Appointment of National Advisors to Adult Community Mental Health Care Pathway Expert Reference Group

Supporting information for applicants

Closing date for applications:12pm 18th October 2017

Contents

Appointment of National Advisors to Adult Community Mental Health Care Pathway Expert Reference Group

Supporting information for applicants

Contents

1Introduction

2About the posts

3Role of the National Advisors

4Remuneration

5Time commitment

6Role of ERG

7Diversity and equality of opportunity

8Equality and diversity monitoring

8.1.1Why we need this information

9How to apply

10Selection process

11Additional information

12Conflict of interests

13Standards in public life and code of conduct

14How we manage your personal information

15Useful links

16How to complain

Appendix A: The Committee on Standards in Public Life: the seven principles of public life

Appendix B: Standards of business conduct for NICE committee members

Appendix C: Travel and subsistence policy

1Introduction

Thank you for your interest in the role of National Advisor on the committee (Expert Reference Group - ERG) for the Community Mental Health Care Pathway.

This project is part of a wider programme of work being developed by the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH),who have been commissioned by NHS England to develop implementation guidance for mental health services. This programme is quality assured by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). This guidance will describe pathways and recommendedresponse times for receiving an evidence-based package of care, which should be informed by NICE guidance. The programme of work is part of the government’s commitment to achieving parity of esteem for mental health. NHS England set out a plan for immediate action to improve nationwide access to mental health services and NICE-recommended treatment, as set out in their 2016 publication The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health.

The roles advertised here are related to adult and older adult community mental health services only.

The NCCMH has previously published mental health care pathways for early intervention in psychosis services and liaison mental health services.

We have also developed pathways for mental health care in the following areas, all of which are expected to be publishedin autumn 2017:

  • urgent and emergency
  • acute
  • perinatal
  • children and young people
  • improving access to psychological therapies for people with long-term conditions or medically unexplained symptoms
  • inpatient and intensive eating disorders services for children and young people.

2About the posts

The ERG and NCCMH team (which includes a lead researcher and developer, project manager, editor, research assistant and national advisers, with oversight from one of the directors) will develop mental health care pathways and associated implementation tools, designed to guide those responsible for providing and commissioning community mental health services for adults in England. This project spans primary and secondary care to ensure continuity and integration between both services, throughout all phases of care and treatment.

The guidance will include pathways that outline the recommended maximum response times within which adults and older adults who need mental health care in the community will start evidence-based treatment. It will also support professionals in identifying the most appropriate package of care for each individual.

Due to the breadth of the topic area, the project will cover the following areas:

-First point of contact and assessment

-Care co-ordination and case management

-Transfer of care and transitions

-Community assets – supporting and using the assets that exist in the community to help people with their recovery

-Care delivery functions and processes

We are recruiting National Advisors with experience in health or social care services as:

-a senior clinician

-a senior service manager

-a senior commissioner

-a person with lived experiences of using community mental health services.

Please see the Role Description and Personal Specification for further details.

3Role of the National Advisors

The National Advisors are members of the NCCMH technical team. The National Advisors are therefore required to support the development of the implementation guide and the helpful resources by inputting advice and expertise, an integral part of the this is to develop the mental health care pathway.

The National Advisors should attend the NCCMH technical team meetings on a regular basis, as well as participate in the Expert Reference Group (ERG) meetings.

While all the NCCMH technical team members have the responsibility for the development of the implementation guide and the helpful resources relating to the project, there is a particular responsibility for the National Advisors.

The National Advisors should offer the team feedback and comment on the implementation guide and the helpful resources during development. The National Advisors may draft and/or shape the documents when it is needed.

4Remuneration

Payment is offered to the National Advisors. Payment will be offered on the either following methods:

  • By contract: The National Advisors sign the contract with the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ HR department of the College.
  • By invoice: The National Advisors invoice the NCCMH team, which then processes payment.

NCCMH will pay reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including train fares and hotel costs when necessary, for attending meetings. Please refer to the NCCMH expenses policy (Appendix Cbelow).

5Time commitment

During project development, National Advisors are expected to attend:

-technical team meetings (lasting 2 hours) approximately every 2- 3 weeks, based in London,teleconference facilities can be made available.

-5 full day ERG meetings, in Central London and where possible at The Royal College of Psychiatrists, the blow have been scheduled:

28th November 2017
25th January 2018
28th February 2018
27th March 2018
25th April 2018

During the technical team and ERG meetings National Advisors might be required to deliver project update presentations and/or facilitate the meetings. In addition, National Advisors might be contacted by the team between the meetings for advice.

National Advisors will also be asked to spend time drafting and reviewing the implementation guides throughout the project. The overall time commitment is likely to be up to 1 day per week.

The timescales for this project are tight – we anticipate completion by Spring/Summer 2018. However, Advisors may be asked for expert advice after this time.

6Role of ERG

People with experience as NHS staff, healthcare professionals, local government staff, social care practitioners, patients, service users and carers, and academics are sought for the ERG. They are expected to use theirpersonal and professional experience to advise the NCCMHand contribute to thepathway.

ERG members are appointed because of their relevant experience or specific expertise, rather than to act as representatives of a particular organisation. If members belong to stakeholder organisations, NCCMH, NICE and the ERGwill assume that they bring this perspective to the group and are not representing their organisation.

The NCCMH, NHSEngland and NICE reserve the right to amend or update the publication as and when required.

ERG members agree to:

  • set aside enough time to attend meetings and use their personal and professional knowledge to inform the development of the guidance
  • raise any concerns about process or details in the draft guidance with the ERG, and try to resolve these issues within the group, with support from the NCCMH team
  • contribute positively to the work of the group and to developing the implementation guidance and supporting tools
  • take full account of the evidence in developing recommendations
  • consider the analysis and interpretation of evidence prepared by the evidence review team
  • behave professionally and with courtesyat all timesto colleagues and staff
  • be impartial and honest in conducting their duties for NCCMH, use public funds entrusted to them to the best advantage of NCCMH, and avoid deliberatelydamaging the confidence of the public or stakeholders in NICE/NHS England
  • strictlyadhere to NICE’s social value judgements and equality policy
  • read and follow theNCCMHpolicies on hospitalityand travel and subsistence, andNICE’s policy on declarations of interests.

7Diversity and equality of opportunity

Appointment is based on merit, and each successful candidate will need to demonstrate that they meet all ofthe essential criteria for the post. NCCMHencourages applications from groups that are currently under-represented, including women, people from minority ethnic communities and people with disabilities.

8Equality and diversity monitoring

We will ask you to complete a form that asks for some personal information, which will be protected and used for the following specific purposes.

The information given on the forms will be used to monitorthe diversity of applicants and appointees to our ERGs. It will not be usedto select candidates, and our selection panel will not see it. We detach the information from the application form so that you can’t be identified. It is important for us to collect this information and while it is not mandatory for you to complete the form, we very much hope you will want to do so.

8.1.1Why we need this information

NCCMH’s guidance and other quality improvement products aim to help the NHS, the health and social care community and other planners and practitioners to give everyone who uses their services an equal opportunity to benefit from them. More data on how interventions affect people from particular groups would helpus to do this better.

It is also important that the ERG reflects the diversity of the population as much as possible. Not only is this right in principle, but it also means that the NCCMH can draw on a widerrange of knowledge, experience and insight, leading to the production of better and more rounded guidance.

We encourage people with the right qualifications from all parts of the population to join advisory bodies. This is why we want you to answer all the questions in the monitoring form.

We are legally required to avoid unlawful discrimination and to consider how to advance equality. Monitoring the impact of our recruitment policies is essential to meet these duties.

9How to apply

Applications for National Advisors and members (excluding lay members) need to include:

  • a short CV (maximum two pages)
  • a completed Declarations of Interests form.
  • a cover letter, please include the following:

-what your motivation is for applying

-the experience you have working in a health or social care committee or advisory body

-how you are able to consider multiple views effectively

-evidence of your ability to critically review documents for publication

-please state which of the following areas your experience is most closely aligned to and briefly describe 2-3 key issues that you believe are important areas for improvement within this:

  • First point of contact and assessment
  • Care co-ordination and case management
  • Care delivery functions and team structures
  • Transitions and transfers of care
  • Community assets

Applicants are also asked to complete and submit an equalities monitoring form.

Send applications to Michelle , Applicationsmust be received by 12pm on Wednesday18th October 2017. We will not considerany applicationsthat arrive after this date.

Your application will be acknowledged by email (or another way, if requested).

10Selection process

All appointments are made on merit. We have adoptedNICE’s Recruitment and Selection to Advisory Bodies Policy and Procedure.This policy observes the Code of Practice of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments,whichmonitors appointments to public bodies and ensures that all appointments are made on merit after fair and open competition.

After the closing date for applications:

  • A panel will assess candidates’ CVs and application forms to decide who best meets the criteria for the role. The panel will rely only on the information you give in your application to assess whether you have the skills and experience required. Please ensure that you provide evidence to support how you meet all the essential criteria.
  • The panel will choose only the strongest applicants who have demonstrated that they best meet the criteria in the person specification.
  • If your application is successful, you will receive a letter or emailfrom the recruiting team to confirm the terms on which an appointment is offered.
  • The recruiting team will notify you if you are unsuccessful.

11Additional information

Please note that anyone who meets one or more of the categories below will be automatically disqualified from membership of any NCCMHERG or NICE committee:

  • doctors under investigation[1] by the General Medical Council who have had interim restrictions placed on their practice, or who have been removed from the Medical Register
  • other professionals under investigation for professional misconduct or who have been found in breach of appropriate professional standards by the relevant professional body
  • anyone who has received a custodial prison sentence or suspended sentence of 3months or more in the last 5years.

Anyone who meets any of the categories below will not be automatically disqualified, but they may be asked to step down from membership of an NCCMHERG at the discretion of the NCCMH.Therefore, please tell us in your application should any of the following points apply:

  • a doctor who is under investigation by the GMC but has not been subject to any interim restrictions
  • people who are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order
  • anyone who has been dismissed (except by redundancy) by any NHS body
  • those who have had an earlier term of appointment terminated
  • anyone who is under a disqualification order under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986
  • anyone who has been removed from trusteeship of a charity.

12Conflict of interests

NICE is expected to achieve and maintain high standards of fairness in the way we conduct our business. These standards include impartiality, objectivity and integrity, and effective handling of public funds. Managing potential conflicts of interests is an important part of this process.

Managing conflicts of interestsis an essential element in developing the guidance and advice that NCCMH and NICE publish. Without it, professionals and the public would lose confidence in our work.

We give particular consideration to interests involving payment or financial inducement or any reputational interest related to academia that may be affected by the matters under discussion.

The Chairs of ERGs are in a special position in relation to the work of their group and so may not have any specific conflicts of interest. This includes any specific financial or non-financial interests, whether personal, family or non-personal. For a full definition of these terms see

13Standards in public life and code of conduct

ERG members are expected,at all times, to act in good faith and observe the highest standards of impartiality, integrity and objectivityin conducting the group’s business (see Appendix A). Members will be required to sign and to accept the terms of appointment relating to conduct (Appendix B).

14How we manage your personal information

Your personal data will be held by NICE in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 only for the purpose of recruitment to the ERG. It will not be given to any third parties. Anonymised statistical information, including equalities data, may be held in order to monitor our recruitment process.

When we ask you for personal information, we promise we will:

  • only ask for what we need, and not collect too much or irrelevant information
  • ensure you know why we need it
  • protect it and, as faras possible, make sure that nobody has access to it who shouldn’t
  • ensure you know that you have a choice about giving us information
  • make sure we don’t keep it longer than necessary
  • only use your information for the purposes that you have authorised.

We ask that you:

  • give us accurate information
  • inform us as soon as possible of any changes, or if you notice mistakes in the information we hold about you.

15Useful links

Policy on conflicts of interests

16How to complain

If you have a complaint about our recruitment process, you can submit it to:

Tom Ayers, Senior Associate Director, National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health

21 Prescot Street
London
E1 8BB

AppendixA: The Committee on Standards in Public Life:the seven principles of public life

Selflessness
Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other benefits for themselves, their family or their friends.

Integrity
Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.

Objectivity
In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.

Accountability
Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

Openness
Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.

Honesty
Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.

Leadership
Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

AppendixB: Standards of business conduct for NICE committee members

  1. ERG members are required to abide by NICE business standards in order to serve on NCCMH ERGs and NICE guidance committees[2]. Standards include conforming to the Nolan Principles set out in the NICE Code of Business Conduct and declaring any interests in accordance with the NICE code of practice for declaring and dealing with conflicts of interest.
  1. The sevenNolan Principles for the conduct of public life that must be adhered to are:
  • selflessness
  • integrity
  • objectivity
  • accountability
  • openness
  • honesty
  • leadership.
  1. NICE business standards additionally set out circumstances in which it may be inappropriate for a person to serve on a and NCCMH ERG or NICE committee. This may result in automatic disqualification from membership of a group on a temporary or permanent basis.
  1. Anyone meetingone or more of the categories below will be automatically disqualified from membership of any NCCMH ERG or NICE committee:
  • a doctor who is under investigation[3] by the General Medical Council, and who has had interim restrictions placed on their practice, or who has been removed from the Medical Register
  • other professionals who are under investigation for professional misconduct, or have been found to be in breach of appropriate professional standards by the relevant professional body
  • anyone who has received a prison sentence or a suspended sentence of 3months or more in the last 5years.
  1. Anyone who meets any of the categories below will not be automatically disqualified, but they may be asked to step down from membership of an NCCMH ERG or a NICE committee at the sole discretion of NICE:
  • a doctor who is under investigation by the GMC but has not been subject to any interim restrictions
  • people who are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order
  • anyone who has been dismissed (except by redundancy) by any NHS body
  • in certain circumstances, people who have had an earlier term of appointment terminated
  • anyone who is under a disqualification order under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986
  • anyone who has been removed from trusteeship of a charity.
  1. After an investigation, if a person is considered fit to practise by the investigating body, they will automatically be eligible for group membership.

I accept the above conditions for ERG membership: