Our board
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is governed by its Board.
The role of the Board is as described in the corporate governance code for central government departments and includes:
- establishing and taking forward the strategic aims and objectives of NHSBT, consistent with its overall strategic direction and within the policy and resources framework determined by the Secretary of State
- holding its executive management team to account
- ensuring the organisation is able to account to Parliament and the public for how it has discharged its functions
The NHSBT Establishment and Constitution Order 2005 states that the Authority shall consist of:
- (a) a chairman
- (b) not more than eight members who are not officers of the Authority in addition to the chairman
- (c) not more than eight members who are officers of the Authority including the persons who for the time being hold the office of chief executive, director of finance and medical director
The Board is led by a non-executive Chair, who is responsible to the Secretary of State for ensuring that NHSBT’s affairs are conducted with probity, and that NHSBT’s policies and actions support it in the discharge of its functions and duties efficiently and effectively and meet NHSBT’s objectives, including those set out in its business plan.
NHSBT’s Chair and non-executive members are appointed by the Secretary of State.
Appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. NHSBT’s Chair and members may appoint one of the non-executive members to be the Deputy Chair and Senior Independent Director.
The Board at its meeting in March 2023, approved the introduction of associate non-executive member roles to complement the skills and experience of the non-executive members, but they do not participate in any formal vote at Board. The appointment of associate non-executive members is managed internally by NHSBT.