Non-Executive Directors – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
- Body
- Department of Health and Social Care
- Appointing Department
- Department of Health and Social Care
- Sector
- Health and Social Care
- Location
- London and Manchester
- Number of Vacancies
- 7
- Remuneration
- The NICE NEDs are remunerated at the standard rate of £7,883 per annum, with the Audit Chair receiving £13,137 per annum.
- Time Requirements
- 2 to 3 days per month
Campaign Timeline
-
Competition Launched
17/08/2020
-
Closed for Applications
22/09/2020 at 12:00
-
Panel Sift
12/10/2020
-
Final Interview Date
19/11/2020
-
Announcement
15/03/2021 at 12:00
Announcement
An announcement has been made on the outcome of this appointment.
Professor Gary Ford and Professor Sir Bruce Keogh have been appointed as non-executive directors of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for 3 years from 1 April 2021. Dr Mark Chakravarty, Jackie Fielding, Alina Lourie and Dr Justin Whatling have been appointed as non-executive directors for 4 years from the same date.
The appointments will involve a time commitment of 2 to 3 days per month. Remuneration for the non-executive director 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. All appointees have not declared any political activity.
Date: 15/03/2021
Assessment Panel
- Panel Member
- Sharmila Nebhrajani
- Added
- 17/08/2020
- Panel Role
- Panel Chair
- Positions
- Chair of NICE Representative of Organisation
Show more information
| Political Activity | None |
|---|---|
| Notes | - |
- Panel Member
- Liz Woodeson
- Added
- 17/08/2020
- Positions
- Director of Medicines and Pharmacy, DHSC Departmental Official
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| Political Activity | None |
|---|---|
| Notes | - |
- Panel Member
- Tim Irish
- Added
- 17/08/2020
- Positions
- NICE NED Other Panel Member
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| Political Activity | None |
|---|---|
| Notes | - |
- Panel Member
- Sir Hugh Taylor
- Added
- 17/08/2020
- Positions
- Chair of St Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust Independent Member
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| Political Activity | - |
|---|---|
| Notes | - |
Vacancy Description
Ministers are seeking to make up to 7 appointments to the board of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Role and Responsibilities of a Non-Executive Director
As a Non-Executive Director (NED), you will:
- contribute to the development of the Institute’s strategic objectives, ensuring that they are appropriately reflected in its plans, and assist in monitoring progress towards meeting these objectives
- contribute to the governance of the Institute by ensuring that the Institute’s senior management team is held to account for the performance of the organisation, and help ensure that the Institute meets the highest possible standards in its conduct
- provide counsel, advice and support to the executive team, playing the role of ‘critical friend’ where necessary. Draw to the attention of the Chair or the Chief Executive any matters that may adversely affect the Institute’s reputation
- with other members of the Board, ensure the establishment and maintenance of good working relationships with NICE’s key stakeholders and, when required, act as an ambassador for the Institute to its stakeholders
- when required, act as a member of one or more of the Board’s sub-committees (Audit, Remuneration) and, as required, take part in the appointment of the Chief Executive and other Directors.
Person Specification
The Department of Health and Social Care values and promotes diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community. The boards of public bodies should reflect the population they are there to serve. Boards also benefit from fresh perspectives, and we are always keen to encourage candidates with private sector experience to consider applying for our roles.
Essential Criteria
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.
- an ability to contribute effectively on the board of a high-profile, national organisation – supporting its strategic development, and providing scrutiny, support and challenge to the Executive team
- sound judgement, based on an ability to consider complex and often sensitive issues, from an informed and balanced viewpoint
- a high-level understanding of and a commitment to the role of NICE in supporting quality outcomes for patients and service users across the health and social care system in England.
A track record of achievement in one or more of the following areas:
- practising NHS clinician
- social care skills, especially from a provider perspective
- data and informatics
- digital publishing
- transformation through technology
- patient perspectives including an understanding of the development of shared care models
- understanding of and expertise in the life sciences or medtech industry
- medical research/scientific horizon scanning of key developments likely to shape healthcare in the future
- senior finance experience, including assurance, risk management and governance with an ability to chair the audit committee
- health economics
- ethics, inclusion and fairness
Please note: one NED should have the necessary finance experience to chair NICE’s Audit and Risk Committee.
Additional Information
Introduction from Sharmila Nebhrajani, Chair of NICE
Dear Candidate
Thank you for expressing an interest in the Non-Executive Director roles on the NICE Board. The individuals in these roles will help to design the strategy and operation for our organisation at a time of extra-ordinary change in, and demand for, health services.
The COVID pandemic has created a need for speedy guideline development to provide an authoritative source of insight to clinical practice without losing the rigour and connection to the research evidence base for which NICE is justifiably well known. Accelerating scientific development brings an incredible set of new health advances – from AI and machine learning developments in diagnostics and devices to personalised medicines that target ever smaller populations; from potentially curative genomic therapies to innovative medical technologies that support elderly people in social care. NICE has a core role in ensuring that these sorts of new drugs, therapies and devices are available to patients at a price that society is prepared to pay.
The life sciences sector is also a jewel in our country’s crown that stretches from world leading research in our universities and institutes to a flourishing industrial sector encompassing drugs, devices, diagnostics, med-tech, data and more. NICE must also work, with its partners in the health and social care system, to support this sector, following our departure from the EU on the 31 January and as we seek to secure economic recovery post lockdown, so that advances for patients in the future can be assured.
The Board will help the organisation to navigate all these challenges. It will also offer wisdom and guidance as NICE seeks to update its technological processes for production, updating and publishing of its guidance. A more fleet of foot content production process will ensure that our recommendations are available speedily and in a manner that is useful for busy clinicians and service providers at the point of care, so helping to ensure high standards of care for patients and service users.
The Board needs individuals with a broad range of specific technical skills but equally important is an intellectual curiosity, a deep commitment to improving health and care in England and a desire to contribute to collective deliberations that will ensure that NICE is fit for the challenges ahead.
Thank you for taking the time to apply and I look forward to meeting you in due course.
Sharmila Nebhrajani
NICE’s Roles and Responsibilities
NICE – the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department of Health and Social Care. It works to improve the quality, sustainability and productivity of health and social care. NICE does this by producing guidance and information, which enables people working in and using the health and care system to make better decisions. It takes account of value for money in developing our guidance, by recognising that new forms of practice need to demonstrate the benefits they bring and by recommending better targeting of interventions of limited value and opportunities for disinvesting from ineffective interventions. Over the last 20 years, NICE has developed a reputation as a leader in evidence-based health and social care policy, assessment and decision making for the nation and across the world.
NICE assesses the cost effectiveness of medicines through its technology appraisal and highly specialised technologies programme for the evaluation of a small number of very high cost drugs for rare diseases. The NHS is legally required to fund drugs recommended by NICE, usually within three-months of final guidance. It also has a significant portfolio of over 300 guidelines across clinical, public health, and social care.
NICE has a key role in supporting Government priorities for the health and care system. This includes the Life Sciences Sector Deal, NHS Long Term Plan, the Government’s manifesto commitment to establish an innovative medicines fund, and the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access. It works with the Government and organisations such as NHSE, MHRA and NIHR to ensure the UK remains an attractive place for the life sciences industry. NICE’s remit across health care, public health and social care means it is well placed to provide a system-wide perspective at the national, regional and local levels, including supporting the Integrated Care Systems.
More recently, NICE has supported the health and care system in responding to the Coronavirus pandemic. This has involved developing a new programme of rapid guidelines covering COVID-19 related topics and exploring ways to support the search for effective new therapies against COVID-19.
NICE’s work is high-profile and is of significant public, media and Parliamentary interest. Further information on NICE and its portfolio of work can be found here: https://www.nice.org.uk/
NICE’s offices are currently located in London and Manchester, however the London office is preparing to move to Stratford as part of NICE’s commitment to the Places for Growth strategy and the smarter working agenda.
NICE’s total funding for 2020/21 is £74.8m. The average whole-time equivalent workforce in 2019/2020 was 654.
How to Apply
Thank you for your interest in the appointment of a NED to NICE.
To make an application please email your CV, a supporting letter and completed monitoring forms to:
appointments.team@dhsc.gov.uk – please quote VAC:1702 in the subject field.
If you are unable to apply by email, please contact Sally Brough-Hirst on 0113 254 5539 or 0113 254 6138 to discuss alternative options.
Applications must be received by midday on 22 September 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 NICE 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 NICE 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: Eligibility Criteria
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 selection process, please contact
Sally Brough-Hirst
Appointments Team
Tel: 0113 2546138
Email: Sally.Brough-Hirst@dhsc.gov.uk
For further information regarding the role of NICE and the role of a NED please contact:
Name: Sharmila Nebhrajani
Tel: 020 7045 2044
Email: Sharmila.Nebhrajani@nice.org.uk
Please quote reference VAC-1702 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.