Vacancy -- Members - Health Education and Improvement Wales (Welsh desirable)

In April 2018, a new statutory body within NHS Wales will come into being. Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) will sit alongside Health Boards and Trusts and will be the eleventh member of the NHS Wales family.

A detailed written statement was published by the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport in July 2017 outlining the status and functions of the new body:

• The commissioning and oversight of professional education in the health sector in those areas agreed by the Welsh Government.
• Financial support provided by the Welsh Government to students undertaking professional education in the health sector.
• Responsibility for funding to organisations supporting such training and education, including health boards and non-NHS health delivery services.
• Planning for workforce needs in the health sector.
• Maintaining and developing workforce intelligence and information.
• Organisational role design and setting expectations for CPD of professionals across NHS Wales.
• Leadership and development for the health workforce.
• Health careers promotion and widening access in health professions.
• Improvement in workforce and OD.

The creation of HEIW is intended to offer significant added value to the delivery of patient care through education and improvement support for health bodies. For example, it is the expectation that the new body will offer a national approach to the development of leadership within the NHS in Wales, encouraging greater mobility for staff across NHS Wales as demands change.

HEIW will work with NHS Wales to lead an improved, strategic approach to planning and commissioning of the future workforce. HEIW will consider all parts of the health sector in its work, ensuring that planning is integrated across public and private delivery as well as key partners such as social care. It will also recognise the value of all professionals in the sector, working to provide raised standards of training and skills to every student or trainee.

It is also expected that HEIW will develop over time significant expertise in workforce intelligence and the shape of our workforce, offering other health bodies leadership and advice on role and team design to maximise performance. HEIW will work closely with partner bodies, such as HEFCW and Social Care Wales, in relevant areas of its work to develop an integrated view of workforce needs now and in the future across both health and social care. This will include continuing support and development of shared career opportunities for workers across both sectors.

Crucially, the new body will also be set the task of leading our work to promote the health service in Wales as a premier career choice, across all roles and across all the diversity of Wales.

Governance

The Welsh Government will establish HEIW as a Special Health Authority using powers set out in the National Health Services (Wales) Act 2006. Legislation will be brought forward over the coming months to allow us to establish the body. This means it will be a fully separate entity with its own independent Board. Its Chief Executive will sit alongside other Chief Executives on the NHS Wales Executive Board. The work and budget of the organisation will be set through directions and an annual remit letter from the Welsh Government.

The constitution of the Board of HEIW will stand at twelve, with seven Independent members, including the Chair and five Executive Team members, including the Chief Executive. To limit the prospect of having to recruit all Independent Members at the same time in the future, it is the intention to offer positions for either two or four years. This will allow a staggered tenure and manage the possibility of loss of knowledge and skills.

Whilst the Vice Chair will not be a statutory role, the regulations will allow the members of HEIW to appoint a Vice Chair. If they chose to do so, the Board members may appoint a Vice Chair from within the Independent Members. The role of Vice Chair will attract a higher remuneration for significantly increased days per month.

Dr Chris Jones has been appointed as the interim Chair from 1 October, to guide the transition to HEIW, subject to the will of the National Assembly in relation to the legislation necessary for HEIW’s establishment. This post is for a limited period of 12 months, with the recruitment for the future Chair due to commence in summer 2018.

HEIW will be committed to ensuring that the full diversity of Wales and its communities are reflected in its plans and delivery. To ensure this, it is the intention that the Board membership will reflect this.

The Welsh Government will shortly begin the recruitment process for the new Chief Executive. This will allow governance arrangements to be established in advance of the new organisation beginning its work at the first meeting of the Board which is expected to be held in early February 2018.

This is a great opportunity to use your skills and experience to help create a strategic approach to developing the Welsh health workforce now and for the future, building a truly multidisciplinary approach to our health service.

The Board will be responsible for ensuring that HEIW’s strategic direction is focused on the well-being goals for Wales, and so should be able to evidence the principles collectively and individually. The Board is also expected to adhere to the Nolan seven principles of public life.

Role and responsibilities

In conjunction with the Chair and Senior Executive Team, the Independent Members of the Board will be responsible for:

• establishing and taking forward the strategic aims and objectives of HEIW consistent with its overall purpose and within the policy and resources framework determined by the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport;

• ensuring that the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport is kept informed of any changes that are likely to impact on the strategic direction of HEIW or on the attainability of its targets, and of steps needed to deal with such changes;

• ensuring compliance with any statutory or administrative requirements in respect of the use of public funds; that it operates within the limits of its statutory authority and any delegated authority agreed with Welsh Government, and in accordance with any other conditions relating to the use of public funds; and that, in reaching decisions, it takes into account guidance issued by the Welsh Government;

• ensuring that it receives, reviews and scrutinises regularly, the effectiveness and efficiency of the financial information and quality of delivery of HEIW; that it is informed in a timely manner about any concerns as to the activities of HEIW; and that, where applicable, it provides positive assurance to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport via the Health and Social Services Group that appropriate remedial action has been taken to address any such concerns;

• demonstrating high standards of corporate governance at all times, including by using appropriate Committees to help the Board to receive assurance and address key financial and other risks;

• ensuring a positive culture and promote the values and standards of conduct for the organisation and staff;

• appointing the subsequent Chief Executive officer to the organisation; and

• appointing the Executive Members to the Board.

The Welsh Government acknowledges the importance of developing and growing bilingual capabilities in public appointments in Wales, and welcomes applications from candidates who demonstrate their capability to work in both English and Welsh.  The following list of language requirements represents an objective assessment by the recruiting body of the Welsh language skills required to undertake the duties of this particular post.

To be considered, you must be able to demonstrate that you have experience of at least one of the following areas:

• Sector experience
• Strategic leadership
• Governance
• Business/strategic planning
• Finance/accounting
• Learning/education
• HR/workforce planning
• Improvement work
• Communications/marketing

In addition you should have:

• An understanding of the issues and priorities that will be important to Health Education and Improvement Wales and the ability to understand the role and work of Boards;

• Ability to hold others to account for their performance whilst maintaining a constructive relationship;

• Ability to think strategically and to exercise sound judgement on a range of sensitive and complex issues;

• Ability to analyse and interpret detailed information, for example detailed policy proposals or statistical information.

• Ability to demonstrate a sound understanding and commitment to the One Wales Public Service Values

• Good communication skills and the ability to engage and work in partnership with employees, employee representatives and stakeholders.

If you are interested in the Welsh essential role, you should be able to understand and contribute to Welsh language conversations.

Desirable Criteria:

Welsh Language and diversity

HEIW Board members do not have to be able to do the following, but it would be useful if they could:

• speak Welsh;

• display an awareness of the Welsh language profile of Wales and the importance of strengthening bilingual service provision within the NHS in Wales;

• a thorough grasp of diversity and inclusion issues.

13/10/2017, 23:55

For further information regarding the selection process, please contact:

The Corporate Shared Service Centre
Tel: 029 2082 5454
Email: sharedservicehelpdesk@wales.gsi.gov.uk

For further information regarding the role of the HEIW and the role of Independent Members please contact David Pritchard, HEIW Programme Director, Welsh Government

Tel: 0300 025 0172
Email: heiw@wales.gsi.gov.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

To apply for this role, click on the ‘Apply’ button below. The first time you apply for a post, you will need to complete a registration form for the Welsh Government’s online application system.  You will only need to register once, and you will be able to keep yourself updated on the progress of your application, and any other applications you make, via your registered account.

Once you’ve registered, you’ll be able to access the application form.  To apply you will need to submit two supporting documents. The first, a document outlining how your knowledge, skills and experiences meet the criteria for the role as outlined in the information for candidates.  This document should be no more than 2 sides of A4.  Your application may be rejected if you exceed this limit.  The second document is a full, up to date CV.  The two documents should be uploaded to the ‘Reasons for applying’ section of the online application form.

In your application, you will also be asked to provide details of any activities which have helped you to develop skills that would be useful in a public appointment role, and list the organisations for which you undertook these activities.  We also need to know about any political activity that you’ve undertaken over the last 5 years. 

It is recommended that you register for an account and access the application form as soon as possible so that you see how the application form is structured, before starting to prepare your evidence.  You don’t have to complete the application form all in one go.  You can save your responses, and log in and out as required, until you’re ready to submit – just follow the guidance in the application form.

If you’d like to apply for this opportunity in Welsh, please use the ‘Newid Iaith / Change Language’ link at the top of this page, to take you to the Welsh version of this advert, from which you can apply in Welsh.

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