Vacancy -- Appointment of Independent Board Member - Community Member - Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board (ABM UHB)

This is an exciting opportunity to make a contribution to local health services, aligned with the Strategic direction of NHS Wales.

Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board (ABMU) is a values-based organisation.  Working with patients and staff, the Health Board has established a values and behaviour framework based upon three core values: ‘Caring for each other’; ‘Working together’ and ‘Always Improving’.  These values will increasingly drive the work of the Board, including values-based recruitment and values-based appraisal of staff. 

ABMU is one of the largest integrated health organisations in the UK advancing clinical excellence and driving forward clinical research.  It covers a population of around 500,000 people and has an annual budget of over £1 billion and employs around 16,500 staff, 70% of whom are involved in direct patient care.  It provides integrated care for patients and delivers tertiary, acute, intermediate, mental health, community and primary care services to people in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend and beyond.  

In addition ABMU provides a large range of regional and sub-regional services including cardiac surgery and burns and plastic surgery for patient in the South West of England, forensic mental health for South Wales and learning disability services from Swansea to Cardiff as well as for the Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil areas. 

Primary Care Services are provided through general practitioner, opticians, community pharmacists and dentists who all operate as independent contractors.  AMBU manages GP Out-of-Hours Services and General Medical Services for Swansea prison.

ABMU has four acute hospitals providing a range of services:

-        Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend;

-        Neath Port Talbot Hospital in Port Talbot;

-        Singleton Hospital in Swansea; and

-        Morriston Hospital in Swansea.

There are also a number of smaller community hospitals primary care resource centres providing important clinical services to residents outside the four main acute hospital settings.    As at 31st March 2017, ABMU had 2,248 beds.

ABMU has developed strong partnerships with neighbouring health boards, local authorities, the 3rd sector and others. These include Swansea University with whom we strive to develop a research and education-driven culture, working in close partnership with Swansea University, its College of Medicine, Human and Health Science, and the Institute of Life Science.

ABMU is currently involved in an exciting project with Swansea University and Hywel Dda health Board called a Regional Collaboration for Health (ARCH). This is health and science working together, to improve the health, wealth and wellbeing of the people of South West Wales.

 

The role of the Board

The three key roles through which effective the board of the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board demonstrates leadership within its organisation are:-

• Formulating strategy.
• Ensuring accountability by holding the organisation to account for the delivery of the strategy and through seeking assurance that systems of control are robust and reliable
• Shaping a positive culture for the Board and the organisation

 

The role of the Board member focuses on four key areas:-

• Strategy – to contribute to strategic development and decision-making
• Performance – to ensure that effective management arrangement and an effective team are in place at the top level of the organisation. To help clarify which decisions are reserved for the Board and then ensure that the rest are clearly delegated and to hold management to account for its performance in meeting agreed goals and objectives through purposeful challenge and scrutiny, and to monitor the reporting of performance
• Risk – to ensure that financial information is accurate and that financial controls and systems of risk management and assurance are robust and defensible
• Behaviour – to live up to the highest ethical standards of integrity and probity and comply fully with the Code of Conduct. Board members should demonstrate through their behaviour that they are focusing on their responsibilities to citizens, the organisations and its stakeholders. 

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”. 

Independent Members will among other things:-

• Play a full and active role in the governance of the Health Board, 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; 
• Have the ability to contribute to the ‘governance and finance’ of the Health Board, ensuring it is open and honest in its work by contributing fully in the decision making process.

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.

Knowledge and Experience

• An understanding of health issues and priorities in the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board area.
• 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 Health Board has defined a set of shared core values and behaviours and these are ‘Caring for Each Other’, ‘Working Together’ and ‘Always Improving’. You are expected to demonstrate a commitment to these values. A link to these values is attached below on http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/863/page/79228

 
In addition to a demonstrating a commitment to the above values, you will also 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 Health Board;
• Ability to work as part of a team and in partnership with other key organisations;
• Ability to involve and work with stakeholders to help shape, develop and improve services; and
• Ability to analyse and critically review complex information

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.

You will have to demonstrate:

• A knowledge of and empathy with local community issues and priorities;
• A citizen focussed approach championing the Board’s purpose in serving the public;
• Organisational experience that will benefit the development of the Health Board moving forward.

These are only intended to be examples and are by no means exhaustive. 

The Chair of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board is happy to discuss the role specific criteria with applicants on request. Please see page five on Information for Candidates booket for contact details.

Welsh Language

Welsh language skills are desirable for both appointments.  All candidates will be expected to display empathy towards the language and demonstrate leadership to strengthen bilingual service provision within the NHS in Wales. 

06/05/2018, 23:55

Key facts about the post

Tenure of Office
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services will determine 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 and Social Services and are accountable to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, 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:

a.  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;

b.  has been adjudged bankrupt or has made a composition or arrangement with his creditors;

c.  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;

d.  is a person whose tenure of office as the chairman, 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;

e.  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.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1536/contents/made.

Conflict of Interests

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 an Independent Member of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board including any business interests and positions of authority outside of the role in Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board.

If appointed, Independent Members must declare these interests and seek confirmation from the Chair of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board that no conflict has arisen and if it is appropriate for them to remain a board member.

Standards in public life

You will be expected to demonstrate high standards of corporate and personal conduct. All successful candidates will be asked to subscribe to the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies, you can access this document at: 

http://www.bl.uk/aboutus/governance/blboard/Board%20Code%20of%20Practice%202011.pdf

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 03000 255454 or email PublicAppointments@gov.wales.  

For further information about Public Appointments in Wales, please visit www.gov.wales/publicappointments