Introducing Board Talk, the new voice for non-execs

In recent months non-executives have been caught in the headlines for the wrong reasons - witness the collateral damage in the fallout from the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells trust C difficile outbreak.

But in most trusts non-executive directors are an indispensable resource in driving change. They help the senior team determine strategy, drive performance and assess risk, while their experience from outside the health service offers fresh insights and perspectives.

Board Talk provides articles by non-executives, discussion on key issues such as the new Corporate Manslaughter Act, and advice on how boards can influence strategy on targets such as improving patient safety. It will also give NHS board members a forum for sharing best practice and raising concerns on governance, financial management and communication.

On Monday, a web-based, filmed discussion - known in HSJ Towers as a webinar - between a lawyer, a governance expert and a non-executive director will be on the site guiding you through the rules and dangers surrounding the new corporate manslaughter legislation.