Vacancy -- Appointment of Independent Board Member - Trade Union - Besti Cadwaladr University Health Board

The role and responsibilities of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board 

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is the largest health organisation in Wales, providing a full range of primary, community, mental health and acute hospital services for a population of around 678,000 people across the six counties of North Wales (Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Wrexham). 

The Health Board has a budget of £1.3 billion and a workforce of approximately 16,500. 

The Health Board has three main hospitals (Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan and Wrexham Maelor Hospital) along with a network of community hospitals, health centres, clinics, mental health units and community team bases. The Health Board also coordinates the work of 109 GP practices and NHS services provided by dentists, opticians and pharmacists in North Wales.

Their Purpose
To improve health and deliver excellent care.

Their Vision
To improve the health of the population, with a particular focus upon the most vulnerable in our society.
To develop an integrated health service which provides excellent care delivered in partnership with the public and other statutory and third sector organisations.
To develop its workforce so that it has the right skills and operates in a research – rich learning culture. 

Their Strategic Goals 
To improve health and well-being for all and to reduce health inequalities.
To work in partnership to design and deliver more care closer to home.
To improve the safety and outcomes of care to match NHS best.
To respect individuals and to maintain dignity in care.
To listen and to learn from the experience of individuals.
To support, train and develop its staff to excel. 
To use resources wisely, transforming services through innovation and research.  

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.

Role and responsibilities, 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.

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 Health Board 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: Independent Member – Trade Union 
You must be a member of a recognised trade union in relation to employment matters and a current employee of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

You will be able to demonstrate;
A knowledge and understanding of trade union matters in the area served by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
Ability to apply your knowledge and understanding of trade union matters in a strategic board environment.

 

02/04/2018, 23:55

Welsh Language
Welsh language skills are desirable for the Independent Member Trade Union, Third Sector and one Community appointment and essential for the other Independent Member Community 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.

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. 

Expenses
You will be entitled to be reimbursed, if appropriate, against receipts for travel and subsistence expenses incurred while on Health Board 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 Health Board work.

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 (with the exception of Trade Union applicants). 
 

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 Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board including any business interests and positions of authority outside of the role in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

If appointed, Independent Members must declare these interests and seek confirmation from the Chair of Betsi Cadwaladr 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.


For further information regarding the selection process, please contact:
The Corporate Shared Service Centre
Tel: 03000 255454
Email: PublicAppointments@gov.wales 

 

For further information regarding the role of the Independent Member, please contact:

Dr Peter Higson,
Chair of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board;
Tel: 01248 384290
Email: Peter.Higson@wales.nhs.uk

or

Grace Parry-Lewis,
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Secretary;
Tel: 01745 448788 Ext 6448
Email: Grace.Lewis-Parry@wales.nhs.uk

For further information about Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, you may wish to visit their internet web site: http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/861/Home. 

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 SharedServiceHelpdesk@wales.gsi.gov.uk.

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