Our board

Our board consists of:

  • The chair (Dr Nicolas Small)
  • Four voting non-executive directors
  • A non-voting associate non-executive director
  • Our executive directors. 

The board is responsible for setting and developing the strategic direction of the organisation, sustaining business viability and holding the executive directors to account for all aspects of the organisation’s activities, including quality and safety of patient services, financial management and legal compliance.

The board also seeks assurances from the executive directors that risks to the organisation are being appropriately assessed and managed.

The board normally meets every other month, with briefings and development sessions held in the intervening months.

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Dr Elizabeth Kendrick

Dr Elizabeth Kendrick

Dr Elizabeth Kendrick

Medical Director (voting member)

Dr Elizabeth Kendrick was appointed as Medical Director in October 2019, having previously been Acting Medical Director and Deputy Medical Director.

Dr Kendrick has been a GP for 19 years, winning the Fraser Rose medal for highest mark in the MRCGP in 2003. she also works as a GP with Special Interest for older people providing clinical input to our inpatient unit at Herts and Essex hospital. She has an MSc in leading service improvement. She was previously National Professional Advisor for older people to the Care Quality Commission. Prior to this, she was End of Life Lead for the North East and Commissioning Lead for the frail elderly for North Durham Clinical Commissioning Group.

Elizabeth’s portfolio:

  • Executive lead and advisor for medical, dental and pharmacy professionals on the Trust Board
  • Clinical leadership
  • Caldicott guardian
  • Responsible officer for medical revalidation
  • Guardian for safe working hours
  • Executive lead for learning from deaths
  • Executive lead for medicines management
  • Executive lead for health inequalities
  • Executive lead for mental health and learning disability (joint with Director of Nursing and Quality)
  • Executive lead for research
  • Interim Senior Information Risk Owner (SIRO)

Annual General Meeting

This year's Annual General Meeting (AGM) takes place on 25 July 2024.

You can find the agenda for the meeting here.

Board meetings

Members of the public are welcome to attend and observe meetings of the Trust Board. Currently Board meetings are held remotely by video conference. 

Board papers and minutes of public Board meetings are published on this website in advance of meetings.

Meeting agendas include time for the public to put questions to the Board. If there is not enough time to respond to all questions, a response will be sent after the meeting. Questions from the public can be submitted by email either in advance or after the meetings.

Meetings start at 9.30am and end at 12.30pm (unless otherwise indicated). Dates of future meeting are below. This includes a Microsoft Teams link to join each meeting. 

This page features our Board papers 2024. Should you wish to receive papers from a meeting held before 2015 or require information about our Board and Board meetings please contact our Assistant Trust Secretary, Lorna Boyd-Bell or send an email, setting out details of the papers you require, to FOI@hchs.nhs.uk.

Board meeting papers 2024

This page features our Board papers 2024. Should you wish to receive papers from a meeting held before 2015 or require information about our Board and Board meetings please contact our Assistant Trust Secretary, Lorna Boyd-Bell or send an email, setting out details of the papers you require, to FOI@hchs.nhs.uk.

Board meeting papers 2023

This page features our Board papers 2023. Should you wish to receive papers from a meeting held before 2015 or require information about our Board and Board meetings please contact our Assistant Trust Secretary, Lorna Boyd-Bell or send an email, setting out details of the papers you require, to FOI@hchs.nhs.uk.

Board meeting papers 2022

This page features our Board papers 2022. Should you wish to receive papers from a meeting held before 2015 or require information about our Board and Board meetings please contact our Assistant Trust Secretary, Lorna Boyd-Bell or send an email, setting out details of the papers you require, to FOI@hchs.nhs.uk.

Board meeting papers 2021 - 2016

On this page you will find Board papers 2021 - 2016. Should you wish to see papers from a meeting held before 2016 or require information about our Board and Board meetings please contact Assistant Trust Secretary, Lorna Boyd-Bell or send an email, setting out details of the papers you require, to FOI@hchs.nhs.uk.

Board papers 2021

Board papers 2020

Board papers 2019

Board papers 2018

Board papers 2017

Board papers 2016