HE1/18/16176

Public Appointments

Information Pack

This information pack can be made available in other formats, such as Braille, large print, audio etc. To request this or any other information on the appointment process please contact:

DoH Appointments & Business Unit

Room D1

Castle Buildings

Stormont Estate

Belfast

BT4 3SQ

Tel: 028 9076 5606

E-mail your request to:

CONTENTS OF THIS PACK

Section 1 / Introduction
Section 2 / Information about Pharmaceutical Society NI (PSNI)
Section 3 / Role Profile for Members of PSNI
Section 4 / Person Specification & Criteria
Section 5 / Application, Access NI & Selection Process
Section 6 / Probity and Conflicts of Interest
Section 7 / Equal Opportunities Monitoring and Complaints Procedure
Annex A / Disqualifications
Annex B / Probity & Conflicts of Interest – Guidance for Candidates

KEY APPOINTMENT PROCESS STAGES

Stage in Process / Timescale
Closing Date for applications / 3May 2018
Shortlisting / w/c 21May2018 *
Interviews / w/c 18and 25 June 2018 *
Date of appointments / September2018

* These dates maybe subject to change.

Section 1 – Introduction

1.The Department of Health, administers Health and Social Care (HSC), which includes policy and legislation for hospitals, family practitioner services, community health and personal social services. HSC provides an integrated system of health and personal social services to promote the health and social wellbeing of the people of Northern Ireland.

2.In terms of service commissioning and provision, the Department discharges this duty primarily by delegating the exercise of its statutory functions to the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) and the Public Health Agency (PHA) and to a number of other HSC bodies created to exercise specific functions on its behalf. All these HSC bodies are accountable to the Department which in turn is accountable, through the Minister of Health, to the Assembly for the manner in which this duty is performed.

3.The Department’s vision for the integrated health and social care system is to drive up the quality of health and social care for patients, clients and carers, to improve outcomes, to safeguard the vulnerable, and to ensure that patients, clients and carers have the best possible experience in every aspect of their treatment, care and support. Each year, the Department’s strategic priorities, targets and standards are communicated to the Health and Social Care Service through an annual Commissioning Plan Direction.

4.THE PSNI is an independent Body Corporate, responsible to the Northern Ireland Assembly for the discharge of its functions.

5.Applications are invited to fill the posts of 5 Council Members, 3 Registrant and 2 Lay Members, including a Vice-President, to the Pharmaceutical Society NI. It is hoped to fill the vacancies in July 2018 with commencement of duties in October 2018 following induction. The Vice-President position can be filled by either a Registrant or Lay member.

6.The Department is committed to improving the diversity of its Public Bodies to which they make appointments. Re-appointment to the Council for a second term will not be automatic. The successful applicant may be eligible for re-appointment subject to satisfactory performance, continuing adherence to the seven principles of public life and their agreement to serve for a further term.

7.The Department values and promotes diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity for all and appointments are made on merit.We particularly welcome applications from women, people from ethnic minority communities, and people with disabilities who are currently under-represented in Chair and Non-Executive roles. Further information is available at Section 7.

Section 2 – Information about Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI)

  1. The Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland was established by the Pharmacy and Poisons Act (Northern Ireland) 1925, and has been based at 73 University Street, Belfast since 1933.
  1. It is the regulatory and professional body for pharmacists in Northern Ireland. It maintains a register of over 2400 pharmacists, 200 pre-registration trainees and over 500 pharmacy premises across the country.
  1. As the regulatory body it protects patient and public safety by:
  • setting and promoting standards for pharmacists' admission to the register and for remaining on the register;
  • maintaining a publicly accessible register of pharmacists and pharmacy premises;
  • handling concerns about the Fitness to Practise of registrants, acting as a complaints portalandtaking action to protect the public; and
  • ensuring high standards of education and training for pharmacists in Northern Ireland.
  1. Additional powers and responsibilities were conferred on the organisation by the Pharmacy (Northern Ireland) Order 1976. Following publication in 2007 of the Government’s white paper “Trust Assurance and Safety”, further amendments were required to modernise the regulation of pharmacy in Northern Ireland. These amendments were made in 2012 under the Pharmacy (1976 Order) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 (the Amendment Order).
  1. The Amendment Order and subsequent regulations modernised the structures and activities of the organisation, creating an appointed Council of seven lay members and seven registrant members, a Scrutiny Committee and a re-structured Statutory Committee.The Scrutiny Committee and the Statutory Committee have been given extended powers, widening the range of sanctions available to them, including the Statutory Committee’spower to issue interim orders.
  1. The final additional power granted to the organisation under the new legislation is the power to make Continuing Professional Development a mandatory requirement for continuing registration. Details of the legislation applicable to pharmacy can be found at:

The Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland

  1. The restructured Council was established and members appointed effective from 1 October 2012 in line with transitional arrangements agreed with the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

The Role of the Council

  1. The Council is the governing body of the organisation and comprises fourteen Members. It focuses on strategic and major policy issues with operational issues delegated to the Chief Executive through a scheme of delegation. All individual Council members share collective responsibility for discharging the organisation’s functions.

Objectives of the Council

  1. By virtue of its integrated regulatory and professional roles, the organisation performs functions of a public nature and is therefore accountable to its membership for the delivery of Professional Leadership (through an arms-length elected Pharmacy Forum Board) and directly to the public and the NI Assembly for regulation.
  1. The objectives, as set out in the 1976 Order, are:
  • To advance chemistry and pharmacy;
  • To promote pharmaceutical education and the application of pharmaceutical knowledge;
  • To maintain the honour and safeguard and promote the interest of the members of the Society and in their exercise of the profession of pharmacy[1];
  • To execute all such functions as may be entrusted to the Society under any enactment;
  • To provide relief to distressed persons, being:
  • (i) members of the Society;
  • (ii) persons who at any time have been members of the Society or have been registered as either pharmaceutical chemists, or chemists and druggists, or druggists or apprentices to pharmaceutical chemists, or as students of the Society; or
  • (iii) widows, orphans or dependants of deceased persons who were at any time members of the Society or registered as aforesaid.
  1. In addition the current Council have agreed a strategy for 2017 to 2022, a full copy of which may be viewed at for 2013 – 201acted from “A New Era”.
  2. Themes and priorities for 2017 – 2022 are:
  • Objective 1:

To deliver high quality pharmacy regulation that is proportionate and cost-effective

  • Objective 2:

To set pharmacy standards that are evidence-based, output-focused, achievable and necessary for patient and public safety

  • Objective 3:

To conduct fitness to practise processes that are robust, timely, and fair

  • Objective 4:

To ensure that pharmacy education and professional development is fit for purpose

  • Objective 5:

To be an accountable organisation with effective governance and operations

  • Objective 6:

To communicate effectively, be accessible and responsive

Accountability

  1. The PSNI is accountable to the NI Assembly.

Section 3–Role Profiles

PSNI Vice-President

Role

  1. The Vice-President has a responsibility to support the President in leading the Council. They will lead the development of a vision for the future of the organisation and the creation of a climate in which the organisation’s long-term goals can be achieved. They will develop the individual members of the Council into an effective team, dealing with diverse individuals and providing motivation and inspiration. Where necessary they will manage conflicts or disagreements between team members.An effective Vice-President will for example support the President by:
  • providing leadership to the Council;
  • enabling all Members to make a full contribution to the Council’s affairs and ensure that the Council acts as a team;
  • ensuring that key and appropriate issues are discussed by the Council in a timely manner; and
  • ensuring the Council has adequate support and is provided efficiently with all the necessary data on which to base informed decisions.

Council Member (Registrant Member/Lay Member)

Role

  1. Council members share collective responsibility for discharging the organisation’s functions and will be expected to:
  • Lead strategic development and policy;
  • Ensure the proper exercise of regulatory and law enforcement duties;
  • Set priorities for workload, expenditure and income generation;
  • Monitor the implementation of policies, activities of committees, efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation, and policy evaluation;
  • Act as a Trustee, or appoint Trustees of charitable trusts/funds;
  • Maintain good relationships with members, the public and other professions;
  • Ensure, via the Pharmacy Forum that the profession’s policies and views are represented to government departments and decision makers;
  • Decide upon the supporting structures required by Council, and the extent to which responsibility should be delegated to them, where permitted;
  • Ensure adequate systems of appointment, appraisal, remuneration and discipline of staff exist;
  • Ensure high standards of corporate governance, including financial performance and personal behaviour.

Training

  1. Appropriate induction training will be provided by the organisation to the new appointee.

Time Commitment

  1. The Council meets around 6 times per year. Some Council members will be asked to Chair or serve on certain committees. There are currently up to six committees which additionally meet between four and six times per year.
  1. Further information on governance, terms of reference for committees and structure is available in the Corporate Governance Handbook 2015 and may be viewed at
  1. Successful candidates will be required to attend induction events and following appointment will be obliged to participate in training events.

Remuneration

  1. Council members are remunerated by an attendance fee as follows:

Position / Meetings up to 4 hours duration / Meetings over 4 hours duration / Training and induction days (any length)
President/ Chair of the Council
(when performing duties of President or chairing Council) / £168 / £335 / £168
Vice-President
(President rates apply when performing President duties) / £118 / £235 / £118
Council Member / £118 / £235 / £118
Chair of a Committee (when chairing committee meeting) / £143 / £285 / £118
Committee member / £118 / £235 / £118

Council members are also eligible to claim expenses for costs necessarily incurred in accordance with published guidelines.

Period of Appointment

  1. A PSNI Council Member is normally appointed for a maximum period of 4years. It should be noted that the Department may give notice to terminate your appointment at any time. If you decide to end your appointment early a minimum of 3 months’ notice will be required. The President will conduct an annual assessment of each member’s performance throughout the period of appointment. The Department is committed to improving the diversity of the Boards to which they make appointments. Re-appointment to the Council for a second term will not be automatic. The successful applicant may, subject to evidence of an appropriate standard of performance having been achieved during the initial period in office and evidence of continued adherence to the seven principles of public life, be reappointed.No Member of the Council is allowed to hold office for more than an aggregate of eight years in any twenty year period.

Codes of Conduct and Accountability

  1. Council members will be required, on appointment, to subscribe to the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland Code of Conduct for Council members. (Section 9, to be found
  1. The organisation is held to account for its performance by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) and accountable to the Northern Ireland Assembly. The PSA is responsible for overseeing the UK’s nine health professional regulatory bodies.Their oversight and scrutiny of the health regulators and publication of results of performance reviews and audits is important for protecting patients and the public and for maintaining confidence in regulation.
  1. Members will also be expected to adhere to the seven principles as defined by the Committee on Standards in Public Life (Nolan Principles). These are:
  • Selflessness
  • Integrity
  • Objectivity
  • Accountability
  • Openness
  • Honesty
  • Leadership

Section 4 - Person Specification and Criteria

  1. The person specification addresses the qualities, experience, background and competencies sought. A criterion-based selection procedure will be used as part of this process.
  1. The application form is an essential element of the process and is designed to require applicants to give specific examples of past performance to demonstrate their ability or competence.
  1. You are advised to make sure that you take the opportunity to provide practical evidence and examples of why you feel you are suitable for this Public Appointment. Please note that CVs will not be accepted.
  1. The following are specific educational or professional requirements for the PSNICouncil Member posts:
  • Registered Member: Applicants applying as a registered member must demonstrate that they are registered as a pharmaceutical chemist or druggist, or are eligible to register and commit to so doing if appointed; and
  • Lay Member: Applicants applying as a lay member must not be and never have been a registered pharmacist; and must not hold qualifications which would entitle them to apply for registration under the Pharmacy (Northern Ireland) Order 1976.
  • No Member of the Council is allowed to hold office for more than an aggregate of eight years in any twenty year period.
  1. Applicants are limited to 3000 characters per essential criterion, any text beyond the allotted number of characters will be disregarded and not considered by the panel.
  1. All applicants must demonstrate that they have the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and qualities required. They will need to show, both on the application form and at interview, how they meet the desirable and essential criteria.

Essential Criteria

  1. All applicants must show on their application form, and if invited for interview, how they meet the following 4 essential criteria (or five in the case of the Vice- President position).
  1. Leadership(Vice-President Only) - Drawing on either your working life or personal life please provide examples that demonstrate evidence that you have made a successful impact on the performance of an organisation through your effective leadership skills by understanding its business, thinking critically and strategically, offering constructive challenge and exercising effective judgement.
  1. Business Sense - Drawing on either your working life or personal life please provide examples that demonstrate exercising judgement and critical thinking about, issues that the Pharmaceutical Society for NI considers as a matter of course, for example issues of business planning, resource allocation, risk management and organisational performance.
  1. Corporate Governance - Drawing on either your working life or personal life please provide examples that demonstrate experience or knowledge of corporate governance, demonstrating personal awareness of the importance of effective governance, including effective differentiation between Executive and Non-Executive roles and the role of Non-Executive Members in holding the Chief Executive to account.
  1. Stakeholder Participation – Drawing on either your working life or personal life, please provide examples of how you have established effective relationships inside and outside organisations or in partnership between different organisations.
  1. Self Awareness and Personal Contribution – Drawing on either your working life or personal life please provide examples that demonstrate your experience of standing by your own opinions and convictions regarding decisions. For example a time when you have stood by your own ideas and opinions to deliver results.

Section 5 - Application, Access NI and Selection Process

  1. The Department of Health is committed to the principles of public appointments based on merit with independent assessment, openness and transparency of process. The Department is also committed to equality of opportunity and welcomes application forms from all suitably qualified applicants irrespective of religious belief, gender, race, political opinion, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or whether or not they have dependants.
  1. The Department is committed to taking measures to improve the diversity of the Boards to which they make appointments. It wants to encourage more women, young people, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities to apply for appointments. Applications from these groups would be particularly welcome.
  1. This appointment is not regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland (CPANI).

Application Procedure

  1. Application forms or further information about the process can be obtained from Juliette McCutcheon at the address on the cover of this document or by e-mailing a request to: . Alternatively you can download the information pack at:
  1. Hard copy or electronic versions of the application form are acceptable. You must not reformat the electronic application form. CVs, letters, or any other supplementary material in place of, or in addition to, completed application forms will not be accepted.
  1. Applications should be fully completed and as clearly as possible using black ink or typescript minimum font size 12.
  1. Your application is very important. You must therefore demonstrate clearly on your application form how and to what extent your experience is relevant to the published criteria for the post (including dates where appropriate). It is not enough simply to list the various posts that you have held. The Department will not make assumptions from the title of your post or the nature of the organisation as to the skills or experience gained.
  1. If all relevant sections of the application form are NOT completed your application will be EXCLUDED.
  1. You must not exceed the maximum number of words specified for each selection criterion.
  1. If the layout of the application form is changed or altered in any way your application WILL BE EXCLUDED.There may be several aspects to a criterion, so ensure you provide evidence that shows how you meet all aspects.
  1. Information documents and Application Forms can be provided in alternative formats. Any applicants who require assistance should contact Juliette McCutcheon (contacts on cover sheet). All reasonable adjustments will be made to accommodate the needs of applicants with a disability.
  1. Application forms should be submitted by post, email or in person to arrive with Juliette McCutcheon by 12 Noon on 3 May 2018(see contact details on cover sheet). The date and time of receipt will be formallyrecorded on all applications. It is the responsibility of the applicant, taking into account their chosen method of delivery, to ensure that sufficient time is allowed for their application to arrive with the Department on or before the deadline. Late applications will not be accepted. Please ensure that posted applications bear the correct amount of postage as any shortfall may lead to a delay in delivery, causing you to miss the deadline. The Department does not accept any application where they have been asked to pay any shortfall in postage. All applications will be acknowledged on receipt by email.
  1. Please check your application form before submitting it as the Department will not examine applications until after the closing deadline and failure to fulfil the application requirements may result in your application form being excluded from the process.

ACCESS Northern Ireland (Access NI)