Appointments
The Appointments Commission recruits members of the general public to serve as non-executive directors on the boards which manage NHS organisations.
Every NHS organisation, such as your local hospital or Primary Care Trust, is managed by a board of directors. A typical board comprises five executive directors who are paid employees of the organisation, including the chief executive and the finance director and an equal or larger number of non-executive directors, including the non-executive chair.
The role of a non-executive:
The responsibilities of an NHS non-executive are to:
- help the board work in the public interest and keep its patients and the public properly informed;
- help to plan for the future to improve healthcare services;
- make sure that the management team meets its performance targets;
- make sure that the finances of the organisation are managed properly, with accurate information.
The time commitment required is usually around three days a week for chairs and two and a half days a month for non-executives.
What experience do non-executives need?
The NHS is looking for people who can contribute to the improvement of their health services. You can come from a variety of backgrounds and any walk of life. You will have senior experience gained in your field, which could be private, public or voluntary sector. You will need to demonstrate a range of competencies required to contribute effectively at board level including strategic thinking, team working and excellent communication skills. Particular expertise in voluntary and community sectors or finance, governance and business are sometimes needed. Any such requirements will be clearly stated in the specific requirements for the post.
To promote full community involvement, we particularly welcome applications from women, people from the black and minority ethnic communities and people with a disability.