Governance

EMHS Board

2021-22 focus and achievements

The EMHS Board is responsible for determining the strategic direction of the health service and holds overall accountability for service delivery and performance. 

While the escalating COVID-19 pandemic meant all EMHS Board meetings could not be held in person, the use of technology — when required — ensured that they still went ahead and the key matters at hand could be addressed.

The EMHS COVID response, understandably, was again a primary focus of the Board. Its members were very supportive of the Staff Wellbeing Framework being initiated and its important role in encouraging staff to access annual leave entitlements, where possible, to reduce fatigue — which was identified as a key significant issue.  Keeping staff safe — and in turn patients and the wider community — was also the Board’s objective in  supporting mandatory COVID vaccinations across all health services.

With safety at the forefront of all their decisions, the Board attended a presentation by Emeritus Professor Les White, former inaugural NSW Chief Paediatrician and former president of the Children’s Hospitals Australasia, who led the Independent Inquiry into Perth Children’s Hospital following the tragic death of Aishwarya Aswath in April 2021.

Following the review, EMHS reassessed its own policies and practices in keeping with the findings and recommendations from the report. Subsequently, the Board has been monitoring the priority areas of focus and implementation of actions to ensure an even safer health service, on a monthly basis.

Actions from the Office of the Auditor General — General Computing Controls Audit Findings were also monitored closely by the Board, as it resulted in 11 findings (with two deemed significant) in relation to segregation of network and unauthorised device connectivity, which is now being addressed as part of the WA Health Network Infrastructure Refresh Program.

In line with EMHS’ excellence value, the Board undertook an external review which evaluated standards of governance in addition to its performance. It found that the Board generally functions well and understood the constant (and dynamic) balancing act between operational oversight, strategic foresight and immediate imperatives. 

The topic of emergency access was also the basis of much discussion by the Board and given its significance, since May 2022, Chair Ian Smith, has attended the Minister for Health’s Ambulance Ramping Taskforce. Concurrently, on a monthly basis, the Board monitors the EMHS 2022 Emergency Access Program initiatives across all its hospitals, in addition to the HIVE, projects within the Emergency Department (ED) Innovation Fund and the Comprehensive Ambulatory Older Adult Program.

The Board continues to fulfil its functions, roles and responsibilities as outlined in the HSP Board Governance Policy. The Board submitted the following Attestation Statements (for 2020-21) as part of its governance requirements:

• EMHS Governing Body Attestation Statement to the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards
• EMHS Board Annual Governing Body Attestation Statement to the Minister for Health
• EMHS Board Internal Audit Attestation Statement to the System Manager at the DoH
• quarterly EMHS Board Report to the Minister for Health, addressing the Statement of Expectations
• monthly EMHS Board Report to the Minister for Health, providing an overview of key activities for the month.

The Board took part in the Strategic Risk Workshop with AEG; EMHS Excellence Symposium; EMHS Values in Action Awards; briefing from Robyn Kruk AO — Final Report – Ministerial Taskforce into Public Mental Health Services for Infants, Children and Adolescents; and a workshop on Occupational Safety and Health — Understanding the Obligations of the New Legislation.