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KEY RISKS TO DELIVERY IN 2017/18

The Trust’s key risks were articulated in the Board avoid the acute staffing shortages suffered by many
Assurance Framework, which was reviewed on NHS organisations, also enabling it to cease utilising
a monthly basis by the Board and its assurance agency nursing other than for those areas experiencing
committees throughout the year. The three most skills deficits nationally, such as critical care. The Trust’s
significant risks were: financial sustainability in a other key risk concerned the delivery of the activity
challenging environment; ability to continue to grow; plan, which was central to the organisation’s ability
and workforce supply challenges. The chief risk to achieve the control total set by NHS Improvement.
to quality related to sustaining the Trust’s ability to Threats to securing the requisite run rate are
provide the best possible care to our children given traditionally most acutely felt during the winter period
the financial challenges across the system. The Board when peaks of childhood respiratory conditions impact
agreed that as far as possible front line services must upon the elective surgical programme. The Trust-wide
be safeguarded and the work carried out in the last work undertaken to develop and implement a robust
three years to ensure optimum nurse staffing levels Winter Plan meant that the activity plan was delivered
should be protected. The Trust was fortunate to be able and the organisation achieved a strong set of financial
to continue with its nurse recruitment programme and results which are described on the right.

Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust 20 Annual Report & Accounts 2017/18