Announcements (Archive)

Member of the Human Tissue Authority (VAC-1696)

Body
Human Tissue Authority
Appointing Department
Department of Health and Social Care
Sector
Health and Social Care
Location
London or other
Number of Vacancies
5
Remuneration
£7,883 per annum
Time Requirements
2 to 3 days per month

Campaign Timeline

  1. Competition Launched

    07/09/2020

  2. Closed for Applications

    06/10/2020 at 12:00

  3. Panel Sift

    28/10/2020

  4. Final Interview Date

    27/11/2020

  5. Announcement

    14/12/2020 at 12:00

Announcement

An announcement has been made on the outcome of this appointment.

Deborah Bowman and Jan Williams have been appointed as members of the Human Tissue Authority for 3 years from 4 January 2021.

The appointments will involve a time commitment of 2 to 3 days per month. Remuneration for the roles will be at a rate of £7,883 per year.

These appointments are made in accordance with the Cabinet Office Code of Governance for Public Appointments. The regulation of public appointments against the requirements of this Code is carried out by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

The appointments are made on merit and political activity played no part in the decision process. However, in accordance with the Code, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Neither has declared any political activity.

Date: 14/12/2020

Assessment Panel

Panel Member
Marina Pappa
Added
04/09/2020
Panel Role
Panel Chair
Positions
DHSC Deputy Director (Health Ethics) Departmental Official
Show more information
Political ActivityNone
Notes-
Panel Member
Lynne Berry
Added
04/09/2020
Positions
Chair of Human Tissue Authority Representative of Organisation
Show more information
Political ActivityNone
Notes-
Panel Member
Piers White
Added
04/09/2020
Positions
NHS Blood and Transplant Non-Executive Director Independent Member
Show more information
Political ActivityNone
Notes-

Vacancy Description

Introduction

Ministers are seeking to make up to five appointments to the board of the Human Tissue Authority (HTA).

Role and Responsibilities of a Member

As a Member of the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) you will:

  • Support the Chair in setting the strategic direction of the HTA, encouraging and enabling the HTA to be a first-class regulator of human tissue
  • Support the Chair in developing the HTA in-line with the organisation’s strategic aims while maintaining a positive, constructive and appropriate relationship with its stakeholders to ensure confidence in the work of the HTA;
  • Provide an independent view, a substantive contribution, and constructive challenge at Board meetings and sub committees
  • Monitor the performance of the HTA’s Executive, holding it to account for the delivery of the HTA’s business plan, HM Treasury and Department of Health and Social Care requirements

Person Specification

To be considered, you must be able to demonstrate that you have the qualities, skills and experience to meet all the essential criteria for appointment.

  • Commitment to the objectives of the HTA and with the interest and drive to make a real contribution to the Board
  • Ability to provide effective scrutiny and challenge to the Executive and to hold them to account for the delivery of performance and the delivery of its strategy
  • Ability to think strategically and to exercise sound judgement on complex and sensitive issues
  • The highest standards of personal propriety in relation to governance, accountability, risk and financial management.

In addition, candidates should bring skills and experience in one of the following areas:

  • Data and analytics as drivers for digital transformation
  • Professional experience in any of the sectors regulated by the HTA
  • Experience of organ donation and transplantation either from a patient or practitioner perspective
  • Medical, clinical or research ethics.

Additional Information

Introduction from Lynne Berry OBE, Chair of HTA

Dear applicant,

Thank you for your interest in joining the Board of the Human Tissue Authority.

The HTA is responsible for ensuring the removal, storage and use of human tissue and organs are undertaken safely and ethically, and with proper consent. We are an executive Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care, established originally by the Human Tissue Act 2004.

This is a period of significant change and uncertainty in the health sector. Our underpinning strategic approach of building greater sustainability, resilience and agility has served us well. Whilst the fundamentals of the HTA’s approach remain intact, we are conscious that not only have new risks   emerged during the Covid 19 pandemic but also that there is a considerable amount of good practice from which we can learn.

In joining the Board at this time, you will play a part in developing our next strategy to ensure that we can be an ever more proportionate, risk-based, data driven, intelligence-led and collaborative Regulator; building on our recent experience of regulating at a distance and adopting new ways of working.

As a member of the HTA Board, you will undertake a range of non-executive responsibilities including developing the HTA strategy, scrutinising the Executive, and supporting them in their demanding work. You will bring insights from a relevant sector or profession and will occasionally be involved in the oversight of complex case work; you will help us become a more effective modern regulator, advising Minsters and the DHSC where appropriate.

If you share our wish to maintain public confidence in the regulatory system and want to ensure the principles of consent and the dignity of the deceased are upheld and if you have appropriate skills and experience for this important governance role, I welcome your application.

Lynne Berry OBE

Chair

Human Tissue Authority

September 2020

HTA role and responsibilities

The HTA’s key priority is to maintain public and professional confidence in the removal, storage and use of human tissue by ensuring that these activities are undertaken safely and ethically, and with proper consent.

The HTA was established as an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body on 1 April 2005 under the Human Tissue Act 2004. It also acts as a Competent Authority in relation to EU legislation covering tissues and cells used in patient treatment, and organ donation and transplantation.

The HTA licences organisations that remove, store and use human tissue and organs for purposes such as research, transplantation, post-mortem examination, anatomical examination and public display, as set out in its governing legislation.

The HTA publishes Codes of Practice and Standards relating to the conduct of activities within its remit and superintends compliance with standards through a risk-based programme of audit and inspection. It also plays a regulatory role in living organ donation, ensuring that valid consent is given and no coercion or reward takes place.

The HTA’s remit under the Human Tissue Act extends to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It also carries out some functions (in relation to EU legislation, regulating living donation, and keeping of registers), on behalf of the Scottish Government. Since December 2015, the Human Transplantation (Wales) Act 2013 has governed consent for organ and tissue donation in Wales, for which the HTA has produced a Code of Practice and oversees compliance.

In addition to its roles in licensing, inspection and approving living organ donations, the HTA has a statutory duty to provide advice and guidance to the public, and professionals, on activities within its remit.  It also has a duty to monitor developments and advise the Secretary of State, and counterparts in devolved administrations, on related issues.

As a regulator, the HTA seeks to work with stakeholders to encourage improvement, remaining accessible and responsive to a changing environment and the needs of the organisations it regulates.  It is regarded as being in a unique position to comment and offer guidance on challenging issues which fall on the edge of its regulatory remit

The HTA works closely with other regulators and industry to ensure that regulation supports innovation, whilst protecting public confidence.  In the context of Government focus on its industrial strategy and the life sciences, HTA has identified various opportunities for improving the current legislative framework. This will become ever more necessary as the technology and science moves on and regulation will need to remain apace.

The Authority’s Chair and Members are appointed by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The Chair and half of the members are lay, with the remainder being professionals drawn from some of the groups who are affected by the legislation.

Links:

2019/2020 Business Plan https://www.hta.gov.uk/hta-business-plan-2019-20

Guidance for Professionals https://www.hta.gov.uk/guidance-professionals

Guidance for the Public https://www.hta.gov.uk/guidance-public

How to Apply

To make an application please email your CV, a supporting letter and completed monitoring forms to:

appointments.team@dhsc.gov.uk – please quote ref: VAC-1696 in the subject field.

If you are unable to apply by email please contact:

Daniel Clemence

Appointments Team

Tel:  0113 2545335

Email: Daniel.Clemence@dhsc.gov.uk

Applications must be received by midday on 06 October 2020.

In making an application please note the following:

Supporting letter

The supporting letter is your opportunity to demonstrate how you meet each of the criteria set out in the person specification. It will benefit the Advisory Assessment Panel if you can be clear which specific evidence you provide relates to which criteria. Providing separate paragraphs in relation to each criterion is common practice. Please write all acronyms in full first.

Please ensure your full name, the role to which you are applying and the corresponding reference number for the post are clearly noted at the top of your letter.

Please limit your letter to two pages, and type or write clearly in black ink.

Conflicts of interest

If you have any business or personal interests that might be relevant to the work of the HTA, and which could lead to a real or perceived conflict of interest if you were to be appointed, please provide details in your Supporting letter.

If appointed, you will also be required to declare these interests on appointment and they will be entered on a register which is available to the public.

Standards in public life and ensuring public confidence

Given the nature of public appointments, it is important that those appointed as members of public bodies maintain the confidence of the public and Government. If there are any issues in your personal or professional history (including any convictions or bankruptcy) that could, if you were appointed, be misconstrued, cause embarrassment to Ministers or HTA or, cause public confidence in the appointment to be jeopardised, it is important that you bring them to the attention of the Advisory Assessment Panel and provide details of the issue/s in your Supporting letter. In considering whether you wish to declare any issues, you should also reflect on any public statements you have made, including through social media and blogs. Due Diligence may be carried out on any publicly available information and shared with the Advisory Assessment Panel.

The panel may explore any issues you declare with you before they make a recommendation on the appointment.

Failure to disclose such information could result in an appointment being terminated, as those who hold public appointments are expected to demonstrate the highest standards of corporate and personal conduct and are required to subscribe to the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies, as part of agreeing to the terms and conditions of appointment. You can access this document at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/board-members-of-public-bodies-code-of-conduct

There are also circumstances in which individuals may not be considered for appointment, due to them not meeting certain eligibility criteria for appointment. For further information, please refer to Section 2.3: Disqualification from Appointment

If you wish to discuss any queries on conflicts, please see the contacts section.

CV

Please ensure your CV includes:

  • Your full name, title, home address, personal contact telephone numbers (land line and mobile), personal email address and details of any twitter accounts and LinkedIn accounts including your twitter handle/username.
  • Similar contact details for two referees who will support your application. One referee should be the person to whom you are/were accountable in your current/most recent appointment or position of employment. Please indicate the relationship of each referee to you. References will be requested for short-listed candidates prior to interview
  • Brief details of your current or most recent post and the dates you occupied this role. Please identify any past or present Ministerial appointments.

Monitoring form

Please complete the monitoring form. Diversity monitoring information will not be seen by the Advisory Assessment Panel assessing your application.

Political activity information is primarily for monitoring purposes only, however if you are shortlisted for interview, this information will be shared with the selection panel. The reason for this is that it is appreciated that such activities may have given you relevant skills, including experience gained from committee work, collective decision-making, resolving conflict and public speaking. If you have had such experience and you consider it relevant to your application for this post, you should also take the opportunity to include it separately in your supporting statement. If possible, you should not, however, identify the relevant political party in your statement.

If you are appointed to this role, please note that any political activity you declare will be published in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

The Department of Health and Social Care operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS) for disabled people. The Equality Act 2010 defines a person as disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day to day activities. Under the GIS a disabled candidate will be selected for interview if they meet the essential criteria for the post.

If you wish to apply under the GIS please complete the GIS form and return it with your application.

All applications will be acknowledged by email after the closing date.

Contacts

For further information regarding the role of the HTA and the role of a Member please contact:

Name:  Jacky Cooper

Tel:  0113 2545446

Email:  Jacky.Cooper@dhsc.gov.uk

For further information regarding the selection process, please contact

Daniel Clemence

Appointments Team

Tel:  0113 2545335

Email: Daniel.Clemence@dhsc.gov.uk

Please quote reference VAC-1696 on all correspondence.

If you choose to apply, we would like to thank you in advance for your time and effort in making an application.