We have extensive experience of supporting organisations to strengthen their governance, risk management and assurance arrangements. Providing independent assurance, practical recommendations and insight informed by experience across the NHS and social care. Examples include:
Independent assessment of your Board and Committee governance
Gain an independent view of how effectively your Board and committees are operating, informed by extensive governance review experience across NHS organisations. We assess whether governance arrangements are enabling effective oversight, challenge, decision-making and assurance, identifying practical opportunities to strengthen effectiveness while sharing relevant examples of good practice and approaches being used successfully elsewhere in the NHS.
Board evaluation, development, facilitation and training
Support your Board to perform at its best through independent evaluation, facilitated development sessions and targeted training tailored to your organisation’s needs. Our approach helps Boards strengthen relationships, improve the quality of strategic discussion and challenge, and build confidence in their ability to lead through increasing complexity and change, while benefiting from learning and insights gained across the wider NHS.
Developing strong Board assurance
Move beyond receiving information to gaining meaningful assurance. We help organisations strengthen the connection between strategic objectives, principal risks, controls and assurances so that Boards can clearly understand where they are well assured, where gaps exist and where additional focus is needed. The result is a clearer, more focused assurance framework that supports confident and informed decision-making.
Our independent culture audit
Culture is often one of the most important influences on organisational performance, improvement and staff experience. Our independent culture audit provides leaders with an objective understanding of the behaviours, beliefs and lived experiences that shape organisational culture, helping identify both strengths to build upon and barriers that may prevent improvement, engagement or change from succeeding.
Board decision making and managing risk
Good governance depends on making informed decisions in the face of uncertainty. We work with Boards and senior leaders to strengthen decision-making processes by ensuring risk,
assurance, opportunities and potential consequences are considered consistently and transparently. This helps improve the quality of debate, support appropriate challenge and increase confidence in major decisions.
Effective management of key corporate risks
We help organisations assess whether their most significant risks are clearly understood, appropriately managed and receiving the right level of leadership attention. Drawing on experience from a wide range of NHS organisations, we provide practical insight into how risk management arrangements can be strengthened to support strategic objectives, improve oversight and ensure emerging risks are identified and escalated appropriately.
Developing risk appetite and how it’s used in Board decision making and assurance
Many organisations have defined risk appetite but struggle to use it consistently in practice. We help Boards establish a shared understanding of the level of risk they are willing to accept and embed this within strategy, decision-making and assurance processes. This enables more consistent decisions, clearer prioritisation and greater confidence that organisational actions align with Board expectations.
Writing reports for Board
Effective Board papers are critical to effective governance. We help report authors develop concise and impactful reports that clearly articulate key issues, risks, assurances, decisions and recommendations. By improving the quality of Board reporting, organisations can reduce unnecessary detail, improve strategic discussion and support better decision-making at every level.
How effective is your Council of Governors?
An independent review of the effectiveness of your Council of Governors, providing assurance that it is fulfilling its statutory responsibilities and contributing effectively to organisational accountability and stakeholder engagement. Our review identifies strengths, development opportunities and practical actions that can help Governors maximise their value and influence while strengthening their relationship with the Board.
Ward to Board assurance
How confident is your Board that the issues discussed in the boardroom genuinely reflect what is happening in frontline services? Our Ward to Board assurance review examines how effectively risks, concerns, performance issues and learning are identified, escalated and reported through governance structures. The review provides valuable insight into whether organisational leaders have a reliable line of sight from operational delivery to strategic oversight, helping strengthen confidence in organisational assurance and decision-making.
Bespoke Workshops
If these examples don’t quite meet your needs, please get in touch - we’d be happy to work with you to
develop a bespoke workshop tailored to your governance and risk management priorities.