Shirley Parsons helped the Surrey & Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust overcome critical HSE challenges by developing a prioritised implementation plan, enhancing their risk management framework, and improving board-level awareness, resulting in a safer and more efficient organisation.
The Surrey & Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust faced significant challenges in managing its Risk, Health, Safety, and Security functions. The Trust operates across 56 sites, including community centres, hospitals, office hubs, and residential care homes, making effective oversight difficult.
A previous independent health and safety review had identified gaps in compliance and operational risks, but the resulting action plan was never implemented due to resource constraints. The Trust had a small internal health and safety team (only two or three staff members), which struggled to meet regulatory demands, conduct risk assessments, and manage day-to-day safety operations.
Without intervention, these challenges could have led to non-compliance with regulatory requirements, increased safety risks, and potential legal and financial consequences. Additionally, there was no clear HSE strategy guiding ongoing safety operations, leaving the Trust exposed to further inefficiencies and hazards.
The Trust engaged Shirley Parsons to provide expert guidance and develop a manageable, prioritised strategy to address these challenges.
To ensure alignment with business objectives, Shirley Parsons Principal HSEQ Consultant, Gena Ibraev, worked closely various teams, reviewing both clinical and non-clinical operations.
Also, Global Director of Consultancy and Advisory Services Nick Farkas provided board-level engagement by facilitating a risk management workshop with senior leadership. This session focused on:
Our approach included:
Comprehensive review: We conducted a thorough review of the previous HSE gap analysis report, assessing its findings and identifying the most critical areas for improvement.
Operational assessment: We conducted site visits, interviewed key stakeholders, and analysed existing HSE documentation to understand the Trust’s current HSE operating model and identify areas for improvement.
Development of a new implementation plan: Based on our findings, we developed a new, prioritised HSE implementation plan with clear timelines, responsibilities, and measurable outcomes. This plan addressed the key recommendations from the previous review and aligned with the Trust’s current operational needs.
Enhanced risk management framework: We assisted the Trust in developing a more robust and integrated risk management framework, focusing on both operational and business risks. This included facilitating a workshop with the Board of Directors to improve their understanding of risk and its implications for the organization.
Our intervention yielded several positive outcomes for the Trust:
Improved HSE management: The Trust gained a clear roadmap for improving its HSE performance, addressing critical gaps identified in the previous review.
Enhanced resource allocation: The new implementation plan provided a strong foundation for the Trust to secure the necessary resources to strengthen its HSE function.
Improved risk management: The Trust developed a more robust and integrated risk management framework, enhancing its ability to identify, assess, and mitigate potential risks.
Increased board-level awareness: The risk management workshop significantly improved the Board of Directors’ understanding of risk and its implications for the organisation.
Gena says:
“The most important thing we added was helping the Trust open their perception of risk. It was about equipping them with the right methodology to compare different risks and prioritize them accordingly. This approach ensured they could allocate resources effectively and manage the risks that truly impact them the most. More than just reviewing paperwork or conducting analysis, we provided them with a cross-discipline perspective – understanding how different risks contribute to each other and integrating the human element into risk management.”
Our work has led to continued collaboration, with an outstanding proposal for additional risk management training tailored to the Trust’s evolving needs.
This case study underscores the importance of looking beyond compliance checklists and adopting a cross-disciplinary, human-centred approach to risk management. By embedding a more holistic risk perspective, organisations can not only improve compliance but also enhance resilience and long-term operational effectiveness.
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