News Release Page Title

16 March 2007

APPOINTMENTS TO THE NEW NORTHERN HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES TRUST

The appointment of 7 non-executive directors to the new Northern Health and Social Services Trust has been announced.

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety today announced that the Minister responsible, Paul Goggins, has appointed the following non-executive directors to the new Northern Health and Social Services (HSS) Trust:

Dr Carol Ackah
Mr Stanley Forsythe
Mr Bob McCann
Ms Pamela Montgomery
Mr Jim Moore
Mr Mervyn Rankin
Professor Dorothy Whittington

The appointments are for the period from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2011.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. On 22 November 2005, Shaun Woodward announced a major programme of HPSS structural reform within the context of the wide ranging Review of Public Administration (RPA). One of these reforms was the establishment of five new HSS Trusts to replace eighteen of the existing 19 HSS Trusts (the Ambulance Service Trust will remain separate).

  2. All five new Trusts will be responsible for the full range of services, removing the distinction between acute, community and mixed Trusts. They will be fully operational from 1 April 2007, when the existing Trusts will be dissolved.

  3. HSS Trusts are responsible for providing health and social services to their resident populations. The new Northern HSS Trust will amalgamate the current Homefirst Community, Causeway and United Hospitals HSS Trusts. This will include the current local government districts of Antrim, Ballymoney, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Coleraine, Cookstown, Larne, Magherafelt, Moyle and Newtownabbey.

  4. Each HSS Trust is run by a board of directors, which comprises a non-executive Chair, seven non-executive directors and five executive directors. Executive directors are employees of the Trust.

  5. Non-executive directors of the new HSS Trusts will receive annual remuneration of £7,500.

  6. Appointments to HSS Trusts are made with the approval of the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety. There are no specific qualifications for appointment. Each person is appointed to act in a personal capacity and not to represent any particular interest or group.

  7. The appointments were made in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland. A selection panel, which included an independent assessor, as required under the Commissioner’s Code, considered the suitability of all candidates. The final decision on appointment rested with the Minister.

  8. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for the political activity of appointees (if any declared) to be published. The appointees declared that they had not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

    9. APPOINTMENTS

    Dr Carol Ackah MSSc BA MCIPD lives in Lambeg. She is presently a self-employed consultant in Human Resource management, having formerly been a lecturer at the University of Ulster. She is also a Local Government Staff Commissioner, for which she receives expenses only, and an Industrial Tribunal panel member, for which she receives a daily allowance of £157.50. Dr Ackah is currently a non-executive director of United Hospitals HSS Trust, for which she receives £ 5,508 per annum. She has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

    Mr Stanley Forsythe BSc DipEd lives in Coleraine. Now retired, Mr Forsythe was headmaster of Coleraine Academical Institution from 1984-2003 and worked in the education sector for almost 40 years. Mr Forsythe is currently a non-executive director of Causeway HSS Trust, for which he receives £5,508 per annum. He has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

    Mr Bob McCann BSc FCCA lives in Newtownabbey. He has held a variety of senior positions in Viridian Group PLC (formerly NI Electricity) including Group Financial Controller and Acting Managing Director of Sx3. Mr McCann is a member of the NI Commission for Children & Young People and a non-executive director of Victim Support NI. He is also a member of the NI General Consumer Council, for which he receives a daily rate of £95.49, and a non-executive director of United Hospitals HSS Trust, for which he receives £5,508 per annum. He has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

    Ms Pamela Montgomery PhD BA lives in Greenisland. Ms Montgomery is a self-employed consultant specialising in strategy and organisational development. Prior to this she worked for Atlantic Philanthropies, as Global Director of Reconciliation and Human Rights. She is a member of the board of governors of the Integrated Education Fund and is a non-executive director of Homefirst Community HSS Trust, for which she receives £5,508 per annum. She has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

    Mr Jim Moore MBA BA lives in Carrickfergus. He is Professional Head of Signalling at Translink, having specific responsibility for the Northern Ireland Railways signalling network. He was previously Operations Manager at Richardsons Fertiliser Industries. Mr Moore is Chair of the board of governors of a local primary school. He holds no other public appointments and has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

    Mr Mervyn Rankin lives in Ahoghill. Mr Rankin was Chief Executive of Ballymena Borough Council for 15 years until his retirement in 2006. He is a member of the Advisory Council of Ballymena Family & Addicts Support Group. Mr Rankin was the inaugural Chair of Ballymena Peace & Reconciliation Partnership and continues as a member of the group today. He holds no other public appointments and has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

    Prof Dorothy Whittington MA MEd lives in Whitehead. Until her retirement in 2006, Prof Whittington was Director of Education & Research at North Bristol NHS Trust. Previously, she was Professor of Health Psychology and Head of the School of Health Science at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown. Prof Whittington is a current member of the MBA Advisory Group at the University of Bath. She holds no other public appointments and has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

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