Colleagues taking part in the first-ever cohort of the Trust's Shadow Board have completed their 12-month leadership programme. 

The group ran over the course of a year and involved development sessions on topics such as digital, workforce, finance, reconfiguration and how the NHS is run.  The group also ran their own Board meetings every two months, where Trust Board papers were reviewed, discussed and fed back to the Board by members of the group.

In the last session the group were also joined (remotely) by Professor Bola Owolabi, who is the Director of the National Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Programme at NHS England. 

The Shadow Board was chaired by Deputy Chief Executives, Anna Basford and Rob Aitchison. Rob said: “It’s been a wonderful experience working with our first ever Shadow Board cohort. We hope it has been as enlightening for them as it has been for us – we’ve certainly learned a lot from them and it’s been refreshing to gain new perspectives.”

Feedback has been flooding in from our recent Shadow Board graduates about their experience taking part. 

Deputy Head of Midwifery, Laura Douglas, said: “Being a member of the Shadow Board has been a real privilege and something I have enjoyed. The opportunity to network with colleagues across the organisation has been invaluable and allowed me to gain a more robust understanding of the organisational structure and assurance processes. The developmental support has enhanced my leadership and this is directly transferable into the day job, allowing me to consider things from different perspectives and gaining confidence in constructive challenge and the support from the executive team has been fabulous.

"For anyone considering this opportunity I would say embrace it. The personal and professional development it offers is will support your leadership journey and offer a host of new networking contacts to draw upon moving forward."

Senior Clinical Educator for AHPs, Arley Byrne, said: "I've absolutely loved my time on the Shadow Board - it's been a privilege to share the last 12 months with a group of talented and experienced colleagues - whilst being welcomed and advised by each and every member of our Executive Board.

"The learning has been limitless - there's so much I have taken back into my day-to-day work - I can only encourage colleagues to apply for the next cohort!"

Deputy Director of Operations, Christopher Roberts, said: "It was a privilege to be offered a place on the Shadow Board and it has been a valued opportunity to develop and further understand the function of the Trust Board.  The last 12 months have provided a real insight into how from the trust board down CHFT operates and provides the reassurances that we are providing compassionate care for our patients and that everyone plays an important role.

"I would fully recommend for anybody interested or even for those that are not so sure to explore the opportunity as it also provides the opportunity to work with colleagues across the trust that you may not have otherwise engaged with and as I did gain and understand the perspective of others."

Consultant Paediatrician, James Houston, said: "Shadow Board has been a brilliant year in which we have had access to key figures on the board to gain insight into the way the trust board functions and key issues that are being considered.  This would be an invaluable experience for anyone wanting to deepen their understanding of the way the trust works and increase their professional network as part of their leadership journey."

Finance Manager, Mohammad Maqsood, said: "This was a great opportunity to meet colleagues across the Trust from financial, clinical and operational backgrounds together with intrinsic insight into how executives and non-executives work together to keep the machinery operating smoothly. I now have increased confidence to provide challenge and scrutiny of relevant areas – even better is that the skills and experience gained can be applied to the day job. It was great to have some time away from day-to-day tasks to reflect on self-development and get a different perspective on things."