ghg csr report

General Healthcare Group 1

Corporate Social Responsibility Report 2009The UK’s largest independent healthcare provider

Corporate Social Responsibility Report 20092

Our Mission

To grow our position as the UK’s largest independent healthcare provider, working with the best consultants to deliver the best quality patient care, the best clinical practice and the best possible health outcomes.

Contents Missionandcontents

4 ChiefExecutive’sstatement

6 Sponsorship

10 Environmentinitiatives

14 Responsibleemployer

20 Corporategovernance

23 DevelopmentoftheCSRframework


99% patientsatisfactionratingof

goodorbetter(Patient satisfaction survey carried out by

Howard Warwick & Assoc. Year to Sept 2009)

89% oftheGBpopulationlivelessthan

anhourfromaBMIhospital

67 hospitals&

treatmentcentres

1 million outpatientvisitsperyear

250,000 inpatientvisitsperyear

2,900 beds

9,200 employees

7,000 consultantspecialists

115 specialties&services

n WestrengthenedourpositionasthelargestindependenthealthcareproviderintheUK

n Weacquiredninehospitalsandaddedfourclinicsandoutpatientunits

n Wehaverefurbished23wards,20hospitalreceptionareas,builtfivenewtheatresandopenedthecountry’sfirst24-7privateemergencycareunit

n Wedeliveredover1,000daysofclinicaltrainingtoournewlyrecruitedHealthCareAssistants

n Wehaveinvested£5millioninnewclinicalITsystemsand£25millioninimagingequipmentincludingfourMRIscanners,fourCTscanners,full-fielddigitalmammographymachines,oneofonlyfourgammaknivesintheUKandtheUK’sveryfirstadaptive128-slicescanner

n Weconsistentlyachieved99%‘good’or‘better’patientsatisfactionrates

n Were-launchedtheBMIHealthcarebrandincludingthenewwebsitewithareasdedicatedtopatients,healthcareprofessionalsandcorporateclients.

Recent achievements

General Healthcare Group at a glance

1 TheUK’sNo.1

independenthealthcareprovider


Welcometoourfirstannualreport

focusingonthesocialandenvironmental

performanceofGeneralHealthcareGroup

anditsoperatingcompany,BMIHealthcare.

Overthelastfewyearswehavemade

tremendousprogressinconsistently

deliveringqualityhealthcareandvalue

forourpatients.Wehaveexpandedthe

geographicnetworkofourBMIHealthcare

hospitalssothatmorepeoplecanbenefit

fromthecarethatweprovide.Wehave

reinvested£170mintotrainingourstaff,

upgradingourfacilitiesandpurchasing

state-of-the-artmedicalequipment.No

wonderourpatientsatisfactionlevelsare

consistentlysecondtonone.

Asahealthcareprovider,wetakecareof

individualswhentheyareattheirmost

vulnerable.Ourhospitalsareanintegral

partofthecommunitiesthatweserve.

Everyday,ourfriendlyandhighlyskilled

staffhelptochangepeople’slivesforthe

bettersothattheycanlive,workandlook

aftertheirfamilies,ofteninlesspainand

alwayssecureintheknowledgethatweare

theretohelpthemwhenevertheyneedus.

Becauseofthis,manyoftheprinciplesof

corporatesocialresponsibilityareinherent

inthewaywedobusiness,andhaveshaped

ourapproachandpolicies.

Bothcorporatelyandatanindividuallevel,

wesponsorarangeofhealthcareeducation

andoutreachprogrammes,charitiesand

fundraisingeventsthroughouttheyear,and

weactivelyencourageourstafftobecome

involvedinthem.Insidethisreport,youwill

learnaboutsomeofthepeoplewhoselives

we’vetouchedinthepastyear.

Weknowwehavearesponsibilitytomake

surethatwenotonlyofferasafeandsecure

environmentforouremployeesandpatients,

butthatwehaveapositiveimpactonthe

localeconomyandinfrastructureofthe

communitiesweserve.

Weareconcernedtoreduceourcarbon

footprintasfaraspossibleandrunour

operationsmoresustainably.Inmanaging

environmentalissues,webelievethateven

smallchangescanmakeabigdifference.

That’swhyweplanequipment,investment

maintenanceandworkroutinestosupport

ourstaffandothercolleaguestoconserve

resourcesandminimiseunnecessaryenergy

consumption.Wealsoaskoursuppliers

toshowusthattheytoo,arestrivingto

minimisetheirimpactontheenvironment.

Wecontinuallyseektoimprovetheway

thatwerunourbusinessandrelyonallour

stakeholders–patients,clinicalconsultants,

staffandsuppliers–togiveusthevaluable

feedbackthatenablesustoleadthewayin

clinicalqualityandgovernance.

Weareextremelyproudofthestandards

thatourbusinessdeliversinallaspectsof

itsoperations,includingCorporateSocial

Responsibility.Thisfirstreportsetsoutour

achievementsduringthepastyear,our

prioritiesfortheyearaheadand,implicitly,

thevaluesthatunderpinourbusiness.

Mostimportantly,itprovidesaneverrising

targetforustodriveourbusinessforward

inawaythatbenefitseveryone,nowandin

thefuture.

CEO statement

Adrian FawcettChief Executive OfficerOctober 2009


Over the last few

years we have made

tremendous progress

in consistently

delivering quality

healthcare and value

for our patients.

“ Quality

”1

The UK’s No. 1 independent healthcare provider


Sponsorship

1.1 Charities and fundraising OurUKbusinesssupportedseveralcharitableorganisations

throughsponsorshipandfundraisingefforts,includingwalks,

marathons,golftournaments,coffeemorningsandfancydress

days.Toensurethatourhospitalsmaintainstrongtieswiththeir

localcommunities,manyofourcharityeventsarelocallyfocused,

andweencourageourstafftobeactivelyinvolved.

1.2 Corporate sponsorshipAtacorporatelevel,ouroperatingcompany,BMIHealthcare,

supportedthefollowingorganisationsandcampaigns:

The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS)isEngland’sleadingsurgicalandeducationalorganisationandreceivesworldwide

recognition.Morethan6,000delegatesattendtheCollege’s

trainingcourseseachyear.Inaddition,itisinvolvedwithsurgical,

hospitalandpatientauditstoensurethatstandardsaremaintained.

TheCollegealsosupportsresearchbyprovidingresearch

fellowships.

BMIHealthcareisprovidingsponsorshipoverthreeyearsto

supporttraininganddevelopmentprogrammesofferedbythe

Collegetothenextgenerationofconsultantsurgeons.Our

sponsorshipfocusesonfundingtheCollege’sEducationalTutorin

Orthopaedics,whoisresponsibleforimplementingaprogramme

ofskillsdevelopmentfrombasicsurgicaltrainingtocontinuing

professionaldevelopment,aswellasfivebursariesforclinical

traininginorthopaedics.

Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP)isanacademicorganisationforgeneralpractitionersintheUK.Itaimsto

encourageandmaintainthehigheststandardsofgeneralmedical

practiceandrepresentsgeneralpractitionersoneducation,training

andstandardsissues.RCGPmembershipcurrentlystandsatjust

over34,000.

In2008/09,BMIHealthcaresponsoredtheannualNational

PrimaryCareConference,anationalshowcaseforthecollege,

generalpracticeandprimarycare.

Wellbeing of Women (WoW)raisesmoneytoinvestinmedicalresearchandtosupportthedevelopmentofspecialistdoctorsand

nursesworkinginthefieldofreproductiveandgynaecological

health.WoWwasBMIHealthcare’sofficialcharitypartner

thisyear.

BMIHealthcarealsosupportedtheHealthyWomencampaign,

whichdrawsattentiontothethingsthateverywomanshouldknow

aboutherbody,butmighthavebeenafraidtoask.

1.3 Hospital InitiativesThemaininitiativessupportedatahospitallevelfocusedon:

National health calendar BMIHealthcarehospitalssupportedeventsonthenational

healthcarecalendarthatraiseawarenessofspecificillnessesor

healthconditionsandoftenprovideearlydiagnosisscreening

opportunities.Theseincludedhypertension,hipreplacement

therapy,stress,allergies,prostatecancer,cervicaland

breastcancers,coronaryarterycalcium,molesandother

skinblemishes.

Patient support groupsBMIHealthcarehospitalshostedandorganisedsupportgroups

forpatientswhohaveundergonecancertreatmentsaswellas

cosmeticandobesitysurgery.

UpFront,abreastcancersupportgroupbasedatBMIThe

ChilternHospital,wasestablishedinJanuary2005bytwo

specialistbreastcarenursesandfivewomenwhohadbreast

cancer.Currentlytherearewellover200membersfromthe

surroundingareawhoattendgroupsupportsessions.

Aspecialeventwasheldthisyeartomarkthefirstanniversaryof

theweightlosssurgerypatientsupportgroupsatBMIChelsfield

ParkHospitalandBMITheAlexandraHospital.Thesewere

amongthefirsthospitalstolaunchpatientsupportgroupsin

conjunctionwiththeUK’sleadingpatientassociationforweight

loss,theBritishObesitySurgeryPatientAssociation(BOSPA).


Cancer researchThecancerinitiativessupportedbyemployeesandhospitals

duringtheyearincluded:

n BreastCancerAwarenesscharitiesn BreastCancerCampaign

n BreastCancerCare

n BreakthroughBreastCancer

n CancerResearchUK

n ChildrenwithCancerFund

n MacmillanCancerSupport

n Maggie’sCancerCentres.

Heart healthEveryyear,allBMIHealthcarehospitalemployeesparticipatein

fundraisingeventsorganisedbytheBritishHeartFoundationand

thisyearwasnoexception.

1.4 Other sponsorships and fundraising eventsInaddition,hospitalsprovidedongoing,adhocsupportto

schools,children’shospicesandassociationsforthedisabled.

Thecharitiessupportedduringtheyearincluded:

n ActionMedicalResearch

n BritishArtsFoundation

n ChildreninNeed

n Delta,thenationalcharityfordeafchildren

n KentAirAmbulance

n LemonTreeFoundation,Africa

n NationalBlindChildren’sSociety

n NorthLondonHospice

n SaintLuke’sCheshireHospice

n SportRelief

n WarwickshireandNorthamptonshireAirAmbulanceservice

n WhiteLodgeCentreinChertsey

Our UK business supported more several charitable organisations through sponsorship and fundraising efforts, including walks, marathons, golf tournaments, coffee mornings and fancy dress days.

“ Support

“


1.5 People whose lives we’ve touched

Sagip-Buhay (Saving Lives)

BMI The Ridgeway Hospital’s resuscitation trainer teaches basic life support skills to communities in the Philippines, using equipment donated by The Ridgeway Hospital.

Theproject,Sagip-Buhay(SavingLives),aimstomake

thepublicawareoftheneedtoprovidebasiclife

support(BLS)tovictimsofcardiacarresttoimprove

theirchancesofsurvival.Theparticipantshelpin

extendingtrainingtofamiliesinsecludedareaswhere

accesstoadequatemedicalfacilitiesislimited.The

projectaimstotrainatleastonememberperfamily

andleadersofthecommunityinBLS.Lifeguardswho

aremembersoftheCityDisasterCoordinatingCouncil

(CDCC)arealsotobeprovidedwithannualtraining

onBLS.

Resuscitationtrainer,EduardoSipoy,hastaught

BLStocommunity-basedworkersinSorsogon

City,Philippines.Thetrainingtargetsgrassroots

communitiestoimprovesurvivalratesforcardiac

arrestvictims.Participantsincludedcommunity

healthworkersandmembersoftheCDCC.Thanks

toEduardo’straining,alocalfiremansuccessfully

resuscitatedadrowningchild.Edandthefiremanboth

receivedacommendationfromtheMayorof

thevillage.

Helping the blind to see

A voluntary team from BMI Mount Alvernia Hospital comprising Mr Joseph Keenan, Ophthalmic Surgeon, Dr Nigel Payne, Consultant Anaesthetist, Martin Owen, Operating Department Practitioner and Linda Gill, clinic nurse, visited Tarabai Desai Eye Hospital in Jodhpur.

Afreeeyeclinicwasheldeachdayandfreecataractsurgeryofferedeach

eveningtothelocalpeople.Aswellashelpingtheblindtosee,theydistributed

over250pairsofglassestopatients,allofwhichhadbeencollectedand

donatedbystaffatMountAlverniaHospital.

Inaddition,DrPayneandMrOwenspentsomeoftheirtimereviewingand

improvingtheresuscitationfacilitiesatthehospital.Theteamalsocontributed

toforumsdiscussingthelatestophthalmicandanaestheticdevelopmentsand

techniques,metandworkedwithlocalfundraisers,andhelpedtoraisethe

hospital’sprofileinthelocalpress.

“ The participants help in extending training to families in secluded areas where access to adequate medical facilities is limited.

“


Into Africa

When Senior Theatre Sister Janet Walker from Aberdeen’s Albyn Hospital heard about the plight of sick children and adults in Gambia from the hospital’s Gambian-born urology surgeon, Professor James N’Dow, she decided to help.

WiththesupportofUROLINK,acharitableorganisation

supportedbytheBritishAssociationofUrologySurgeons

(BAUS),whichhelpsurologists,nursesandtechnicians

giveassistanceinthedevelopingworld,JanetandtwoBMI

urologysurgeonsmakeannualvisitstoGambia.Theyspend

muchoftheirtimetryingtoeducatethelocalpeoplein

Banjulontheimportanceofsterilisationandothermedical

procedures.

GambiaisthesmallestAfricannationandamongthe

poorestcountriesintheworld.Povertyisthemajorcause

ofalifeexpectancyofjust50years.Althoughthebirthrate

isthehighestintheworld,10to20percentofchildrendie

“

beforetheirfifthbirthday.Malaria

becomesepidemicintherainy

seasonfromJunetoNovemberand

accountsforaquarterofchildhood

mortality.Otherbigkillersare

malnutrition,tuberculosis,renal

diseaseandhypertension.HIV/AIDS

isagrowingproblem,too.

Healthcarefacilitiesarebasicwith

onlyonemajorhospital,theRoyal

VictoriaTeachingHospitalinthe

capitalcityofBanjulontheWest

Africancoast.

Although the birth rate is one of the highest in the world, 10 to 20 per cent of children die before their fifth birthday. Malaria becomes endemic in the rainy season from June to November and accounts for a quarter of childhood mortality.

“


Environment

Initiatives

2.1 Environment initiatives Duringthelastyear,GHGincreaseditsfocusonthedirectand

indirectimpactourbusinesshasontheenvironment.In2008/9,

welaunchedagroup-wideinitiativetodeliverexcellence

acrossprocurementandsupplychainmanagement,facilities

management,propertydevelopment,cateringandhousekeeping.

Centraltothis,isourcarbonmanagementprogramme,

EcoNomics,whichinvolveschangingbusinesspracticesacross

ourhospitalsandoffices,affectingallstaff,toreduceourimpact

ontheenvironment.

Ourinitialfocushasbeenonenergyinitiatives,howevergoing

forwardtheprogrammewillcover:

n Energy

n Waste

n Water

n PurchasingandLogistics

n AssetManagement&CapitalInvestment


TheCarbonTrust,commissionedlastyeartoreviewthecarbon

emissionsofourbusiness,estimatedourtotalcarbonfootprintat

42,419tonnes.Thiswasprimarilycomposedofenergyusedin

ourhospitals.Thisworkhasprovidedaclearfocusintheshort

termtoreduceourenergyconsumptionthroughTheBigTurnOff

initiative,whichhasbeenthemainfocusofactivitythisyear.In

themeantime,furtherplanningandresearchcontinuestoshapea

broaderstrategyfor2009/10andbeyond.

2.2 Energy - The ‘Big Turn Off’InDecember2008,aconferencewasheldforengineering

managersfromeachofourhospitals.Thisprovidedtherequired

momentumtodriveessentialchangesinbehaviour,attitudeand

practicetoreduceenergyconsumption.Theengineeringmanagers

generatedaworkplanthatlocalteamshavestartedtoimplement

acrosstheestate.

Tohelpraiseawarenessofthecarbonmanagementprogramme,

weadoptedacampaignapproachtoturntheseideasintoreality

ateachsite.

The‘BigTurnOff’waslaunchedinFebruary2009.Todate,

siteshaveestablishedgreenteams,ledbyachampion,across

engineering,housekeeping,cateringandtheatresthatmeet

monthlytoassessprogressagainsttheworkplan.

Inadditiontolocalgovernance,weestablishedaprojectboard

tomonitorprogressandactivelyencouragesupportthroughout

thecompany.

Effectivemeasuringandreportingiskeytoinfluencingenergy

use.EveryweekourGreenChampionsateachsitereceivea

‘dashboard’reportdisplayingday-on-dayandweeklyusageto

highlightprogressandhelplocalteamstofocusonwherethey

canmakeadifference.Resultsarepublishedmonthlyshowing

variancesinconsumptionovertime,highlightingtrendsand

year-on-yearmovement.Progresshasbeenencouraging:byMay

2009,17hospitalshadreducedtheiryear-on-yearconsumptionby

betweensevenand20percent.Thishasprovidedasolidplatform

todeliverourannualtargetof10percentreductioninenergy

consumption.

2.3 EcoNomics – a forward view AlthoughthisyearGHGhasfocuseditseffortsmainlyon

useofenergy,werecognisethatourcarbonfootprintisa

consequenceofotheractivitiesassociatedwithrunningour

business.Duringthenexttwelvemonthsandbeyond,we

aimtodeliverabroaderprogramme,acrosswaste,water,

purchasingandlogisticsandassetmanagementandcapital

investment,promotingtheconceptthatsmallchangestoour

day-to-dayactivitiescanmakeabigdifferencetoourimpact

ontheenvironment.

WasteNexttoenergyconsumption,sendingwastetoincinerationor

landfillrepresentsthehighestcarbonemittingactivityacrossthe

business.Ourstaffcanrelateeasilytothishighlyvisiblearea,and

engagetomakeadifferenceinhowwemanageourwaste.In

2009/10wewillfocusonthefollowingareas:

n Reductionintheamountofwastethatcurrentlyisincinerated

orgoestolandfill

n Increasedrecyclingatofficesandhospitals

n Clearerguidanceandmanagementofsegregatedwaste

streamstoensurecompliance

n Guidanceforcontractorsondisposalofbuildingwaste

SMALL CHANGE BIG DIFFERENCE


Water Waterisarelativelysmallcontributortocarbonemissionsbut

isdisproportionatelyaffectedbyclimatechange.Aspartofthis

programme,weproposetoreducetheamountofwaterwe

usethrough:

n Water-savingshowerfittings

n Water-savingtoiletflushfittings

n Rainwatercollectionsystems

n Leakdetection

Purchasing and LogisticsBusinesstravelusingGHGvehiclesaccountsforonly3percentof

ourcurrentknowncarbonemissions.Wedonotcurrentlymeasure

thecarbonimpactofthesupplychainthatdeliversdirectlytoour

hospitals,forexample,inthewaythatfoodmilesarederived.More

workwillberequiredinthiskeyareatoassessitsimpactonour

indirectcarbonfootprint.

During 2009/10 GHG will consider the following initiatives:

n ‘Series’ordistributeddelivery–stockmovedfromhospital

tohospitalratherthancentraldistribution.

n Useofdualfuel,LPG/dieselandCNGpoweredvehicles.

n Reductioninsuppliers’deliveryschedules

n ‘FreightBestPractice’guidance.

n Supplierrationalisationtoreducenumberofsitedeliveries

n Specificationofgoodsandservicestoreflectgreenagenda

e.g.reusabledrapesandgownsfortheatres

n Decreasesinbusinesstravelthroughvideoandwebconferencing

Corporate Asset Management and Capital Investment StrategyGHGownsandoperatesmorethan60privatehospitalsand

walk-incentres,aswellasancillaryofficesandbuildings.

Maintenancestandardsofthesepropertiesneedimprovingto

incorporatecarbonmanagement,inparticularwithregardto

energyandwater.Wearedevelopinglong-termplanstoreview

thewayinwhichheatingandcoolingsystemsareoperated,

aspartofastrategytoreplacethemprogressivelywithmore

energyefficientsystemsandrenewableenergysources.

Ouroverridingaimistoincorporatecarbonreduction

measuresintoourcorporateassetmanagementandcapital

strategy,withthefollowingkeyobjectives:t

n Optimisethecontributionofpropertytomeetthe

objectivesofthecarbonmanagementprogramme.

n Buildcarbonassessmentintolifecyclecostsfor

replacementoradditionalcapitalplantorequipment.

n Ensurebuildingsoperatetominimumcarbonefficiency

standards.

n Developcapitalreplacementprogrammetosupportthe

objectivesofthecarbonmanagementprogramme.

n Ensureourbuildingsmeetcurrentenvironmentallegislative

requirements.

n Ensurenewbuildingsandrefurbishmentsarecarriedout

toBREEAM‘excellent’criteriatominimisetheircarbon

impact.*

*BREEAM(BREEnvironmentalAssessmentMethod)istheleadingandmostwidelyused

environmentalassessmentmethodforbuildings.Itsetsthestandardforbestpracticein

sustainabledesignandhasbecomethedefactomeasureusedtodescribeabuilding’s

environmentalperformance.

Changing staff behaviour will continue to be fundamental to our carbon management success.

“

“


“Our overriding aim is to incorporate carbon reduction measures into our corporate asset management and capital strategy

Carbon

The‘BigTurnOff’hascreatedinitialfocusandactionacross

theestate.Inorder,however,toreduceourimpactonthe

environmentsignificantly,andmeetourtargetsandfuture

legislation,ourfocusin2009/10willbeondeliveringthe

widerstrategy.Changingstaffbehaviourwillcontinuetobe

fundamentaltoourcarbonmanagementsuccess.

“


Responsible employer

3.1 Employee statistics Everymonthnearly14,000peopleareengagedinemployment

withGHG.Thesearemainlylongtermpermanentstaffand‘bank’

staffonpart-timeadhochours,whomayhavealong-standing

relationshipwiththecompany.Justoverhalfofouremployees

haveaclinicalrole,asnurses,pharmacists,physiotherapistsor

radiologists,andthemajorityoftheothersareinrolesdirectly

assistingourpatients,forexampleinreceptionorhousekeeping.

Ourstaffarethereforeatthecentreofthepatientexperienceand,

assuch,shapethewaythecompanyisperceived.Theyprovidethe

care,commitment,professionalismandservicethatunderpinour

positionastheleadingprivatehealthcareproviderintheUK.

AtGHG,wearecommittedtocreatingaworkingenvironmentthat

attractsandretainstalentedindividuals,engagesandmotivates

themtodelivertheirbest,providesrecognitionforcontribution,

providesexcellentandongoingdevelopmentopportunitiesand

ensuresthisisachievedwithahealthyregardforwork-lifebalance

andindividualwell-being.

14,000 people are engaged in employment with GHG

3.2 Equality and diversityGHGiscommittedtopromotingequalityofopportunityforall

itsemployees.

GHGaimstocreateaculturewherestaffrespectandvalue

eachother’sdifferences,andtoremoveanybarriers,biasor

discriminationthatpreventindividualsfromrealisingtheir

potentialandcontributingfullytothecompany’sperformance

Inearly2009,GHGcompletelyredevelopeditsrecruitment

processesfromouradvertisingcampaignstoourselection

processesandofferpacks.Underthebanner‘Amagnetforthe

best’,weensurethatourattractioncampaignsareinclusiveand

widelyrepresentative,andourrecruitmentprocessesaimtobe

open,transparentandcreatealevelplayingfieldforallcandidates.

Ourcurrentmanagementtrainingprogrammes

includesessionsonfairselectionandmanaging

diversity.Intheautumnof2009,wewillbe

launchingspecifictrainingondiversityinconjunction

withenhancedtrackingofequalopportunitydata.

GHGhasalwaysprovidedflexibleworking

arrangementstoenableustoappealtopeopleinas

widearangeofpersonalcircumstancesaspossible,

andthisremainsakeystrengthwithinour

employmentproposition.

GHGprovidesacomprehensivebenefitspackagewhich

wehavereviewedtoensurethatitdoesnotinadvertently

discriminateagainstanygroupofemployeesonthe

groundsofgender,ageorsexualorientation.


3.3 Employee statistics At30September2009,GHGemployedcloseto9,200FullTimeEquivalent

permanentstaff.

In2009,81.5%ofUKemployeeswerefemalecomparedto82.6%intheprior

year.Femalerepresentationatexecutivelevelhassignificantlyincreasedfrom

30.8%to38.9%,reflectingtheincreasingnumberofwomeninseniorhospital

managementroles.

Therelativeagediversityhasremainedconstantyearonyear.22%ofstaffare

undertheageof35,26%between35and45,and52%over45,givingaskew

towardsaslightlyolderageprofile.

Lengthofservicedatahasshownlittleyearonyearchange,with54%ofstaff

havinglessthan5years,25%with5-10yearsservice,and20%withover10

yearsservice.

GHG aims to create

a culture where staff

respect and value each

other’s differences and

to remove any barriers,

bias or discrimination

that prevent individuals

from realising their

potential.

“

Employeetypebygenderprofile% 2009 2009 2008 2008 Male% Female% Male% Female%

Executive 61.1 38.9 69.2 30.8

Management 28.0 72.0 26.8 73.2

Professional 13.3 86.7 10.8 89.2

Enrollednursingandsupport 21.2 78.8 21.0 79.0

18.5 81.5 17.4 82.6

“Employeebase 2009 2008

9,130

6,335

15,465

9,203

5,550

14,753

Permanent

Bank

Lengthofservice 2009 2009 2008 2008

0-5years

6-10years

11-15years

16-20years

>20years

Total

4,906

2,284

913

439

588

9,130

53.7

25.0

10.0

4.8

6.4

100

4,938

2,374

828

637

426

9,203

53.7

25.8

9.0

6.9

4.6

100


Afteraqualifyingperiodofservice,allstaffareeligibleforprivate

healthcarecoverandpensionschememembershipwithanemployer

contribution.

GHG’srangeofbenefitsareregularlyreviewed,andwherepossiblenew

optionsareintroducedtoprovidebreadthandflexibility.Theseinclude

HSA–avoluntaryhealthcashschemethatreimbursesparticipantsfor

arangeoftreatmentsincludingdentalandopticianandphysiotherapy.

Inaddition,werunschemesforchildcarevouchers,payrollgivingand

discountongymmembership.

3.4 Fair deal – pay and rewardAtGHGweaimtorewardexpertiseandcontributionatalevelthatfullyreflectsthemarketsinwhichwe

competeforstaff,andrecognisetalentandhighperformanceatalevelthatenablesustoattractandretainthe.


Inaddition,GHGoperatesanational,self-fundedincentivescheme

formiddlemanagersandabovethatisbasedonperformanceagainst

individual,teamandGrouptargets.Incentiveschemesfornon-

managersrunatlocallevelandrewardindividualsorteams‘going

theextramile’withvouchersthatcanbeusedinawiderange

ofoutlets.

InJanuary2009,weimplementeda‘netpaymaximisation’

programme.Underthebanner‘Wouldyouliketotakehomemore

pay?’,itmakesuseofNImaximisationformembersofthecompany

pensionschemestodeliverNIsavingsbenefitstostaffandthe

company.

Quality3.5 Training and developmentOursuccessisinextricablylinkedwiththeknowledge

andexpertiseofouremployees,anddespitethe

currenteconomicpressures,weincreasedourlevelof

investmentintraininganddevelopmentlastyear.

Wecreatedanddeliveredaground-breaking

programmeforourHealthCareAssistants(HCAs),

whichblendsclassroomandpracticaltrainingforall

newandrecentrecruits.Thisprogrammeensuresthat

ourHCAsareequippedtoprovideaconsistentlyhigh

standardofpatientcare,whileenablingRegistered

Nursestofocusonclinicalsupport.Over1,000daysof

clinicaltrainingweredeliveredthroughthisprogramme.

Inlatesummer2009,wecommenceddeliveryofa

portfolioofnationalnursingtrainingprogrammes.

Theseincludecross-trainingintheatreskillsto

providetheopportunityforwardnursestodevelop

inthisarea,returntopracticeprogrammes,and

ongoingprofessionaldevelopmentseminars.

During2008/09,wedeliveredover2,000days

ofmanagement,leadershipandcommercial

developmentprogrammesformiddlemanagement.

Theseprogrammesaredesignedtosupportthe

significantorganisationalchangeunderwayandto

facilitateasharedcultureacrosstheUKbusiness.

Thiscontinuesandwillbeexpandedfurtherto

providearelatedprogrammeforsupervisors.

Atseniorlevels,wewillbelaunchingaleadership

developmentprogrammewithin2yearstosupport

ouraimoffillingthemajorityofseniorvacancies

thoughsuccessionanddevelopment.

Wehavebeguntoimplementonlinemandatory

clinicaltraining,whichprovidestherequiredtheory

componentthroughaseriesofonlinemodules,

togetherwithclassroom-basedpracticaltraining.This

givesemployeesflexibilityoverwhentheycomplete

training,andensuresconsistencyofstandardsand

automatedmonitoringofcompliance.

Qualityofcareandattentiontopatientsisakey

differentiatorbetweenusandtheNHS,andour

competitors.Customercarewillthereforebeamajor

areaoffocusin2009/10.Intheautumnof2009

welaunchedanintegratedprogrammeofinitiatives

whichbringstogethertrainingincustomercare

skills,operatingstandardsandcarepathwaysfor

allhospital-basedstaff.Thisiscomplementedbya

nationalawardprogrammeforteamsandindividuals

thatrecognisesexceptionaldeliveryofcustomer

serviceorpatientcare.

Quality of care and attention to patients is a key differentiator between us and the NHS, and our competitors.

“

Management

Commercial & Financial Skills

Available for line managers to understand and

interpret business performance in our hospitals

and enable them to identify ways to drive

improved performance.

How long is it? day modules

The Managing People Programme

Five modules to provide line managers with the

confidence, skills and tools to manage teams

effectively. Covers disciplinaries and grievances,

managing sickness and absence, motivating

staff, recruiting and interviewing, communication

skills and conducting performance reviews.

How long is it? 1 day per module

Availab

le now

Summe

r 09

For more information, please contact your Line Manager

A series of easy-to-use computer-based modules

and practical sessions that enable all staff to meet

the required statutory level of competence annually.

How long is it? Varies by module

Mandatory

A toolkit for all staff to improve levels of patient

satisfaction in their department.

How long is it? 1 day

Customer Service

Available now

NursingFoundation Level (Theatre)

Provides new HCA recruits and RNs with the

technical skills and competence to undertake the

role of circulator supporting the Theatre team.

How long is it? 12 week programme

Advanced Level HCAs (Ward)

Available to more experienced HCAs to extend their

clinical competence, knowledge and skills.

How long is it? 12 week programme

RN Specialist Skills

(transfer from Ward to Theatre)

Equips existing RNs, upon completion of the

foundation level, with more advanced technical

and patient care skills to work in Theatre.

How long is it? 12 weeks ongoing

Corporate Induction

Available now

Nursing

Spring 0

9

development

Building the best Training & Development 2009

Foundation Level HCAs (Ward) Provides new HCA recruits with the skills and confidence to support patients with daily care.How long is it? 12 week programme

Trialling now, roll out

Summer 09

12

Aimed at all new starters to welcome them to BMI.

Includes information about the company, key

contacts, and common questions.How long is it? 1 day

“


3.6 Well-being GHGhasundertakenanextensive

programmeofchangeduringthelasttwo

years,whichhashadanimpactonnearly

allofourstaffthroughchangestocompany

structure,rolesofemployees,modifications

towaysofworking,andtechnologychanges.

Wehaveproactivelyprovidedextensive

supporttolinemanagersandstaff

throughoutthisperiod.

Forallstaff,emphasishasbeenplacedon

theprovisionof‘CareFirst’–athirdparty,

confidential,telephone-basedcounselling

service,whichofferssupportnotonlyfor

work-relatedissuesbutforbroaderpersonal

issuesincluding,forexample,problems

arisingfromfinancialdifficulties.

Anyindividualwhoserolehasbeenmade

redundanthasreceivedoutplacement

supportprovidedthroughanexternal

specialist.

3.7 Communication and engagement Throughoutthisperiodofchange,wehave

madeeveryefforttocommunicatewith

andinvolvestaffthroughmultipledelivery

channels,recognisingthatinamultisite

business,withpeopleworkinginshifts,

communicationscanpresentachallenge.

Allmajorchangeinitiativeshavebeen

supportedbyextensivecommunications

programmeswhichhaveincluded

roadshows,specialwebsites,newsletters

andbriefingpacks.

Weprovideregularcommunications

cascadesandstaffforumsthroughoutthe

Group,andhaveestablished‘listening

groups’inhospitalsunderthebanner

‘InterAct–haveyoursay’,togivestaff

anopportunitytoprovidefeedbackvia

nominatedstaffrepresentatives.

Ourintranetcarriesan‘AskAdrian’button,

enablingpeopletoe-mailtheCEOdirectly

withaquestionandremainanonymousif

theychoose.

Inaddition,wehavethreemainnational

publications:

n @BMI–thequarterlymagazinefor,

providingcohesionforgeographically

widespreadsitesthroughamixture

ofarticlesandreportsfromacrossthe

company;

n eBMI–aregularbusiness-based

newsletterfocusingonasingle

commercialorstrategicinitiative;and,

n WeeklyNews–providingweekly

bulletins.

Thesepublicationsarecomplementedby

locallyproducednewsletters.

In2008,despitetheongoingchange

programme,ourstaffremainedfully

engagedindeliveringtheirbest.Ourpatient

satisfactionscoresshowedyearonyear

improvementinallcategoriesandtwelve

BMIhospitalswereintheNursingTimes

Top100,2008.

@BMI sample page

Our patient satisfaction scores showed year on year improvement in all categories and twelve BMI hospitals were in the Nursing Times Top 100, 2008.“

or 3.5 million people, experience difficulties

in conceiving.

When The Fertility Centre at The Priory

Hospital first opened in 1989, it offered four

main treatments: IVF (In-Vitro Fertilisation),

GIFT (Gamete Intra Fallopian Transfer),

IUI (intrauterine insemination) and Donor

insemination (DI). However, scientific

techniques have moved on dramatically in the

last 20 years. The Fertility Centre now offers a

full range of the very latest techniques.

A fantastic achievementMr Robert Sawers, Consultant Gynaecologist

and Clinical Director of The Fertility Centre

said, “In the last 20 years the staff here have

helped hundreds of couples to conceive

successfully, which is a fantastic achievement.”

Mr Sawers, who was part of the team

responsible for setting up The Fertility

A magnet for the best

Do the right thing with Stephen Collier, General Counsel 4

Issue 18 Summer 2009

Priory Fertility Centre celebrates twenty years

BMI fertility enjoys growth INSIDE THIS EDITION

Earth Day Energy Saving Competition: the results

26

Young stars of The Priory’s

Fertility Centre

The Fertility Centre at The Priory Hospital

near Birmingham celebrated its twentieth

anniversary last month. The first baby

was successfully conceived at the centre

20 years ago. Since then, the Centre has

successfully helped couples with fertility

problems and over 2,000 children have

been born.

The Sussex Downs Fertility Centre at

The Esperance Hospital in Eastbourne will

celebrate its 21st birthday next year.

Fertility treatment increasingAccording to figures released by the Human

Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

(HFEA), five per cent more women are

receiving fertility treatment year on year.

It is estimated that one in six UK couples,

Centre at The Priory Hospital, added,

“Undergoing fertility treatment can be a

particularly emotional and challenging time

for couples. I am proud to be a part of such

a dedicated team that has helped bring joy to

so many people.”

New national productBMI Healthcare has the largest private

network of licensed fertility services across

the UK, with eight dedicated centres and

three additional satellite services. In response

to increased consumer demand, fertility is

being launched as one of BMI Healthcare’s

national products this month. Clinical

managers from each BMI Fertility unit have

been collaborating with the BMI National

Enquiry Centre and central marketing team to

prepare for the launch.

BMI Healthcare will also be working more

closely with CARE Fertility to maximise

opportunities to cross refer between the two

General Healthcare Group organisations.

The Fertility Centre at The Priory Hospital

would like to hear from donors. For further

information, please telephone 0121 446 1501

or attend an open evening on 15 September,

20 October or 1 December. n

10

22

Theatre Managers visit Netcare South Africa

A day in the life of … Rebecca Blackburn,Infection Control Link Practitioner

Send in the clowns

New service swings inAs the golf season gets underway, Ross

Hall Hospital in Glasgow has opened a

specialist Golf Physiotherapy service to

take care of local golfing enthusiasts.

Not only does it offer assessment of golf-

related injuries and hands-on, practical

advice for treatment, it also provides a

comprehensive analysis of the golfer’s

set up and swing.

Four specialist physiotherapists run the

service at the hospital, all of whom have

carried out Golf Physiotherapy training. In

addition, the team provides on-site clinics at

World of Golf, the premier golf practice and

tuition centre in the north of Glasgow.

Posters and literature promote the service

to local golf clubs, and Ross Hall’s staff are

looking forward to promoting it personally to

golfers at the Barclays Scottish Open in Loch

Lomond in July. n

Above: John Bertherton (right) and friend clowning around

Left: The Beaumont circus comes to town

Safety first ten times in a rowFawkham Manor Hospital has scooped the

prestigious International Safety Award for

2009 from the British Safety Council in

recognition of its commitment to improving

health and safety.

This is the 10th consecutive year that the

hospital has won this prized safety award.

It follows a demonstration of compliance

in key areas in health and safety before an

independent adjudicating panel. Fawkham

Manor in Dartford, Kent, leads the way in

reducing workplace injuries to ensure the

health and wellbeing of its hospital staff,

which is fundamental to providing the

highest standards of patient care. n

Left to right: Valerie Power, Hospital Manager; Greg Caswell, Hospital Engineer; Sheila Worton, Director of Clinical Services

Porter John Bretherton acted as

ringmaster for Red Nose Day at

Bolton’s Beaumont Hospital, while

dressing up as a clown. He co-ordinated

a range of activities including raffles,

tombola and an auction for signed

football team photographs, as well as

dishing out colouring books to patients

of all ages.

The local radio station and assorted

businesses, as well as football clubs

and staff, gave their support for what

turned out to be a riotous day that raised

over £650 for Comic Relief. Sharon

Burton, Director of Nursing, would like

to thank John and everyone else involved

for making Red Nose Day such a

resounding success. n

Executive Directors from the

South Central Region joined other

members of the regional team

on a five mile charity walk along

Clacton beachfront earlier this year

in support of Breast Cancer Care.

Fran Campion-Smith, Angela Mulholland,

Caroline Daymond, Samantha Cuthbert,

Cat Purdie, Eileen Scrase, Jan Hale,

Sue Johnson, Tina Morrale and Nigel

Wood decided to support the charity

following the recent death of one of the

nurses at The Hampshire Clinic. They

raised £1,235 for this cause and thank

everyone for their contributions. n

Charity seaside stroll Executive Directors Nigel Wood

and Sue Johnson

Seaside strollers: Samantha Cuthbert, Regional Marketing Manager; Caroline Daymond, Consultant Relations Director; Angela Mulholland, Regional Finance Director; Eileen Scrase, Executive Director

Replacing fluids

6

Lovely legs sail back to HarbourThe Harbour Hospital in Dorset has recently

introduced a new procedure for the

treatment of varicose veins. Endo-Venous

Laser Therapy (EVLT) is one of the leading

treatments for sufferers of this unsightly and

sometimes painful vascular disease.

The new technique replaces painful

stripping operations, and is quicker and

less invasive. Patients can undergo the

treatment and be ready to go home within

a couple of hours.

Mr Haroun Gajraj and Mr Lasantha

Wijesingh at the hospital have carried

out the first cases successfully and look

forward to making Poole the place to be

for lovely legs! n

“


Health and safety policies are integrated into all Group operations to ensure that the safety and wellbeing of our employees, patients and their visitors.

“

3.8 Health and safety Healthandsafetypoliciesareintegratedintoall

Groupoperationstoensurethatthesafetyand

wellbeingofouremployees,patientsandtheir

visitors.HealthandSafetycommitteesoperateinall

businessunitswiththefollowingtermsofreference:

n Instigate,developandimplementmeasures

designedtoensureworkplacehealthandsafety;

n MonitorcompliancewithOccupationalHealth

andSafetylegislation,regulationsandcodes

ofpractice;

n Formulate,reviewanddisseminatepoliciesand

proceduresrelatingtohealthandsafety,which

aretobecarriedoutorcompliedwithwithinthe

workplace;

n Monitorincidentstatisticsandspecificreportsas

necessary;

n Provideriskassessmentsofmajorsafetyhazards

anddevelopappropriatemitigationofexposureto

risks;and

n Ensurereadinessforfireandalliedperilexposures. “


Corporate governance

4.1 Corporate governance philosophy TheGroupacknowledgesthat,inreturnforitslicencetooperate,itis

subjecttotherulesandconstraintsofsocietyandstakeholderimperatives.

Incombiningthetwinrequirementsofconformanceandperformance,

theGroupstrivestomaintainthehigheststandardsofdiscipline,integrity

andtransparencyinsupportinganappropriatelegal,regulatoryand

institutionalfoundation.


Corporate governance

4.2 Overall structureThecorporategovernanceoftheGroupisledbytheBoardof

GeneralHealthcareGroup.

Thisgovernanceencompassesboththebusinessaspectsand

theserviceandsafetyaspectsoftheGroup’sactivities,and

committeesoftheBoardhavebeenestablishedtodealwith

thespecificcomponentsofthis.

TheBoardcomprisesexecutiveandnon-executiveDirectors.

Thenon-executivesaregenerallyappointedbyanddrawn

fromtheGroup’sinvestors,althoughthenon-executive

Chairman,SirPeterGershon,isanindependentnon-executive

Director.ThethreeexecutiveDirectorscomprisetheChief

Executive,theChiefFinancialOfficer,andtheGeneral

Counsel.TheChiefExecutiveisresponsiblefortheday-to-day

operationsoftheGroupanditsstrategicdevelopment.

TheGroup’sobjectiveistocreateanorganisationalculturewhere

soundcorporategovernancebecomesawayoflifeforeachstaff

member.

Thisisachievedbyembeddingthefollowingpracticesin

Groupstrategy:

n Compliancewiththelawandadherencetocommercial

legitimacy;

n Fairtreatmentofemployeesandbusinesspartners;

n Responsibilitytothecommunitiesandenvironmentinwhichwe

operate;and

n Probity,integrityandbusinessethicsinoperationalpractices.

SoundcorporategovernanceprinciplesareembeddedinGHG’s

businessstructure,values,policies,processesandsystems,andare

notviewedinisolationasperipheralguidelinesonwhichacompany

mustreporttomeetitsregulatoryobligations.

Weappreciatethatmaintainingthehigheststandardsofcorporate

governancearenecessarytosecureGHG’sstatusasaresponsible

corporatecitizen.Weassessourcorporategovernancestrategyand

takeintoaccountboththesizeandcomplexityofourbusiness,as

wellasthenatureoftherisksandchallengesweface.Thisassistsus

infindingtherightbalancebetweenconformanceandthecreationof

valueasakeydriverincorporateperformance.

TheChiefFinancialOfficerisresponsibleforthefinancialmanagementof

theGroupandtheGeneralCounselisresponsibleforadvicetotheBoard

andtheexecutive,andfortheGroup’scompliancewithitsresponsibilities

andrelationswithexternalagencies.

GROUPBOARD

AuditCommittee

ExecutiveCommittee

FinanceandInvestmentCommittee

RemunerationCommittee

QualityandRisk

Committee

CorporateSocialResponsibilityCommittee


4.3 Patients’ rightsPatientshavetheright:-

n tobetreatedwithaprofessional

standardofcare,byappropriately

qualifiedandexperiencedstaffin

anorganisationthatmeetsrequired

levelsofsafetyandquality.

n tobetreatedwithdignityand

respectinacleanandsafe

environmentthatisfitforpurpose.

n toacceptorrefusetreatment

andnottobegivenanyphysical

examinationortreatmentunless

theyhavegiveninformedconsent.If

theydonothavethecapacitytodo

so,consentmustbeobtainedfrom

apersonlegallyabletoactontheir

behalf,orthetreatmentmustbein

theirbestinterests.

n tohavetreatmentprovidedwithout

discriminationonthegroundsof

gender,race,religionorbelief,

sexualorientation,disabilityorage.

n toexpecttheirprivacyand

confidentialitytobesafeguarded.

n togivefeedbackaboutthecare

andservicesprovidedandexpect

GeneralHealthcareGroupto

monitor,andmakeeffortswhere

necessarytoimprove,thequalityof

healthcareitprovides.

TheconstitutionandfunctionoftheBoard

Committeesareasfollows:-

Audit CommitteeTheAuditCommitteeischairedbySirPeter

Gershon(GroupChairman)andhasfour

members,allnon-executivedirectors:

TheCommittee’sresponsibilitiesinclude:

overallresponsibilityforinternaland

externalauditoftheGroup’sfinancial

activitiesandfinancialreporting;the

appointmentandremunerationofexternal

auditors;thecompany’sinternalcontrols;

andotherfinancialandbusinessriskissues,

includingcertaincompliancefunctions.

Executive CommitteeTheExecutiveCommitteeischairedby

AdrianFawcett(GroupChiefExecutive)

andcomprisestheGroup’sseniorexecutive

functionalanddivisionalheads.Itsroleisto

addressallGroupoperationalmattersandit

istheprincipalexecutivedecision-making

bodywithintheGroup.

Finance and Investment CommitteeTheFinanceandInvestmentCommitteeis

chairedbyVaughanFirman,(ChiefFinancial

OfficerofNetcareinSouthAfrica).Itsroleis

toreviewpotentialcapitalinvestmentsand

capitalprojects,andundertakefollow-on

postacquisitionreviews.

Remuneration CommitteeTheRemunerationCommitteeischairedby

SirPeterGershon(GroupChairman)and

reviewsandsetstheGroup’sremuneration

strategy,andsalaryandbenefitlevelsacross

theGroup,toensurecompetitiveness

ofremuneration.Italsomonitorsthe

managementequityarrangementsinplace.

Quality and Risk Committee TheQualityandRiskCommitteeischaired

bySirPeterGershon(GroupChairman)

anditsroleistomonitorthesafety,

effectivenessandqualityoftheGroup’s

operationalactivities.Italsomonitorsthe

Group’sregulatorycompliance,operational

conformitytointernalpolicy,andthelevelof

riskretainedbytheGroup.

n tocomplainaboutanyservicesand

tohavethisproperlyinvestigatedand

eceiveatimelyresponse.

Complaint managementGeneralHealthcareGrouphasaformal

stagedcomplaintprocedure.Our

intentionisthatmattersareresolved

athospitallevel.Howeverthereis

thefacilitytoescalatecomplaintsto

corporateandindependentadjudicator

levelifpatientsremaindissatisfiedwith

theoutcomeattheearlierstage.

4.4 Whistleblowing Itisimportanttoourbusinessthatanyfraud,misconductorwrongdoingisreported,

anddealtwithswiftlyandeffectively.Employeesarerequiredtomaintainthehighest

standardsofconductandprofessionalism,andareencouragedtobewatchfulforillegal

orunethicalconduct.TheCompanythereforehasaWhistleblowingpolicywhichsets

outtheprocessbywhichanyindividualcanraiseaconcern,inconfidence,aboutthe

conductofothersinthebusinessorthewayinwhichthebusinessisrun.TheCompany

commitsthatanyconcernraisedundertheWhistleblowingpolicywillbeinvestigated

thoroughly,promptly,andconfidentially,andthatnoemployeewillsufferanydetriment

asaresultofraisinganyconcerningoodfaith.


Development of the CSR framework

5.1 CSR sub-committeeACSRsub-committeehasbeenestablishedtotakeforward

developmentoftheGroup’sCSRagenda.Thiscomprises:

5.2 Focus for 2009/10Thekeyareasfordevelopmentoverthenextyearare:

n Energyefficiency-buildonthesuccessofthe

‘BigTurnOff’campaignwithfurtherenergy

awarenesscampaigns.

n Continuetorefineandshapeourcarbon

managementstrategyfornextyearandbeyond.

n Developfurtherinitiativestoreinforceour

commitmenttodiversityandinclusion.

n Continuetodevelopourplatformofcorporate

sponsorship.

n Progressdevelopmentofpoliciesonclinical

excellenceandethics.

The sub-committee meets twice a year to set and track actions. “

Stephen Collier

GeneralCounsel

Catherine Ward

GroupHumanResourcesDirector

Belinda Moore

GroupMarketingDirector

Matt Oxley

GroupPropertyandProcurementDirector

Adrian Fawcett

ChiefExecutiveOfficer

“


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Tel 0208 232 5100

www.generalhealthcare.co.uk

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