Publication scheme

This publication scheme commits the Trust to make information available to the public as part of its normal business activities. The information covered is included in the classes of information mentioned below, where this information is held by the authority.

This publication scheme has been prepared using the model publication scheme issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office and is effective from 1 January 2012.

Who we are and what we do

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is a District General Hospital which oversees services at The Princess Alexandra Hospital, St Margaret’s Hospital, Herts and Essex Hospital and the Rectory Lane Centre. The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust fits into the East Herts and West Essex footprint and serves a rapidly increasing population of 350,000.

We provide general services to patients throughout the East Herts and West Essex area. Our services are categorised under the following divisions:

  • Surgery
  • Medicine
  • Clinical Support Services
  • Children’s Health and Women’s Services

Our (non-clinical) directorates are:

  • Corporate Services
  • Estates and Facilities
  • Finance
  • Human Resources

Management

All services are managed by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is responsible for the day-to-day management of the hospital and oversight of staff. The Board of Directors is made up of the following:

  • Executive directors and non-voting directors who work in the hospital on a daily basis and have management of a set area of the Trust business
  • Non-executive directors who have specialist experience and bring independent oversight of the Board’s activities

The Board of Directors meets on a monthly basis, on the last Thursday of every month. The Trust Board holds a public session at every meeting. If you would like to attend this session or submit any questions, you should contact Heather Schultz, director of corporate governance at [email protected]. An Annual General Meeting is held on a yearly basis and is open to members of the public.

Board Sub-Committees

The Board delegates authority to six sub-committees. Each sub-committee takes responsibility for a specialist area and provides assurance to the Board on the effective function of these areas. They also report back on any issues and provide oversight of steps taken to manage these issues and ensure the highest standards are maintained.

  • Quality and Safety Committee: The Quality and Safety Committee provides assurance to the Board that adequate and appropriate governance structures, processes and controls are in place throughout the Trust to enable it to deliver a quality service according to each of the dimensions of quality set out in High Quality Care for All and enshrined through the Health and Social Care Act 2012. It provides oversight of clinical effectiveness, safety and patient experience. It also oversees the Care Quality Commission (CQC) action plan and receives patient stories on a regular basis.
  • Performance and Finance Committee: The Performance and Finance Committee is responsible for reviewing the Trust’s annual business plan and recommending to the Board. They also undertake bi-annual reviews of performance against the plan, scrutinise operational and financial performance, assure the Board of Directors that the Trust has rigorous processes in place to prioritise its finance and resources and make decisions about their deployment. This is to ensure that they best meet patients’ needs, deliver best value for money and are efficient, economical, effective and affordable. The committee recommend any re-basing or re-forecasting of financial assumptions or plans to the Board; monitor the management of the Trust’s asset base and the implementation of the Trust’s enabling strategies in support of the Trust’s clinical strategy and clinical priorities; review and monitor the management of finance, performance and contracting risks.
  • Audit Committee: The Audit Committee provides the Board of Directors with an independent and objective review of financial and corporate governance, assurance processes and risk management across the whole of the Trust’s activities (clinical and non-clinical) both generally and in support of the Annual Governance Statement. In addition, the committee oversees the work programmes for external and internal audit and receives assurance of their independence, alongside the day-to-day monitoring of the Trust’s arrangements for corporate governance.
  • Charitable Funds Committee: The Princess Alexandra Hospital was appointed trustee of the charitable funds of the Trust. The Charitable Funds Committee was established to make and monitor the control and governance arrangements of the charitable funds. They further provide oversight of the fund holders’ charitable expenditure and fundraising schemes.
  • People Committee: The People Committee is responsible for reviewing the Trust’s workforce plans, including recruitment and retention of staff, organisational development and training, and employee engagement and wellbeing. They also oversee the development of the Trust’s people, development and deployment and organisational development (OD) strategies and monitor their implementation. The committee reviews the outcomes of national and local staff surveys and monitors the progress of action plans. They also monitor staff engagement initiatives and outcomes.

What we spend and how we spend it

  • On a yearly basis, the Trust is required to publish its audited annual accounts, which are included in the Annual Report
  • Financial performance is reported to Board on a monthly basis and is available in the Board papers
  • Staff pay is set out in the NHS Terms and Conditions Service Handbook. Details of senior staff pay is included in the Annual Report
  • Further to the Government’s initiative to increase transparency around public spending, we publish monthly details of expenditure over £25,000

What our priorities are and how we are doing

Performance ratings:

How we make decisions

We aim to provide as much information as possible on any proposed changes or difficulties the Trust is facing. This is usually discussed within the Trust Board meetings. Before any major changes are made, the Trust will consult with its governing body as well as health group leads and the Patient Panel, who also sit on the Quality and Safety Committee. 

Before approval of any key change, it will be passed through the relevant committees and recommended to the Board. These committees will seek clarification, and evidence of the scheme’s effectiveness or express concern. Only once a scheme has been finalised at this committee will it be recommended to the Board for approval.

Our policies and procedures

Our policies and procedures are available from the policies and procedures section of the website. Any other information, or policies which are not published, can be requested through the Freedom of Information Office at [email protected].

List and registers

The services we offer

You can find out more about the services we provide here.

We have a dedicated Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), which is the first point of contact for questions, concerns and suggestions about our services. The team provides support to patients, their families and visitors, including interpreting and advocacy services.