Our Board

Our Board consists of:

  • The Chair (Dr Linda Sheridan)
  • 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.

Board register of interests

 

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Sarah Browne

Director of Nursing and Quality (voting member)

Sarah Browne

Director of Nursing and Quality (voting member)

Sarah was appointed as Director of Nursing and Quality and Director of Infection, Prevention and Control in February 2019. She is also the SRO for vaccination centres across Bedford, Luton and Milton Keynes, and Herts and West Essex geographies.

She joined HCT from Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), a combined mental health and community trust with services in Essex and Bedfordshire where she was Deputy Director of Nursing and Director of Infection Prevention and Control. Sarah was previously Acting Executive Nurse at South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust and she has worked at a senior level in the former Bedfordshire Community Health Services Trust.

Sarah brings a breadth and depth of experience to the Trust role. She has extensive experience of integrated community and mental health services, nursing and clinical leadership and workforce transformation across complex systems. She has worked at local, regional and national levels.  In 2021, she was awarded the title of Queen’s Nurse by The Queen’s Nursing Institute.

Sarah’s portfolio

• Executive Lead and advisor for nurses and allied health professionals on the Trust Board
• Board lead for safeguarding
• Quality and governance
• Clinical leadership
• Patient safety
• Patient experience
• Director of Infection Prevention and Control
• Executive director for Freedom to Speak Up
• Executive lead for mental health and learning disability (joint with Medical Director)
• Executive Lead for Vaccination Centres

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. 

6 June 2023 - join the meeting

1 August 2023 - join the meeting

3 October 2023 - join the meeting

5 December 2023 - join the meeting

6 February 2024 - join the meeting 

28 March 2024 - join the meeting

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 Board Support Officer, Marina Sweatman at our headquarters 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 Board Support Officer, Marina Sweatman at our headquarters 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 our Board Support Officer, Marina Sweatman  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