Strategy

The Board agreed LHP’s strategic approach, which is based on seven objectives across a range of activities aimed at enhancing the region’s role, delivery, capacity enhancement and reputation for research. LHP’s Business Plan, due to be shared at the March Board meeting, will translate these objectives into system-wide, measurable deliverables.

Programme performance reviews

LHP’s performance reviews of the research programmes, providing on-going assurance of delivery, have started with Cardiovascular and Infection. These reviews will be held every six months for each research programme and identify activities going well, those requiring further attention and those where LHP could provide direct help.

Dr Stacy Todd, LHP Programme Director for Infection, updated the Board on the good progress being made in preparing the BRC bid.  NHS partners will be represented on the BRC steering group.

ICAT

Applications have been invited for the prestigious 2021 & 2022 NIHR funded Academic Clinical Fellow (ACF) and Academic Clinical Lecturer (ACL) awards.  Louise Kenny, Executive Pro-Vice Chancellor, University of Liverpool, highlighted this investment in clinical academic development and increased research capacity and capability and emphasised its importance in supporting Liverpool’s future application for Biomedical Research Centre status.  All Partner CEOs were asked to encourage their organisations to respond and improve Liverpool’s track record.

The Board requested an update to its March meeting.

Key decisions from the January LHP Board Meeting:

Communications – The Board approved a strengthened communications strategy to support LHP’s development and increasing profile regionally and nationally.

Governance issues – Louise Shepherd, CEO of Alder Hey Children’s NHS FT, now chairs the governance committee. The new hosting arrangements, whereby LHP is hosted by Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS FT, were approved; and the management accounts for the nine months ending December 2019 were noted.