A Recent Service Review

The HSC Leadership Centre was commissioned to undertake an organisational review of decision-making and accountability at senior and executive leadership levels. The purpose of the review was to support effective governance, reinforce leadership accountability and strengthen organisational performance and confidence at executive and Board level.

The review was designed to provide assurance that decisions are taken at the appropriate level with clear articulation of leadership responsibilities and governance arrangements. It sought to ensure timely, high-quality decision-making in support of strategic priorities and effective organisational leadership.

The review considered how decision-making operates in practice across senior and executive leadership teams, including the clarity of delegated authority. A further aim of the review was to consider the extent to which senior leaders are enabled to operate at a strategic level, providing clear direction, oversight, and collective leadership, while ensuring that operational matters are appropriately delegated and managed.

The effectiveness of senior and executive leadership teams was also a central theme of the review. This included consideration of leadership behaviour, the quality of discussion, the use of data, insight, and assurance and the extent to which leadership forums support robust decision-making rather than information exchange. Governance and committee structures were reviewed to assess clarity or purpose, alignment and to ensure that leadership is focused on the issues of greatest strategic impact.

The review sets out clear and practical recommendations to strengthen leadership decision-making, accountability, clarifying leadership roles and responsibilities, strengthening collective ownership of decisions, and enabling senior leaders to consistently operate at the right strategic level.