The role of Hospital Manager under the Mental Health Act – implications for non-executive directors

Non-executive directors of mental health trusts have responsibilities, particularly as Mental Health Act managers around the discharge of patients, which cannot be delegated but which also do not fit easily with their accountabilities under foundation trust status. The 2007 Mental Health Act has not changed the responsibilities of non-executive directors and this session will provide non-executive directors with an opportunity to share their experience about how they perform this duty currently, and to debate what new arrangements, if any, boards are making or considering.

The session will address the role of hospital managers under the Mental Health Act and will look at implications for non-executive directors.

Given by

Arthur De Frisching, Chair of London Mental Health Act Network

Arthur De Frisching was a Non-Executive Director of South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust from 2002 to 2008 and chaired the Associate Hospital Managers' Committee in that capacity. He stood down from the Board at the end of March 2008 but the Trust asked him to continue to chair the Associate Hospital Managers' Committee. He chairs the London Mental Health Act Network and is a lay member of the Mental Health Review Tribunal.

He used to work in the Prison Service as a Governor and ran Feltham Young Offender Institution from 1985 to 1989. He then became a Prison Area Manager and his responsibilities included Holloway, Pentonville and Wormwood Scrubs prisons. Since retirement in 1997 he has done extensive international prison work and some voluntary work as a founder trustee of Clinks (Prison Community Links) and chair of the National Aids and Prisons Forum.

Jane Sayer, South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Jane Sayer is a Mental Health Nurse currently working as Deputy Director of Nursing at South London & Maudsley NHS Trust. Since qualifying in 1990, she has worked in in-patient and community mental health settings, and as a Practice Development Tutor.

After completing a MSc in Clinical Mental Health Nursing, Jane worked as Nurse Advisor for the Learning Disability Directorate at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. During this time, she evaluated an education programme for staff in residential care homes for people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour, and this work formed the basis of her PhD.

She is particularly interested in developing nursing career pathways, both for mental health and learning disability nurses, and is currently leading a three-year project to implement this work.

Jane is developing practice assurance frameworks for mental health and learning disabilities, and has undertaken practice assurance work in South London & Maudsley, and in several London PCTs on behalf of the Strategic Health Authority.