Corporate report

UKHSA Advisory Board: 16 November 2022 meeting minutes

Updated 2 February 2023

Date: Wednesday 16 November 2022

Present at the meeting were:

• Ian Peters – Chair
• Jon Friedland – non-executive member
• Simon Blagden – associate non-executive member
• Jennifer Dixon – non-executive member
• Dame Jenny Harries – Chief Executive
• Graham Hart – non-executive member
• Susan Hopkins – Chief Medical Advisor
• Mark Lloyd – non-executive member
• Raj Long – associate non-executive member
• Sir Gordon Messenger – non-executive member
• Scott McPherson – Director General, Strategy, Policy and Programmes
• Isabel Oliver – Chief Scientific Officer (interim)
• Andrew Sanderson – Director General, Finance, Commercial and Corporate Services
• Thom Waite – Deputy Chief Medical Officer

Observers at the meeting were:

• Lee Bailey – Director of Communications
• Sarah Collins – Commercial Director
• Jac Gardner – Chief People Officer
• Sir Michael McBride – Chief Medical Officer Northern Ireland
• Oliver Munn – Director General, Health Protection Operations and Chief Operating Officer, Testing
• Steven Riley – Director General, Data, Analytics and Surveillance
• Clara Swinson – Director General, Global Public Health (Senior Departmental Sponsor)

In attendance were:

• Katherine Beesley – Business and Governance Senior Officer
• Andrea Clapton – Governance and Business Manager
• Hannah Frude – Board Secretary (minutes)
• Richard Gleave – Director of Scientific Strategy and Development
• Caroline Middlecote – Director of Strategy
• Richard Murray – Deputy Director of Innovation, Science Group
• Rachel Scott – Deputy Director, Governance, Risk and Assurance

Apologies from:

• Marie Gabriel – associate non-executive member

Announcements, apologies and declarations of interest

22/039 The Chair welcomed participants to the meeting and noted apologies. Thanks were noted to the Bristol team for hosting the Advisory Board meeting as part of the commitment to rotate meetings around the country. The Advisory Board had very much enjoyed meeting the team and hearing about local issues.

Minutes of the previous meeting and matters arising

22/040 The Advisory Board AGREED the minutes of the meeting held on 29 September 2022 (enclosure AB/22/009) as an accurate record.

22/041 The Advisory Board NOTED the list of actions from the previous meeting (enclosure AB/22/010). It was noted that items related to People and Leadership were on the forward look of the Advisory Board.

22/042 The Director General, Strategy, Policy and Programmes provided an update on the corporate strategy, noting that it would be finalised in the Spring as a 3-year strategy from 1 April 2023. Conversations continued with ministers to shape the strategy.

Chief Executive’s update

22/043 The Chief Executive noted thanks to the South-West team for hosting the Advisory Board and observed the political and economic challenges which included the impact of increased costs of living for staff.

22/044 Highlights since the previous meeting (enclosure AB/22/011) included:

• the UKHSA Conference in October, which included the launch of the Centre for Climate and Health Security
• establishing the Covid Vaccine Unit (CVU) in UKHSA which would continue to develop ways of working from the Vaccine Taskforce during the pandemic
• UKHSA had received two Rule 9 requests for simultaneous reply to the COVID-19 Public Inquiry
• conclusion of the 2022/2023 pay offer with a focus on higher awards to staff at lower grades
• welcoming Chris Coupland as the new Chief Technology Officer

22/045 UKHSA continued to provide responses to a range of incidents which included winter preparedness and an increase of diphtheria at migrant centres.

22/046 The Advisory Board welcomed the update and noted interest in:

• timelines and resource demand of the public inquiry. Staff were being seconded to the Public Inquiry team to embed specialist knowledge. UKHSA had notified the COVID-19 public inquiry of its commitment to supplying timely information
• how skills within the CVU would be deployed in a new incident. The team would remain centralised while building capacity. It was agreed to discuss the capabilities and priorities of the CVU at a future Advisory Board meeting, including the conditions for standing up further incidents, enabling functions and the opportunities to build partnerships with industry and academia in other areas of UKHSA work
• how to continue to work positively with the Home Office to support the provision of health protection for migrants

(Jenny Harries (Philippa Harvey))

Financial report

22/047 The Advisory Board NOTED the financial update (enclosure AB/22/012). Formal reporting of the CVU budget would begin from Month 7. UKHSA forecast an underspend on the total budget resulting from the delayed budget settlement and the challenge of recruiting to open vacancies. Where underspend was identified within the COVID-19 budget, UKHSA worked to hand resource back to the Department of Health and Social Care to meet funding demands across the wider public health landscape.

22/048 Discussion followed on recruitment pressures within the organisation. Plans were in place to outsource recruitment campaigns and ease pressure within the People Group. The number of open vacancies was driven by natural attrition and competition for skills. It was suggested that UKHSA link with other executive agencies or arms’ length bodies to discuss solutions for the crossover in skill shortages. Data on the number of civil servants in comparison to contingent labour vacancies and actual vacancies would form part of discussion at a future Advisory Board meeting. Additionally, packages to attract staff in skill shortage areas would also be brought forward.

(Jac Gardner)

22/049 It was observed that UKHSA should continue planned investment in the technology infrastructure needed to support future public health and pandemic responses.

Science strategy

22/050 The Interim Chief Scientific Officer presented progress on developing UKHSA’s science strategy (enclosure AB/22/013). The science strategy aimed to secure a step change in UKHSA’s science capabilities and the impact of its scientific work. As part of the science strategy, UKHSA planned to develop a framework for working with partners to bring clarity to shared objectives and enable horizon scanning. It would work closely alongside the People Strategy to ensure UKHSA attracted the right skills and worked with academia to develop future capabilities of our staff. It was noted that UKHSA had a strong collegiate culture which should be encouraged as the science strategy was implemented.

22/051 The Advisory Board welcomed the ambition of the strategy and progress from earlier versions. It was noted that in the final version, stronger emphasis could be made on:

• the economic worth of UKHSA and specificity on how our work improves health outcomes
• the importance of data and technology to UKHSA’s scientific work
• a stronger profile on the enablers mentioned of people, facilities, partnerships, and the ability to conduct research and access scientific expertise as needed
• how the science strategy would build capability to respond and where the current and anticipated health threats sit
• further clarity on how it aligned with UKHSA’s corporate strategy and other government strategies

22/052 The Advisory Board showed further interest in how the science strategy would become a living document for staff to apply in their areas of work. Discussion noted the desire to understand how immediate and future threats were identified, and this would be brought to a future Advisory Board.

(Steven Riley)

22/053 The science strategy would return to the Science and Research Committee for further discussion before finalisation. Next steps would include developing a delivery plan with specific metrics for the organisation. The Advisory Board would welcome an update on progress in Q2 2023.

(Isabel Oliver)

Data strategy

22/054 The Director General, Data, Analytics and Surveillance presented the approach to developing UKHSA’s data strategy (enclosure AB/22/014). UKHSA had many of the best data scientists in the world and wanted to be world leading in treating data as an asset. The data strategy aimed to set agreed principles and measure maturity of UKHSA’s data capabilities. Key aims of the data strategy included:

• providing clarity on ownership and responsibility for data assets in the organisation
• reducing the current difficulty in sharing data within the organisation and externally
• remaining trusted and being open in how UKHSA uses data

22/055 The Advisory Board welcomed work to date on the data strategy and encouraged UKHSA to be bolder in its vision. It was observed that the initial approach was focused on a defensive narrative of protecting UKHSA’s current data assets. Key feedback suggested the desirability of:

• higher profile of innovation within the data strategy and the bold vision of bringing stakeholders together
• more detail on how to catalogue data, tools in use to manage data and future capabilities UKHSA wants to develop in data. Discussion noted that the Cabinet Office maturity model would cover points raised on auditing data quality and architecture
• being careful on use of terminology in the final version so that it was accessible to a wide audience
• including more detail on governance of the data strategy itself
• detailing a clear vision on how UKSHA wanted people to interact with data

22/056 The data strategy would be presented at the Science and Research Committee in February and return to the Advisory Board for noting in approximately six months. The later update should cover how it is being implemented and include further detail on analytics capability and data tools.

(Steven Riley)

22/057 It was noted that the Executive Committee was due to discuss interdependencies of relevant strategies in the organisation.

UKHSA local, national and international relationships

22/058 The Director General, Strategy, Policy and Programmes and Director General, Health Protection Operations presented the paper on UKHSA’s range of relationships (enclosure AB/22/015). UKHSA had diversity of responsibilities and relationships and needed better understanding on how disparate teams work came together in support of UKHSA’s mission. Partners had varying levels of capability and capacity, with many facing challenge to local budgets.

22/059 The Advisory Board endorsed the approach to managing stakeholder relationships, while noting there were many layers of detail which could not be covered in the paper. Discussion followed on the need to work across organisational boundaries with stakeholders, particularly directors of public health from a local perspective. Additional points to consider included the importance of relationships with grant bodies and exploring work on vaccination programmes. The Advisory Board encouraged the exchange of expertise with international partners, particularly in areas of nuclear threats, radiation and climate change.

22/060 UKHSA was developing its global health strategy which would look to map relationships and cover the challenge of bringing existing partners together. The global health strategy would be reviewed with above feedback from the Advisory Board.

(Scott McPherson)

22/061 It was noted that UKHSA had an existing global research map in the public domain which would be circulated after the meeting.

(Jenny Harries)

Advisory Board Committees

Audit and Risk Committee

22/062 The Advisory Board NOTED the minutes of the Audit and Risk Committee meeting on 11 July 2022 (enclosure AB/22/016).

22/063 The October meeting had included a review of the strategic risk register and discussion of approving the annual report and accounts.

People and Culture Committee

22/064 The Advisory Board ENDORSED the Terms of Reference for the People and Culture Committee (enclosure AB/22/017).

22/065 The October meeting had discussed the challenge of building and retaining UKHSA’s workforce and recruiting individuals with the appropriate skillsets. Members were encouraged to seek advice from other government departments on shared challenges of staff turnover.

Equalities, Ethics and Communities Committee

22/066 The Advisory Board ENDORSED the Terms of Reference for the Equalities, Ethics and Communities Committee (enclosure AB/22/018).

22/067 The October meeting had discussed policy, the health equity strategy and a deep dive on assessing inequalities in the mpox (monkeypox) response.

Science and Research Committee

22/068 The Advisory Board ENDORSED the Terms of Reference for the Science and Research Committee (enclosure AB/22/019).

22/069 The September meeting had discussed an earlier version of the science strategy and the vaccine development and evaluation centre.

Questions from members of the public

22/070 A question was asked to the Advisory Board from a representative of the Lead Exposure and Poisoning Prevention Alliance. It was asked what legislation was being introduced and what work was being done to prevent population exposure to lead, in particular, including in the NHS Long Term Plan and the Healthy Child programme. UKHSA welcomed providing professional expert support to further development of advice of the programmes which sits within the Department of Health and Social Care. A response setting out objectives and timescales would be prepared following the meeting.

(Isabel Oliver)

Forward look

22/071 The Advisory Board NOTED the topics for future meetings (enclosure AB/22/0021).

Any other business and close

22/072 Thanks were noted to all for work in preparing the meeting and to the South West region for hosting the Advisory Board.

22/073 There being no other business, the meeting closed at 3:57pm.

Hannah Frude
Head of Governance
November 2022