Information pack for applicants
Swansea Bay Local University Health Board
Appointment of Chair
Closing date: 13 December 2019
Closing date: 13 December 2019
Contents Page
1. Making an Application 3
2. Annex A: The Role of the Chair 6
3. Annex B: The Role and Responsibilities of the Heath Board 10
4. Annex C: The Selection Process 12
Making an application
Thank you for your interest in the appointment of Chair of Swansea Bay Local University Health Board. The new Chair will be required to provide strong leadership of the Board and to uphold the values of NHS Wales.
The attached Annexes provide details on the role of the Chair, the person specification and the role and responsibilities of Swansea Bay University Health Board. An outline of the selection process is also provided.
To make an application, please visit the Welsh Government Public Appointments website here https://cymru-wales.tal.net/vx/lang-en-GB/mobile-0/appcentre-3/brand-2/candidate/jobboard/vacancy/7/adv/.
To apply for this role, click on the Swansea Bay Local University Health Board vacancy and click on ‘Apply’ at the bottom left hand corner. 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 the application form and two supporting documents.
The first document is a personal statement answering the questions below. This document should be no more than two sides of A4. Your application may be rejected if you exceed this limit. The second supporting 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.
Personal Statement
Your personal statement is your opportunity to demonstrate how you meet each of the criteria as set out in the questions below. How you choose to present this information is up to you. However, you should aim to provide detailed examples that demonstrate how your knowledge and experience matches each of the criteria, and which describe what your role was in achieving a specific result. It will also benefit the selection panel if you can be clear which particular evidence you provide relates to which criteria. Providing separate paragraphs in relation to each criterion is common practice.
Question 1 - Please provide an example, with outcomes, of a situation where you have provided forward thinking, strategic leadership in the development of a successful private, public or third sector organisation.
Question 2 - Please provide an example, with outcomes, of a situation where you have built highly effective relationships in order to build and maintain the confidence of a range of partners and stakeholders.
Question 3 -Please provide an example, with outcomes, of a time when you have ensured that a Board worked effectively through the collective involvement of its members in a robust and transparent decision making process.
Question 4 - Please explain the methods you have used previously in a Board leadership situation to ensure ownership and accountability of corporate objectives.
Question 5 - Please provide an example, with outcomes, of a time when you used your communication skills clearly and succinctly in engaging people at all levels.
Question 6 - Please describe a situation when you have been required to allocate scarce resources to ensure the delivery of service priorities within a robust corporate governance framework.
Curriculum Vitae
Please ensure that your CV includes brief details of your current or most recent post and the dates you occupied this role. Please identify any past or present Ministerial appointments.
Indicative Timetable
Closing date: 13 December 2019
Shortlisting: w/c 6 January 2020
Interviews: w/c 20 January 2020
Start date: As soon as possible. Post is currently vacant.
Key facts about the post
Location: Swansea Bay Local University Health Board has a policy of taking public meetings and engagement events out into the community it serves. The successful candidate will therefore be required to travel throughout Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. It may be necessary to stay overnight on some occasions.
Board meetings are normally held monthly at various locations. The Local University Health Board also has various committees which meet either monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly.
Remuneration and Expenses: The remuneration for the role of Chair of Swansea Bay Local University Health Board is a fixed sum of £69,840 per annum. You also will be entitled, on production of supporting receipts, to the re-imbursement of travel and subsistence expenses incurred whilst 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.
Time Commitment: The role is based on a notional commitment of a minimum of fifteen (15) days per month. However, this will be subject to organisational demands and is often higher than the minimum requirement.
Place of Work: Unless otherwise agreed by the Health Board’s Remuneration Committee, the designated place of work will be the Health Board’s Headquarters in Port Talbot.
Diversity Statement
The Welsh Government believes that public bodies should have board members who reflect Welsh society - people from all walks of life - to help them understand people's needs and make better decisions. This is why the Welsh Government is encouraging a wide and diverse range of individuals to apply for appointments to public bodies.
Applications are particularly welcome from all under-represented groups including women, people under 30 years of age, black, Asian and minority ethnic people, disabled people, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
Guaranteed Interview Scheme – Positive about Disability
The Welsh Government operates a Positive about Disabled People scheme and welcomes applications from people with disabilities. The scheme guarantees an interview to disabled people if they meet the minimum criteria for the post. The application form also enables you to detail any specific needs or equipment that you may need if invited to attend an interview.
Contacts:
For further information regarding the selection process, please contact:
The Corporate Shared Service Centre
Tel: 03000 255454
Email: publicappointments@gov.wales.
For further information or to arrange an informal discussion about the role of the Chair please contact:
Dr Andrew Goodall, NHS Wales Chief Executive.
Tel: 03000 251182 (Dr Goodall)
Email: Andrew.Goodall@gov.wales.
For further information about Swansea Bay Local University Health Board, you may wish to visit the Health Board’s web site: https://sbuhb.nhs.wales/
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 publicappointments@gov.wales.
For further information about Public Appointments in Wales, please visit www.gov.wales/publicappointments
Annex A
The Role of the Chair
Role description
The Chair will be accountable to the Minister for Health and Social Services for the performance of the Board and its effective governance, upholding the values of the NHS, and promoting the confidence of the public and partners throughout Wales.
The Chair of Swansea Bay Local University Health Board will:-
· Undertake an external ambassador role, delivering in the public spotlight and instilling public confidence.
Person Specification
The Chair will demonstrate the following qualities:-
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
· Ability to develop the strategic vision for the future;
· Ability to provide systems leadership and to work with Health Boards, Welsh Government, community groups, patients and other stakeholders to develop and drive forward that strategic vision;
· Ability to hold the executives to account for performance whilst maintaining a constructive relationship;
· A broad understanding of governance issues and how governance applies to the corporate, clinical and information management.
Desirable
· An understanding of health issues and priorities in the Swansea Bay Local University Health Board area and the ability to understand the role and work of the Board;
· Ability to provide a knowledgeable, impartial and balanced perspective on a range of sensitive and complex issues;
Personal Attributes and Skills
Essential
· Ability to lead and inspire staff, to look ahead and identify key issues for the Board;
· Drive and determination, with the ability to instil vision and develop defined strategies to pursue long and short-term goals;
· Ability to facilitate, understanding of complex issues while demonstrating respect for the views of others;
· Ability to ensure a board works together effectively through their active involvement in a robust and transparent decision making process;
· Ability to motivate and develop the board to define roles and responsibilities to ensure ownership and accountability;
Desirable
· Strong interpersonal skills with personal impact and credibility to be an effective advocate and ambassador with strong influencing and negotiating skills;
· Excellent communication skills, with the ability to be clear and succinct, and to be able to engage with people at all levels;
· Sound judgement, sensitivity and political awareness;
· Capacity to be independent and resilient.
The Chair must also demonstrate:-
A clear understanding and commitment to equality.
Welsh Language
Welsh language skills are desirable but not a pre-requisite for appointment. However, all candidates will be expected to display an empathy towards the language and demonstrate leadership to strengthen bilingual service provision within the NHS in Wales.
Tenure of office
The Minister for Health and Social Services determines the length of the appointment, which will initially be up for a period of up to four (4) years. However, this is subject to the Chair remaining eligible for the role for the duration of the term. Board members may stand for a maximum of eight (8) years.
Accountability
The Chair is appointed by the Minister for Health and Social Services and is accountable to the Minister for carrying out their duties and for their performance.
Where appropriate, all reasonable adjustments will be made to enable the Chair to effectively carry out his/her duties.
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.
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 Health Board 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 Chair of Swansea Bay Local University Health Board, including any business interests and positions of authority outside of the role in Swansea Bay Local University Health Board.
If appointed, you must declare these interests. These may be explored at interview more fully. Any conflicts will be brought to the attention of the Minister for Health and Social Services when he is provided with a list of appointable candidates from which to make his selection.
Standards in public life
The Chair 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”.
Annex B
The role and responsibilities of Swansea Bay Local University Health Board
This is an exciting opportunity to make a contribution to local health services, aligned with the Strategic direction of NHS Wales.
Swansea Bay University Health Board (formerly ABMU) was created on April 1, 2019 after responsibility for providing healthcare services in the Bridgend County Borough Council area passed from ABMU to the new Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board. Swansea Bay UHB covers a population of around 390,000 in the Neath Port Talbot and Swansea areas and we have a budget of around £1bn. The health board employs approximately 12,500 staff.
It has three major hospitals providing a range of services: Morriston and Singleton in Swansea, and Neath Port Talbot Hospital in Baglan, Port Talbot. We also have a community hospital and primary care resource centres providing clinical services outside the main hospitals. We have 49 GP practices in our health board area, 72 dental practices including orthodontists, 31 optometry practices and 92 community pharmacies.
The Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery at Morriston Hospital covers not only south and mid Wales, but the south west of England. Morriston also delivers one of two cardiac surgery services in Wales. Other specialist services provided by the health board included cleft lip and palate, renal, fertility and bariatric (obesity).
Forensic mental health services are provided to a wider community which extends across the whole of South Wales.
The health board is part of A Regional Collaboration for Health (ARCH), which is a partnership with Hywel Dda University Health Board and Swansea University.
The role of Board Chair focuses on four key areas:-
· Strategy – to lead 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
Annex C
The selection panel will assess your application form in terms of your CV and personal statement to determine whether you meet the criteria for the role, and whether or not you will be invited to interview.
The panel can rely only on the information you provide in your CV and personal statement to assess whether you have the skills and experience required. Please ensure that you provide evidence to support how you meet all of the criteria and questions asked to complete as part of your personal statement as set out on pages 3 and 4.
The selection panel will consist of Dr Andrew Goodall, Director General and NHS Wales Chief Executive, Welsh Government, Helen Arthur, Director of Workforce and Organisational Development, Welsh Government, a Senior Independent Panel Member and an Independent panel member.
Your application may be “long-listed”, subject to the volume of applications received, before it is passed to the shortlisting panel for consideration. You should be aware that in this situation, your application might not be considered in full by the entire selection panel.
During the week commencing 6 January 2020, the panel will have decided who will be invited for the interviews which will take place during the week commencing 20 January 2020.
Only the strongest applicants, who the panel feels have best demonstrated that they meet the criteria outlined in the Information for Candidates pack, will be invited to interview. However, if you have applied under the guaranteed interview scheme and you meet the minimum essential criteria for the post, then you will also be invited for interview.
If you are unable to make the arranged interview date, we will endeavour to re-arrange it but it might not be possible due to time constraints within the appointment timetable or selection panel availability.
You will receive email communication from the Appoint system to let you know whether or not you have been invited to be interviewed. It is our intention that interviews will take place at the offices of the Welsh Government, Crown Building, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NQ.
If invited to interview, the panel will question you about your skills and experience, asking specific questions to assess whether you meet the criteria set out for the post.
The appointment process may include a further assessment of suitability for the role in addition to an interview. Further information will be provided in advance to those called for interview.
Candidates who the panel believe are ‘appointable’ will be recommended to the Minister for Health and Social Services who will make the final decision.
The Minister for Health and Social Services may choose to meet with appointable candidates before making a decision. There will be a time gap between interview and a final appointment decision being made. Candidates who have been interviewed will be kept informed of progress.
If you are successful, you will receive a letter from the Minister for Health and Social Services appointing you as Chair of Swansea Bay Local University Health Board, which will confirm the terms on which the appointment is offered.
The successful candidate will be subject to pre-appointment scrutiny by the National Assembly for Wales Health and Social Services Committee.
If you are unsuccessful at interview, you will be notified by Welsh Government. We appreciate it takes a lot of time and effort to apply for roles and that feedback is a valuable part of the process. As a result, the letter will provide the details of who you may approach for feedback on your interview and application, if you so wish.
Queries
For queries about your application, please contact the Corporate Shared Service Helpdesk on 03000 255454 or publicappointments@gov.wales.
Regulation by the Commissioner for Public Appointments
The Commissioner regulates and monitors appointments to public bodies to ensure procedures are fair, open and transparent and based on merit. More information about the role of the Commissioner and his Code of Practice is available from http://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk