guidance of the Central Transition Team. Recruitment and induction for new Non-Executive appointments has progressed, taking account of identified skills gaps. The daily huddles and weekly reviews involving the members of the ERT, including executive team members and staff side partnership, has helped to build a strengthened team approach to tackling the improvement actions on a collective, collegiate leadership basis building upon the facilitated executive development sessions. There remain outstanding significant skill gaps within the team, specifically within planning and performance, and over the next three months, we will continue to develop our leadership, partnership and team work. At this stage, we require to complete the restructuring programme and development work and, therefore, the status of this recommendation is assessed as 'Amber'."

8.2 TST Comment - TST Rating = Amber

There remains a significant skills gap in the team, particularly around planning and performance, and the Chief Executive does not have sufficient support across all areas of the business. We are also aware of work being done to strengthen team working. NHS Tayside has produced a timetable for the production of Board papers which would allow scrutiny by the Executive Team prior to the Board meeting, and for the Executive Team to collectively agree to the required outcomes.

Over the next three months, the TST would like see the Executive Team reflect on their experience over the past 3 months, what has that demonstrated in relation to assets and deficiencies in the team, and in their team working; and importantly, how these will be addressed.