ghg csr report
DESCRIPTION
GHG Corporate and Social responsibility report 2009TRANSCRIPT
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
General Healthcare Group 3
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
Corporate Social Responsibility Report 20094
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
General Healthcare Group 5
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
Corporate Social Responsibility Report 20096
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).
General Healthcare Group 7
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
“
Corporate Social Responsibility Report 20098
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.
“
General Healthcare Group 9
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.
“
Corporate Social Responsibility Report 200910
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
General Healthcare Group 11
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
Corporate Social Responsibility Report 200912
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.
“
“
General Healthcare Group 13
“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.
“
Corporate Social Responsibility Report 200914
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.
General Healthcare Group 15
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
Corporate Social Responsibility Report 200916
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.
General Healthcare Group 17
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
“
Corporate Social Responsibility Report 200918
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
“
General Healthcare Group 19
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 Social Responsibility Report 200920
Corporate governance
4.1 Corporate governance philosophy TheGroupacknowledgesthat,inreturnforitslicencetooperate,itis
subjecttotherulesandconstraintsofsocietyandstakeholderimperatives.
Incombiningthetwinrequirementsofconformanceandperformance,
theGroupstrivestomaintainthehigheststandardsofdiscipline,integrity
andtransparencyinsupportinganappropriatelegal,regulatoryand
institutionalfoundation.
General Healthcare Group 21
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
Corporate Social Responsibility Report 200922
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.
General Healthcare Group 23
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
“