The St Andrew's Team

St. Andrew’s Village has a proud history, having been trading since 1957, originally as the Auckland Presbyterian Hospital Trustees (Incorporated) until 2018 and since then as St. Andrew’s Village Trust (Inc).

The trust is incorporated under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957 under registration number 290263.

The Trust has clear and specific purposes related to the provision of geriatric and other hospital care and services, to provide care for and meet the residential needs of the elderly in New Zealand, to establish and make available a range of retirement housing for the elderly in New Zealand, and to provide support and other services that the board considers are ancillary to or reasonably associated with any of these purposes. These and other requirements are set out in the trust’s constitution.

The trust is governed by a board of trustees, of whom there are currently eight.

The board’s role is to effectively represent and promote the interests of the trust to enhance the efficiency of the Trust and add to its long-term value.  The Board directs and supervises the management of the business and affairs of the Trust.

The Trustees have a Board Charter, the purpose of which is to promote and maintain high standards of corporate governance and to clarify the role and responsibilities of the board, including how the board operates and engages with the CEO and the management team.

Trustees

Trustees are appointed for an initial term of 4 years and a term of 2 years thereafter. The board undertakes a skills assessment to identify gaps and future needs before starting the trustee recruitment process. Considerations for board appointments include alignment with the organisation’s purpose and current strategy, diversity of thought, skills, experience, and background, as well as succession planning.

Board  Meetings

The board meets monthly, except in December. Meetings are a mix of in-person and virtual, using video conference technology. The board also holds an annual half-day strategy workshop. In conjunction with the CEO and management team, the development of the strategy for St. Andrew’s is a key function of the board.

Board Committees

Trustees are expected to actively participate in one or more of the board committees, which are:

• Finance, Audit & Risk
• Property
• Clinical Governance
• Nominations & Governance
• Strategy & Innovation

Each committee has a Terms of Reference or Charter, which sets out its purpose and limitations. Board committee meetings are held at differing intervals, depending on what is happening at St. Andrew’s.  For example, the Property Committee generally meets monthly, while the Finance, Audit, & Risk Committee meets quarterly.

Standing committees are reviewed regularly, at least annually, to ensure they continue to meet the organisation’s needs. Appointments to committees are also reviewed on an annual basis.  In late 2023, the board decided to appoint an independent member, Dr. Paul Owen, to the Clinical Governance Committee.  Dr. Owen is a geriatrician and a former trustee, and he brings his wealth of clinical experience and expertise to bear for the benefit of the committee.