Appointment of an Independent Member
- Body
- Public Health Wales NHS Trust
- Appointing Department
- Welsh Government
- Sector
- Health and Social Care
- Location
- Public Health Wales is the national public health organisation in Wales. It has an all-Wales remit, occupies a number of premises across Wales and has a policy of taking public meetings out into the communities it serves. The successful candidate will therefore be required to travel to all parts of Wales, although a significant number of meetings and Board related events will be held at the Headquarters in Cardiff. Some overnight stays will be required.
- Number of Vacancies
- 1
- Remuneration
- The post of Independent Member will be paid at £9,360 per annum paid monthly or quarterly in arrears as agreed with the Trust.
- Time Requirements
- The post of Independent Member to Public Health Wales NHS Trust is based on a notional commitment of a minimum four (4) days per month but this will be subject to organisational demands and is often higher than the minimum requirement.
Campaign Timeline
-
Competition Launched
25/10/2017
-
Closed for Applications
26/11/2017
-
Panel Sift
TBC
-
Final Interview Date
TBC
-
Announcement
TBC
Assessment Panel
- Panel Member
- Annie Jones
- Positions
- Deputy Head NHS Workforce Policy & Practice Departmental Official
Show more information
| Political Activity | - |
|---|---|
| Notes | - |
- Panel Member
- Janice Williams
- Positions
- Chair of the Public Health Wales NHS Trust Representative of Organisation
Show more information
| Political Activity | - |
|---|---|
| Notes | - |
- Panel Member
- Chris Koehli
- Positions
- Chair of the Pobl Care and Support Board Independent Member
Show more information
| Political Activity | - |
|---|---|
| Notes | - |
Vacancy Description
The Role of the Independent Member
This is a great opportunity to use your skills and experience to make a contribution to our vision to achieve a “happier, healthier and fairer Wales”.
Role and responsibilities
Independent Members will among other things:-
- Play a full and active role in the governance of the Trust, both clinical and corporate. You will take an active part in discussions, providing your opinion and challenge and support to the Board on key issues.
- Contribute to the work of the Board based upon your independence, your past experience and knowledge, and your ability to stand back from the day to day operational management;
- Contribute and accept corporate decisions to ensure a joined up, robust and transparent decision making process by the Board;
- Be expected, in time, to fully understand the business through active involvement to enable the effective performance of the organisation;
- Work closely with other public, private and voluntary organisations and will make sure that the views of patients, carers and families are fully involved in helping to shape, develop and improve services;
- Analyse and critically review complex information and contribute to sound decision making.
- Ability to contribute to the ‘governance and finance’ of the Trust, ensuring it is open and honest in its work by contributing fully in the decision making process.
Welsh Language
Welsh language skills are essential for this appointment or to be learnt to the required standard on appointment. All candidates will be expected to display empathy towards the language and demonstrate leadership to strengthen bilingual service provision within the NHS in Wales.
Person Specification
Independent Members will demonstrate the following qualities:-
Knowledge and Experience
- An understanding and an appreciation of public health issues;
- The ability to contribute effectively at Board level;
- The ability to understand the role and work of the organisation and ensure the Board is central to the delivery of its services;
- Experience in analysing complex information and contributing to sound evidence-based informed decision making;
- Ability to work with the Executive Directors and other Board members to ensure the Board leads the organisation effectively. Where necessary you will demonstrate skills that will enable you to hold the Executives to account, with appropriate challenge, for performance whilst maintaining a constructive relationship;
- Ability to contribute to the governance of the organisation, ensuring it is open and honest in its work by contributing fully in the decision making process;
- Ability to provide a knowledgeable, impartial and balanced perspective on a range of sensitive and complex issues;
- A broad understanding of the governance requirements which need to be in place to comply with legislation, for example Data Protection Act (DPA), health and safety at work etc;
- An appreciation of the requirements of the Well-being and Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and the influence that this must have on ensuring a “Healthier, Happier and Fairer Wales” for the population of Wales and future generations.
Personal Attributes and Skills
The Trust has defined a set of shared core values – Working together, with trust and respect, to make a difference. To help demonstrate your commitment to these values you will need to be able to demonstrate the following:-
- Good communication skills and the ability to engage with employees and employee representatives at all levels within the organisation
- To act as an ambassador for the organisation and represent it at various events and conferences
- Skills and ability to work as part of a team and in partnership with other key organisations.
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.
Role Specific Criteria
Public Health affects all communities and individuals and we are therefore seeking applications from people from a wide variety of different and diverse backgrounds. For example, we would welcome applications from people with:
- a genuine desire to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Wales
- an appreciation of the wider determinants of health
- experience of working with communities and community groups
- experience of providing and/or ensuring quality services and informed advice. This need not necessarily be in a health environment We are particularly interested in receiving applications from people with experience of finance and strategic business planning at a senior level
- The ability to communicate in both English and Welsh is an essential requirement for appointment to this post or Welsh to be learnt when appointed to the required standard.
Additional Information
Expenses
You will be entitled to be reimbursed, if appropriate, against receipts for travel and subsistence expenses incurred while on Trust business. Expenses must be claimed within three months of them being incurred unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Childcare and other dependent expenses may also be paid, on production of receipts, for additional costs incurred while undertaking Trust work.
Tenure of office
The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport .determines the length of the appointment, which will initially be up to four (4) years. However, this is subject to the Independent Member remaining eligible for the role for the duration of the term. Board members may stand for a maximum of eight (8) years.
Accountability
Members are appointed by the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport and are accountable to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport via the Chair for carrying out their duties and for their performance.
Assistance for Disabled Members
Where appropriate all reasonable adjustments will be made to enable members to effectively carry out their duties.
Eligibility
A person shall be disqualified from appointment if he/she:
- has within the preceding 5 years been convicted in the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man of any offence and has had passed on him/her a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for a period of not less than 3 months;
- has been adjudged bankrupt or has made a composition or arrangement with his creditors;
- has been dismissed, otherwise than by reason of redundancy, or non-renewal of a fixed term contract, from any paid employment with a health service body;
- is a person whose tenure of office as the chair, member or director of a health service body has been terminated because his/her appointment is not in the interests of the health service, for non-attendance at meetings or for non-disclosure of pecuniary interest;
- is an employee of a health service body
Subject to the exception noted in (e), it is the policy of the Welsh Government that all recent employees of LHBs and NHS Trusts should serve a non-involvement break before being considered for an NHS Public Appointment.
Any other information that may materially affect your application for appointment should be declared in the application form under the Conflict of Interests section.
Applicants should be persons who conduct themselves at all times in a manner which will maintain public confidence.
In particular, applicants are required to declare whether they are aware of anything in their private or professional life that would be an embarrassment to themselves or to the Welsh Government if it became known in the event of appointment.
Candidates should also note that membership of a LHB is a disqualifying office for membership of the National Assembly for Wales under the National Assembly for Wales (Disqualification) Order 2015.
Conflicts of Interest
You should particularly note the requirement for you to declare any private interests which may, or may be perceived to, conflict with the role and responsibilities as Independent Members of Public Health Wales NHS Trust including any business interests and positions of authority outside of the role in Public Health Wales NHS Trust.
If appointed, Independent Members must declare these interests and seek confirmation from the Chair of Public Health Wales NHS Trust that no conflict has arisen and if it is appropriate for them to remain a board member.
Standards in public life
Independent Members will be expected to adhere to the standards of good governance set for the NHS in Wales, which are based on the Welsh Government’s Citizen Centred Governance Principles and incorporate Nolan’s “Seven Principles of Public Life”.
For further information regarding the selection process, please contact:
The Corporate Shared Service Centre
Tel: 029 2082 5454
Email: mailto:sharedservicehelpdesk@wales.gsi.gov.uk
For further information regarding the role of Independent Member please contact Melanie Westlake, Board Secretary and Head of Corporate Governance, Public Health Wales NHS Trust.
Tel: 029 20104290
Email: mailto:melanie.westlake2@wales.nhs.uk
For further information about Public Health Wales NHS Trust, you may wish to visit the Trust’s internet web site: http://www.publichealthwales.wales.nhs.uk/.
If you need any further assistance in applying for this role, please contact the Welsh Government’s Corporate Shared Service Centre Helpdesk on 029 2082 5454 or SharedServiceHelpdesk@wales.gsi.gov.uk.
For further information about Public Appointments in Wales, please visit www.gov.wales/publicappointments.
Feedback
The Welsh Government would like to find out what you think of the public appointments process. If you make an application, the Welsh Government would appreciate a few minutes of your time to complete this survey:
http://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk/candidate-survey
Your response will be anonymous and will inform the Welsh Government’s on-going work with to improve the public appointments process.