On the board or in the dock? Wellcome Collection, 30th September 2008

Speaking at the NHS Confederation conference 'On the board or in the dock' Maria Eagle, the minister in charge of the Corporate Manslaughter Act stressed that the act is not to be feared but will boards help maintain the focus on patient safety.

The event was held in London on the 30^th September 2008. 80 Chairs and Non-Exec Directors from NHS Trusts across the country listened to a variety of presentations around the Corporate Manslaughter Act and new regulations and issues surrounding the NHS.

The programme featured experts from the field of regulation, risk, and law, leading to some excellent debate and discussion. The conference was chaired by John Bruce, Chair of Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

The General Medical Council were represented by Paul Philip, who gave a summary of the GMC and its current work, as well as talking about how it approaches regulation. Alan Bedford, a former Trust Chief Executive now working as a consultant on infection control, spoke about the practical applications of infection control including examples of good and bad practice taken from his own experience.

The day was rounded off with a closing presentation from Cynthia Bower, the Chief Executive of the newly formed Care Quality Commission. Ms Bower explained her hopes for the Commission and its role, and the reason behind its creation - including the importance of continuous monitoring of quality, rather than simply setting a minimum standard that all Trusts must comply with.

Finally, a brief panel discussion including input from DCS Mark Smith (ACPO), Priya Singh (MPS) and Geraint Day (IoD) took a look at the practical impact of the Corporate Manslaughter Act, and how public reaction could provoke a demand for legal action.