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The Role of the NIAS Trust Board

The NIAS Trust Board comprises of a Chairman, 5 Non-Executive Directors and 5 Executive Directors (including the Chief Executive). The Chairman is responsible for leading the Board and for ensuring that it successfully discharges its overall responsibility for the organisation as a whole. The Non-Executive Directors are appointed by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety Unit (DHSSPS) and they are appointed on merit to act in a personal capacity on the Trust Board.

The Executive Directors, led by the Chief Executive, are the (full-time) operational Directors of the Trust and are responsible for the operation of the organisation and for the implementation of the Board's decisions.

The Trust Board's role is to:

Set the strategic direction of NIAS within the overall policies and priorities of the HPSS, define its annual and longer-term objectives and agree plans to achieve them;

• Oversee the delivery of planned results by monitoring performance against objectives and ensuring corrective action is taken where necessary;
• Ensure effective financial stewardship through value for money, budgetary control, planning and strategy;
• Ensure high standards of corporate governance and personal behaviour are maintained in the conduct of the business of the whole organisation;
• Appoint, appraise and remunerate Senior Executives;
• Ensure that there is effective dialogue and communications between NIAS and the local community on its plans and performance and that these are responsive to the community's needs.

Trust Board Frequency of Meetings

The Trust Board meets bi-monthly (usually on a Thursday) in public venues across Northern Ireland. Members of the public are made aware of these dates and venues of meetings via press and website notifications. Prior to a public meeting (where appropriate), the Trust Board members visit a local ambulance station in the area so that they have direct contact with Ambulance Service Area Managers, Station Officers, operational and support staff. It affords Trust Board members the opportunity to engage with staff in their everyday working environment.

The Trust Board meeting is advertised in the Belfast Telegraph and on the Patient & Client Council website at least seven days before the meeting is due to take place. For further information please contact the Chief Executive's Office on Telephone No: (028) 9040 0412.