27Kade now is on her way to having aesthetically normal outer ears and restored hearing in both ears.""

28Spire Healthcare Annual Review 2010Spire Healthcare takes a structured approach to managing risk. Our priorities are to protect people, property, finances and our reputation while delivering services critical to our business.Operational risk is reviewed each month by updating the Board on the operational performance of each hospital.Human resource updates are given to the Board on an annual basis and remuneration issues are governed by the Remuneration Committee.Spire's information management and technology risk is updated to the Board on an annual basis in addition to regular monthly briefings by the CEO.Financial risk is governed by the Audit Committee and financial risk updates are provided to the Board by the CFO on a monthly basis. In 2010, areas of note included advances in business continuity planning for the National Distribution Centre, including a reduction of key supplier dependency, reduced regulatory risk through the theatre sterile services unit programme and a significant reduction in engineering risk (see page 29). Risk reductions have also been achieved in information security through our central ISO 27001 accreditation and application of the NHS Information Governance toolkit.Clinical riskAs a provider of acute healthcare services, we recognise we are often entrusted by people receiving these services to maintain their safety when they are at their most vulnerable. Local application of a wide range of clinical risk control policies aim to ensure patients are protected from events that may lead to adverse outcomes. Risk assessments enable clinical departments to target controls on key risk areas, taking into account the needs of patients and nature of treatments delivered.Corporate riskSpire Healthcare robustly manages risks and uncertainties inherent in our business activities, taking steps to protect people, property, finances and reputation. Our approach to risk management demonstrates that recognition, analysis and control of risk is embedded throughout the organisation with free flowing information acted upon by appropriately empowered individuals.The Executive Management Team bi-annually reviews the corporate risk register that outlines key risks, measures likelihood and impact, determines controls and presents the level of residual risk. Spire's risk register groups risks under the headings of: . clinical. operational. human resource. information management and technology. financialEach risk entry is assigned to a member of the Executive Management Team to ensure that these reflect the conditions in their respective area(s) of responsibility.The Board of Spire Healthcare Group UK Limited also considers issues raised by the risk register either through regular Board updates or through its committees.Clinical updates from the Director of Clinical Services are given to the Board on a half-yearly basis and it is the Board's intention to develop a Clinical Governance Committee that will review both the clinical and health and safety effectiveness of Spire Healthcare.Risk management