​Board meeting - 28th September 2022

The Healthy Minds board of trustees met in person on Wednesday evening, 28th September 2022, with seven trustees present, and Chief Officer, Operations Manager, Business Sustainability Manager, and Admin Support (notes), also in attendance.

We received the Chief Officer’s operational report, beginning with an update on the funding of all services. We are preparing for the review of our 2021/22 annual report and accounts which will be undertaken by formal audit.

The Chief Officer made a presentation on our newly agreed Strategy 2022-25. The Strategy drives our annual business plan, which in turn drives each team’s operational plan. We considered the Strategy in the context of recent changes to NHS commissioning, which seek to promote input from, and sustainability of, voluntary sector services, such as Healthy Minds, and maintain or increase overall expenditure on mental health services. Decisions on services in Calderdale are made at Integrated Care Partnership level. Trustees were interested in evidence for strategy delivery, impact assessment of the strategy, and the relationship between planning, risks and threats.

The Development Sub Committee has worked on a full refresh and updating of the risk register, with input from one trustee with specialist experience in this area, and from the Business Sustainability Manager. The Risk and Threat Register will be regularly reviewed by the board, and changes routinely reported to the board.

The Board also discussed our approach to policy development, economic pressures (“cost of living”) and updated current financial position.

Trustees are acutely aware of the challenges to the Calderdale population, service users, volunteers and staff, as utility bills go up, inflation rises, and commissioning arrangements change. Covid has not gone away, and there is an increased risk of flu this winter. We will continue to work to promote the wellbeing of the population we serve, and the wellbeing of all our staff and volunteers. 

Paul Hunt Chair of Trustees, 29th November 2022