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Role details

Non-Executive Director of NHS Blood and Transplant

Application deadline 6 September 2023

Summary

• Organisation: NHS Blood and Transplant
• Sponsor department: Department of Health and Social Care
• Location: Various
• Sectors: Health and Social Care
• Skills: Accountancy, Audit and Risk, Business, Change Management, Commercial, Communication, Media, Marketing, Human Resources, Insurance, International Experience, Technology / Digital, Legal, Judicial, Major Projects, Procurement, Regulation, Retail, Transformation, Cyber Security, Consumer Advocacy, Casework and Complaints Handling, Social Care, Education
• Number of vacancies: 3
• Time commitment: 2 day(s) per month
• Remuneration: £7883 per annum
• Length of term: 3 years
• Application deadline: 11:59am on 6 September 2023

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   31 July 2023

2. Application deadline

   11:59am on 6 September 2023

3. Sifting date

   20 September 2023

4. Interviews expected to end on

   1 November 2023

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the role

Introduction from the Chair

Letter from the Chair of NHSBT, Peter Wyman

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in the role of Non-Executive Director for NHS Blood and Transplant.

NHSBT is a unique organisation with altruistic donation as the unifying theme across our various activities. We stand for helping people do something extraordinary which saves and improves the lives of others. As an essential part of the NHS, we take pride in playing our part to make the most of every donation. The donors who make our work possible do so selflessly, giving life and changing lives for the better.

The core values of the organisation are Caring, Expert and Quality and we seek to be a role model for best practice across all aspects of public healthcare. The organisation faces a fascinating medley of commercial, operational, and clinical challenges and our Board, and its supporting committees, addresses all of these areas. The non- executive members of the Board bring a diverse set of skills and experiences and typically they contribute extensively to the full Board agenda as well as providing valuable specialist input.

You will be joining us at an exciting time. Our strategy for the next five years builds on NHSBT’s strong record of continuous improvement, quality, and efficiency. In addition, we expect to be increasingly involved in the supply of both Plasma based products and cellular therapies. Overseeing the successful implementation of the strategy will be an important aspect of the Board’s work.

Of course, we need to be a valued partner across the NHS network to be able to develop influential relationships with stakeholders and partners across organisations and sectors. You will be a leader who can engage, motivate and inspire people and who is able to promote a culture of excellence, openness and achievement.

This is a first-class organisation with a strong Board. If you are successful, I am sure you will find working with NHSBT a very fulfilling and enjoyable opportunity.

Please visit our website at http://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/ for more information.

Role description

As a Non-Executive Director, you will work with the Chair (Peter Wyman), NHSBT’s other non-executives and the Chief Executive and the Executive team to govern the activities of NHSBT. With them you will share the corporate responsibility for the decisions of the Board and the performance of the organisation. In particular, you will:

• contribute to the development of strategy, agreeing the goals, business plans and objectives of the organisation, taking into account the policies of the various UK health departments as necessary.

• monitor and review performance; ensuring that financial controls and systems of risk management are robust and effective

• help shape an inclusive and high performing culture in NHSBT through engaging with and providing ideas and guidance to the NHSBT team

• demonstrate a commitment to patient safety and to patients and staff being able to properly raise concerns

• represent the Board, as required, at official occasions and visits to NHSBT sites.

Organisation description

NHS Blood and Transplant is a Special Health Authority whose mission is to save and improve lives. NHSBT is an essential part of the NHS providing a safe and reliable supply of blood, plasma, solid organs, stem cells, tissues, and related diagnostic services. Technically, NHSBT is a biomedical manufacturer and supply chain organisation, employing circa 6,000 people working across the UK, with a total revenue of over £500million. But at heart, NHSBT is an organisation that enables daily acts of altruism - from our blood and plasma donors, who come out in their thousands every day, to our organ donor families who, in the moment of grief, have it within themselves to consent for donation.

NHSBT was formed in 2005 by bringing together the National Blood Service and UK Transplant. NHSBT is now one of the largest and most effective organisations of its type in the world. As an organisation, equality of opportunity and appreciation of diversity in its many forms is central not only to its relationships with employees but also to its customers – whether patients or donors. NHSBT stand for helping ordinary people do something extraordinary, saving and improving the lives of others with their valuable donations.

In performing this essential activity, NHSBT engage with millions of people throughout the country and connect directly with more people on a daily basis than any other single part of the NHS.

To find out more information about NHSBT please visit the corporate website at https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/. To find out more about the journey of donors please click here to go to our website to view some helpful videos.

Board composition

Candidates can live anywhere in the UK. Board meetings are held at different NHSBT sites across England, and 1 meeting in one of the other UK nations.

Future Board meetings are on the following dates:

• 26 September 2023

• 28 November 2023

• 30 January 2024

Regulation of appointment

This post is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. For more information, please refer to the Commissioner’s website 

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Ability to operate effectively on the board of a large and complex national organisation, contributing to challenging debate and working with others to reach decisions based on evidence and consensus.

• Ability to develop and deliver robust governance arrangements, including performance, financial and risk management.

• Understanding of the broad role of NHSBT with an ability to articulate some of its key challenges.

• Skills and experience in at least one of the following:

- Clinician, with experience in organ transplantation

- HR/People

- Finance/Commercial

Application and selection process

How to apply

In order to apply you will need to create an account or sign in.

Once you are logged into your account, click on 'apply for this role' and follow the on-screen instructions. To apply, all candidates are required to provide:

• a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• a supporting statement
• equality information
• information relating to any outside interests or reputational issues

We will ask you to check and confirm your personal details to ensure your application is accurate.

You will also have the opportunity to make a reasonable adjustment request or apply under the disability confident scheme before you submit your application.

Overview of the application process

Public appointments are made on merit following a fair and open competition process which is conducted in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. We will deal with your application as quickly as possible and will keep you informed at key stages. We aim to conclude the appointment process within three months of the deadline for applications – this is in accordance with the Governance Code.

The assessment process

1. Ministers are responsible and accountable to Parliament for the public appointments made within their department. As a result, they must be consulted at every stage of the appointments process.

2. An Advisory Assessment Panel (“Panel”) is appointed by Ministers to assist them in their decision making. The role of the Panel is to decide, objectively, which candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the role.

3. At the shortlisting meeting the Panel will assess applications against the eligibility criteria and decide which candidates have best met the criteria, who should be recommended for interview. Ministers will then be consulted on the Panel’s recommended shortlist. If you have applied under the Disability Confident Scheme and you meet all the essential criteria, then you will also be invited for an interview.

4. Once the shortlist has been agreed by Ministers, you will be advised (by e-mail) whether you have been shortlisted. Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview.

5. The Panel will meet again to interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The Panel may invite you to make a brief presentation at the start of the interview and will go on to question you about your skills and experience, including asking specific questions to assess whether you meet the criteria set out for the post. The Panel will also explore with you any potential conflicts of interest or any other issues arising from your personal and professional history which may impact on an appointment decision.

6. Details of the panel’s assessment of interviewed candidates are provided to Ministers, including whether they have judged a candidate to be appointable to the role. It is then for Ministers to determine merit and decide who should be appointed. In some circumstances, Ministers may choose not to appoint any candidates and re-run the competition.

7. Ministers may choose to meet with candidates before deciding the outcome. Candidates should therefore be prepared for a short time gap between interview and a final appointment decision being made. Candidates who have been interviewed will be kept informed of progress.

8. Once the decision on the appointment has been made, interviewed candidates will be advised of the outcome of their application, including whom they may approach for feedback. Successful candidates will be issued with their Terms & Conditions and a letter of appointment should they agree to take up the position.

Further information about appointments, including tips on applying, can be found on our guidance pages on gov.uk.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

The panel will include:

    Amanda Davies,  DHSC senior sponsor for NHSBT
    Peter Wyman, Chair of NHSBT
    Krishna Menon, President of the British Transplant Society
    Karen Seth, former HR Director, Co-Op; and Head of OD, Sainsburys, and a NED at the Business Services Authority, as the Independent Panel Member

Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by ministers to assist them in their decision-making. These include a departmental official and an independent member. For competitions recruiting non-executive members of a board (apart from the Chair), the panel will usually include a representative from the public body concerned. AAP’s perform a number of functions, including agreeing an assessment strategy with ministers, undertaking sifting, carrying out interviews in line with the advertised criteria and deciding objectively who meets the published selection criteria for the role before recommending to ministers which candidates they find appointable. It is then for the minister to decide who to appoint to the role.

Eligibility criteria

The Cabinet Office sets out the following regarding all public appointments:In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment. There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details. The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:• you are disqualified from acting as a company director (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986)• have an unspent conviction on your criminal record• your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors. In addition, legislation related to NHSBT sets out how individuals are disqualified from appointment as a NHSBT NED, if you:• Have within the last five years been convicted of a criminal offence, and have been sentenced to a sentence of imprisonment.• Are the subject of bankruptcy restrictions order or an interim bankruptcy restrictions order, or a debt relief restrictions order or interim debt relief restrictions order.• Have within the last five years (other than redundancy) been dismissed from paid employment with a health service body, or had your tenure of office as the chairman, a member, a director or a governor of a health service body other than a clinical commissioning group terminated on certain grounds or have been removed from office as the Chair or a member of a clinical commissioning group.• Are the subject of a national NHS disqualification, or have been refused approval to fill a medical practitioner vacancy and have not been subsequently included in a primary care list, or has been conditionally included on a primary care list or removed from inclusion on a primary care list on certain grounds, or you have been removed from such a list on certain grounds or suspended or have been contingently removed from a primary care list.• Have been subject to a disqualification order in relation to Company Directors or an order under section 429(2)(b) of the Insolvency Act 1986.• Has been removed from office as a charity trustee on certain grounds, removed from being concerned in the management or control of any relevant body or removed from a senior role of a registered social landlord.• Are the Chair or non-officer member of the NHS Counter Fraud Authority.• You are in office on the board of the NHS Business Services Authority.• Circumstances in which an individual may not be considered for appointment also include:• If you have been appointed to NHSBT as a Board member and served a total of 8 years; • If you are a member of the House of Commons• You cannot be a Chair of an NHS Trust if you are a chair, member, director or employee of NHS Blood and Transplant. You can however be a NED of an NHS Trust if you are a chair, non-officer member of NHS Blood and Transplant.The above is only intended to act as a summary and you should consider the full legislation, which is attached for your ease at Annex A of the candidate information pack pack below.When sending your application online, you will be asked to confirm that the information you have provided is true and correct and that you are eligible to apply for a public appointment. As part of this, you will also confirm that you have read any disqualification criteria for the role, and that you are willing to stand down from any other role/s in order to take up appointment. If you are currently disqualified from appointment, please provide further details in your supporting letter.For further advice please contact Karen Dinsdale on 0113 2545414

Security clearance

The successful candidate will be required to undertake Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks in line with the Civil Service guidelines. Additional Security Clearance may also be required for certain roles. However, where this applies, candidates will be notified during the appointment process. Further information on National Security Vetting can be found on the Gov.uk website here.

Fit and Proper Person Declaration

Non-Executive Directors of NHS Blood & Transplant are positions of significant public responsibility and it is important that those appointed can maintain the confidence of the public, patients and NHS staff. The Department of Health and Social Care has a duty to ensure that the non-executives we appoint are of good character and will ensure an open and honest culture across all levels of the organisation. The Fit and Proper Person Requirements are set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. The Department of Health and Social Care is required to ensure that those it appoints to these roles meet these requirements.

The full Fit and Proper Person checks will commence for candidates at offer stage, but prior to the appointment being made. The Department will be supported by NHS Blood and Transplant in running the checks.

Additional information for candidates

Equality and diversity

We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. Boards of public bodies are most effective when they reflect the diversity of views of the society they serve and this is an important part of the Government’s levelling up agenda.

We collect data about applicants’ characteristics and backgrounds, including information about people’s educational and professional backgrounds, so that we can make sure we are attracting a broad range of people to these roles and that our selection processes are fair for everyone. Without this information, it makes it difficult to see if our outreach is working, if the application process is having an unfair impact on certain groups and whether changes are making a positive difference.

When you submit your application, your responses are collected by the Cabinet Office and the government department(s) managing your application. The data is used to produce management information about the diversity of applicants. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be seen by the Advisory Assessment Panel who review applications against the advertised criteria and conduct interviews.

Disability confident

We are a member of the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. We use the Disability Confident scheme symbol, along with other like-minded employers, to show our commitment to good practice in employing people with a disability. The scheme helps recruit and retain disabled people. 

As part of implementing the scheme, we guarantee an interview for anyone with a disability whose application meets the essential criteria for the role, set out in the advert, and who has asked that their application is considered under the scheme. Indicating that you wish your application to be considered under the scheme will in no way prejudice your application. By ‘minimum criteria,’ we mean that you must provide evidence which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required under each of the essential criteria, as set out in the job-advert.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to select if you would like your application considered under this scheme.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to make sure applicants with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions, or other needs are not substantially disadvantaged when applying for public appointments. This can include changing the recruitment process to enable people who wish to apply to do so.

Some examples of common changes are:

• ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats;
• making adaptations to interview locations;
• allowing candidates to present their skills and experience in a different way;
• giving additional detailed information on the selection / interview process in advance to allow candidates time to prepare themselves;
• allowing support workers, for example sign language interpreters;
• making provision for support animals to attend.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to the application process.

Principles of public life

Holders of public office are expected to adhere to and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life. These are:

1. Selflessness - Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
2. Integrity - Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
3. Objectivity - Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
4. Accountability - Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
5. Openness - Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
6. Honesty - Holders of public office should be truthful.
7. Leadership - Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

Code of conduct for board members

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. The Code sets out the standards expected from those who serve on the boards of UK public bodies and will form part of your terms and conditions of appointment.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

Holders of public office are expected to adhere and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Before you apply you should consider carefully: 

• any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government; 
• any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or public statements that you have made; 
• and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported; 

which may call into question your ability to do the role you are applying for.

You will need to answer relevant questions in relation to these points when making an application. Many conflicts of interest can be satisfactorily resolved and declaring a potential conflict does not prevent you from being interviewed. If you are shortlisted for an interview, the panel will discuss any potential conflicts with you during that interview, including any proposals you may have to mitigate them and record that in their advice to ministers. Alongside your own declaration, we will conduct appropriate checks, as part of which we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This may include searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information. The successful candidate(s) may be required to give up any conflicting interests and their other business and financial interests may be published in line with organisational policies. 

Details of declared political activity will be published when the appointment is announced, as required by the Governance Code (political activity is not a bar to appointment, but must be declared).

Status of appointment

As this is an office holder appointment, you will not become a member of the Civil Service. You will not be subject to the provisions of employment law.

Appointment and tenure of office

Appointments are for the term set out in this advert, with the possibility of re-appointment for a further term, at the discretion of Ministers.  Any re-appointment is subject to satisfactory annual appraisals of performance during the first term in the post. There is no automatic presumption of reappointment; each case should be considered on its own merits, taking into account a number of factors including, but not restricted to, the diversity of the current board and its balance of skills and experience. In most cases, the total time served in post will not exceed more than two terms or serve in any one post for more than ten years

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

Remuneration for this role is treated as employment income and will be subject to tax and National Insurance contributions, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid. 

You can claim reimbursement for reasonable travel and subsistence costs which are properly and necessarily incurred on official business, in line with the travel and subsistence policy and rates for the organisation to which you are applying. However these payments are taxable as earnings and will be subject to tax and national insurance, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid.  

Pension and redundancy

This is an office holder appointment and does not attract any benefits under any Civil Service Pension Scheme. You will not be eligible for redundancy pay as you are not an employee. No other arrangements have been made for compensation upon the end of your term of appointment because an office holder who is appointed for a limited duration would have no expectation of serving beyond that period.

Application feedback

We will notify you of the status of your application. We regret that we are only able to offer detailed feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.

How to complain

We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy.

Please contact Zubeda Seedat in the Public Appointments team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at zubeda.seedat@dhsc.gov.uk

We will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and respond within 15 working days.

How to complain to Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA)

If you are not content with the appointing department’s response you may wish to further complain to the Commissioner at publicappointments@csc.gov.uk

Further information on how the Commissioner handles complaints can be found on the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ website https://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk/regulating-appointments/investigating-complaints/

Data protection

The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.

The DHSC privacy notice can be found at DHSC privacy notice - GOV.UK.

Contact details

For further information regarding the role of NHSBT and the role of a NED please contact Peter Wyman, NHSBT Chair:

Tel:  07711 776128 Email: 

Peter.Wyman@nhsbt.nhs.uk

For any queries about your application status or the selection process, please contact Karen Dinsdale in DHSC’s Honours and ALB Public Appointments Unit:

Email: Karen.Dinsdale@dhsc.gov.uk

Attachments

• NHSBT Candidate Information Pack