NHS trusts appointments to be appointed by independent commission

The NHS Executive in England is setting up an appointments commission as a special health authority within the NHS. The new body will make all appointments of chairpeople and non-executive directors to NHS trusts and primary care trusts, and health authorities, from April this year. Until now health ministers have made such appointments, leading to criticism that health trusts and boards have been "packed" with supporters of the Labour government. Dame Rennie Fritchie, the independent public appointments commissioner, reported that 288 non-executive directors and chairpeople were self declared Labour party supporters in 1998, compared with 49 supporters of the Conservatives and 28 of the Liberal Democrats (BMJ 2000;320:892). Evident pPolitical bias in appointments meant that more experienced and skilled candidates were often overlooked, she said. There are aAbout 3000 chairpeople and non-executives sit on 493 boards,. Oof these,whom about half may be are appointed annuallyeach year. In a statement on 3 January, the NHS Executive said that it was important to ensure that "openness, transparency and fairness" were observed in appointments procedures. "The ... Commission will be expected to follow the guidance set by the Commission for Public Appointments which, building on the recommendations in Lord Nolan's First Report, aim to ensure that all public appointments are made on merit." The Department of Health anticipatesd that the new commission willould use its independence to improve on progress already made in updating procedures. Each of the English health regions will have its own commissioner to provide mentoring and support to trust or health authority members, and to ensure that they receive appropriate training. Regional commissioners will also be responsible for regular appraisal of chairpeople and non-executives running NHS bodies. Applications to chair or join the appointments commission close on January 31. More details are available at http://www.doh.gov.uk/nhsacc/index.htmwww.doh.gov.uk/nhsacc/index.htm