The Trust Board
West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust was authorised as a Foundation Trust in January 2013 and licenced as an NHS Provider in April 2013. The Non-Executive Directors (appointed by The Council of Governors) are responsible for appointing the Chief Executive and the other Executive Directors to the Board of Directors.
The Board is required by statute to have at least a Non-Executive Chair, who will also be Chair of the Council of Governors, a Chief Executive, a Medical Director, a Director of Nursing and a Director of Finance.
Professor Ian Cumming is the Chairman of West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust Board of Directors and Chairman of the Council of Governors. He was appointed by the Council of Governors with effect from 1 April 2020 for an initial term of three years. He was re-appointed in 2023 for a further term of four years.
The Chief Executive Officer is Anthony Marsh. The Chief Executive is appointed by a committee of the Chairman and the other Non-Executive Directors, and the Council of Governors are asked to endorse the appointment.
The other Executive Directors are appointed by a committee consisting of Chairman, The Chief Executive and Non-Executive Directors.
The Trust is led by a unitary board, consisting of executive and non-executive directors. In unitary NHS boards, all directors are collectively and corporately accountable for organisational performance. This aspect is, therefore, a fundamental part of the board’s role in pursuing high performance for its organisation, ensuring that the best interests of patients are central to all it does. Effective boards recognise that ‘the buck stops with the board’. Non-Executive Directors form an integral role as members of the Board.
In particular, the Board of Directors sets the strategic direction of the Trust and oversees the quality, safety of patient care and achievement of its five-year strategic plan.
The Chief Executive and Executive Directors are full-time employees of the Trust and are responsible for the day-to-day operational performance and management of the Trust. Non-Executive Directors are part time and bring to the Trust their experience having worked in various industries. The Board of Directors currently has Non-Executive Directors drawn from backgrounds in education, law, finance, NHS, and local government.
The Board annually review its Skills Matrix to ensure that the make-up of the Board is complete and appropriate in terms of undertaking the stewardship of the Trust.
The public is encouraged and welcome to attend the Board of Director meetings unless the Board resolves to move into private session to discuss specific matters; the reasons for such a move must be stated and recorded in the minutes. This is usually to enable the Board to discuss matters of a confidential nature such as personnel matters or commercially sensitive information.
There is an opportunity to ask questions on matters relating to the agenda of the meeting, by either submitting these in advance of the meeting to the Trust Secretary or asking questions at the Board meeting. The dates of the Board of Directors meetings are set out within this website, and the meeting agenda and papers are available at least five days prior to the meeting of the Board.
The Board has established the following committees:
- A Remuneration and Nominations Committee
- An Audit Committee
- A People Committee
- A Performance Committee
- A Quality Governance Committee
- A Trustee Committee (To deal with charitable funds)
The Executive Management Board (EMB), which is chaired by the Chief Executive and has a membership consisting of the Executive Directors of the Trust and other appropriate managers of the Trust as advisors. The Chief Executive reports to the Board as part of his regular report on the key decisions of the EMB. Most report of the Board of Directors are normally reviewed by the EMB prior to submission to the Board of Directors.
The Annual Members Meeting is to receive and consider the Annual Accounts and any report of the Auditor, and for the Board of Directors to present its Annual Report at this meeting to the governors and members.
The Trust is an open and transparent body and welcomes your comments on its service or indeed anything contained on this website. We hope that you will find the information helpful. Should you wish to forward your comments, positive or otherwise, these can be recorded as part of our compliments and complaints procedures. Further details can be found within our Talk To Us – Patient Experience Team page.
Questions to the Board and requesting Board papers
If you wish to submit a question to West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust Board of Directors, please send it in at least seven days in advance of the meeting.
Answers will normally be given at the meeting in the public questions session of the agenda. However, if you are unable to attend the meeting, please let us know and we will arrange for a written answer to be sent to you.
If you require copies of our Board papers or wish to submit a question to a future Board meeting, please contact Trust Secretary, Phil Higgins.
By email to: Board of Directors
By post to:
West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust
Trust Headquarters
Millennium Point
Waterfront Business Park
Waterfront Way
Brierley Hill
West Midlands
DY5 1LX