Chair of the National Mental Capacity Forum (NMCF)
- Body
- National Mental Capacity Forum
- Appointing Department
- Ministry of Justice
- Sectors
- Health and Social Care, Judicial, Prison & Policing
- Location
- London
- Number of Vacancies
- 1
- Remuneration
- £400 per day.
- Time Requirements
- 20 days per year.
Campaign Timeline
-
Competition Launched
15/07/2021
-
Closed for Applications
31/08/2021 at 09:00
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Panel Sift
06/10/2021
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Final Interview Date
29/11/2021
-
Announcement
28/02/2022
Announcement
An announcement has been made on the outcome of this appointment.
The Ministry of Justice and the Department of Health and Social Care are pleased to announce that Dr Margaret Flynn has been appointed Chair of the National Mental Capacity Forum.
Date: 08/04/2022
Assessment Panel
- Panel Member
- Abigail Plenty
- Added
- 15/07/2021
- Panel Role
- Panel Chair
- Positions
- Deputy Director, Vulnerability Policy Division, Family and Criminal Justice Directorate, Policy, Communication and Analysis Group, MoJ, Departmental Official
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- Panel Member
- Helen Tabiner
- Added
- 18/11/2021
- Positions
- Deputy Director Service Quality Adult Social Care Other Panel Member
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- Panel Member
- Dr James Orr
- Added
- 15/07/2021
- Positions
- University Lecturer in Philosophy of Religion, University of Cambridge, Independent Member. Independent Member
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Vacancy Description
The Chair provides leadership for the National Mental Capacity Forum (NMCF) and represents the views of the varied Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) stakeholders. The Chair provides direction to ensure members of the Forum work collaboratively to drive significant improvements in awareness among key stakeholders and the general public.
The Chair will provide the leadership and vision required to unite all parts of the system, ensuring they work collaboratively in promoting the MCA as widely as possible.
The Chair of the National Forum is appointed by the Secretaries of State for Justice and for Health and Social Care and has responsibility for:
- Ensuring proper implementation of the MCA across all sectors;
- Listening to the lived experience of those who lack mental capacity;
- Representing the Forum – and the Act more widely – publicly, and being the public face of the NMCF across England and Wales;
- Providing independent leadership to the NMCF;
- Designing the plan of work and focus for the Forum in discussion with Forum members;
- Building consensus and ensuring that members from different sectors work together;
- Bringing the insights of MCA Stakeholders to inform Government understanding of issues to inform future policy;
- Identifying complementary actions which member organisations can pursue, especially at a local level, to improve implementation of the MCA;
- Developing distinct and tangible actions that members of the Forum can take forward to raise awareness and understanding of the MCA;
- Helping to identify and disseminate best practice in promoting awareness of the MCA and Liberty Protection Safeguards; and
Reporting to the MCA Implementation Group, by attending this Group’s meetings and working closely with officials at the Ministry of Justice and Department of Health and Social Care.
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
- An ability to command respect and show both independence and influence, to establish credibility with Ministers, Forum members and key stakeholders from across the mental capacity system and related sectors;
- Experience of successfully driving continuous improvement across a complex system;
- Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, including the ability to bring people from different organisations together to deliver a collective vision;
- Understanding the diverse and complex needs and backgrounds of members of the public who are likely to be in contact with the wider mental ability arena;
- An in depth understanding of the need to respect the dignity of those lack mental capacity; and
- A commitment to listening to the lived experiences of those who lack mental capacity.
Desirable:
- Knowledge and experience of disability rights; and
- A strong track record of working as a senior level public face on a national platform.
Additional Information
Eligibility
There must be no employment restrictions, or time limit on your permitted stay in the UK. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for at least three years prior to your application.
We welcome applications from all those who are eligible.
However, as the NMCF was established to carry out an independent function at arm’s length from the Government, we are mindful that appointing someone who is employed by a government department might compromise that independence – or perception of independence – as well as diminishing the confidence of stakeholders and the general public.
If you are in receipt of a salary from a government department and wish to apply, you should expect that – if selected for interview – the Advisory Assessment Panel will explore whether any perceived or real conflicts of interest might exist if you were to be appointed and, if so, how this might be managed or mitigated. The latter might include an undertaking to resign from government employment, if appointed, and – if considered appropriate – for there to be an interval between resignation and taking up appointment to the NMCF.
How to Apply
To make an application, please send:
A CV (maximum two sides of A4) detailing your qualifications, employment history and any appointments or offices you hold. Please also provide your preferred contact number and email address.
- Guidance on how to write a successful application can be found at (Appendix 2).
Please also complete and return the following supporting documents:
- conflicts of interest and political activity declaration forms: Refer to Appendix 3 included in the advertisement. If you have any interests that might be relevant to the work of NMCF, and which could lead to a real or perceived conflict of interest if you were to be appointed, please provide details in your supporting documents. A political activity declaration form is included – In line with the Governance Code for Public Appointments, details of any declared activity will be made public if you are appointed found.
- Given the nature of public appointments, it is important that those appointed as members of public bodies maintain the confidence of Parliament and the public. If there are any issues in your personal or professional history that could, if you were appointed, be misconstrued, cause embarrassment, or cause public confidence in the appointment to be jeopardised, it is important that you bring them to the attention of the AAP. Please 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.
The AAP may explore any issues with you before they make a recommendation on the appointment. Failure to disclose such information could result in an appointment either not being made or being terminated
- Conflicts might arise from a variety of sources such as financial interests or share ownership, membership of, or association with, particular bodies or the activities of relatives or partners. If you need further advice, please contact Amira Aufogul at PublicAppointmentsTeam@justice.gov.uk.
- referee details – please give names/contact details of two referees (who will be contacted if you are shortlisted for interview);
- the diversity monitoring (Microsoft online form) – information is requested for monitoring purposes only and plays no part in the selection process. It will be kept confidential and will not be seen by the AAP. Please go to the “how to apply” section of the job advertisement and complete the diversity monitoring form via the link provided.
- Within this form you will also be asked to provide a note of public appointments – please list any appointments currently held;
Please go complete the diversity monitoring form via the link provided:
Please send your CV, personal statement and supporting documents by 31 August 2021 by 9.00am to: PublicAppointmentsTeam@justice.gov.uk quoting reference PAT160015 in the subject line of your email. We will acknowledge receipt.
If you have any questions about any aspects of this post, you are welcome to contact:
- Maya Sooben Mental Capacity Policy Vulnerability Policy Division, Ministry of Justice at: sooben@justice.gov.uk; or
- Emilia McCarthy, Adult Safeguarding & Liberty Protection Safeguards Quality Service Quality, Care and Experience, Department of Health and Social Care at McCarthy@dhsc.gov.uk