Governance is important to the Hospice of St Francis. We have designed the structure of the management of the Hospice to provide control and accountability.
The trustees have a legal duty of care, influence and control over the running of the hospice. They exercise this function through the regular Board meetings, through formally constituted subcommittees with delegated powers and through clear communication with management.
Governance is different from management. Governance requires the trustees to maintain a strategic overview of the direction and performance of the entire hospice. Management is the responsibility of the chief executive and senior management team. It involves the operational delivery of services to hospice users and their families, and putting into practice the plans and decisions made by the trustees.
The Hospice is accountable to many different organisations and individuals. It is accountable to its patients and their families, to the local community in general, to is donors and supporters, to its staff, to the Healthcare Commission, to the local PCTs and to the Charity Commission – among others. Its governance arrangements have been designed to satisfy the needs of all these relationships.