<title>Abstract</title> This article reports the findings of a year-long research project focused on the activity of boards of directors of twenty-two trusts from the British National Health Service (NHS). The evidence gathered through the use of semi-structured interviews, focus groups, workshops, feedback...

Boards of directors play an increasingly fundamental role in British NHS trusts as well as other parts of the public sector. This study shows that their effectiveness is compromised by issues related to internal dynamics, processes, responsibility, overall functions and performance. The focus of...