Is anyone a Non-Executive for the NHS?

[Orinoco]

Can you recommend it? I'm considering applying....

Thanks

I'm only a nurse Orinoco! I am of no importance! Sorry to be ranting at you, I hope you do very well. Good luck!

How can you say only!!! I couldn't do that job

DH is encouraging me to apply this. I have technical, sales, marketing and management background.

I currently work 3 days a week so I can fit it around my current schedule, consequently, I think I am going to apply for it.

If you are a non-executive director already, My questions are,

If you do work full or part-time and do this as well, how do you find it?

Do you find that there is much more work involved than you initially expected?

Are meetings prearranged in advance in order that you can plan childcare arrangements?

Do you feel overworked?

Is it possible to cope with the adhoc childcare arrangements that might ensue, particularly if you do not have family and friends around who can help in an emergency?

Sorry to hijack and TIA

not a NED but work for a PCT and am one of those faceless middle managers (hmph!) so have contact with the nEDS.
Most meetings are arrange din advance so you can sort out childcare etc - Board meetings often last best part of a day mind you.
Think it is actually more work than some people think - easy to over-commit to sitting on lots of groups etc. Each NED is given a lead area ( Health and safety maybe, finance, HR etc etc)

To reassure re £££ to NHS, with the impending PCT mergers going on, there aren't 900 new jobs, each PCT has 4 or 5 NEDs already anyway and has done for years, when the 'new' PCTs form in October ish, some of the existing NEDs will choose to leave (lots are semi-retired bods...) in ourcase we are merging 3 into 1 so thats 15 NEDs down to 5....
HTH

Thanks Jessajam. Can I also ask, are most meetings during the day or do some occur in the evening?

Are meetings pre-arranged monthly or are they arranged in 3 month or 6 month batches?

The important issue for me is childcare and unless I can pre-arrange this adequately, then being involved in something like this is difficult. DH works long hours and spends evenings away and we have no family and friends nearby. Therefore, I'm hoping that if most meetings are during the day, I can prearrange with the boy's nursery (another issue because they are currently full and there is a long waiting list)and fit the time around my part-time job.

I'm beginning to think that it might be more hassle that it is worth. I think what I need is a adhoc live out nanny - is there such a thing, I wonder?

Most meetings during the day - Annual general meetings can be evening affairs (but, obv, are only once a year)
Board dates are usually arranged well in advance ( like once a year for the whole year). Most others 3 months. Some less...but if you make it clear that childcare is an issue for you the Trust should understand - one of our NEDS has children ( primary school age) and she manages...she is also self employed...

A friend of mine has done this for the last year or two - she has 4 kids (not all at school yet) and doesn't seem to find scheduling childcare a problem. Also, she doesn't have management experience - rather she has worked for consumer advocacy groups - so I think relevant background is as important as bigwiggery!

Thanks all. I will definitely be applying.

Got the pack today and it's a bit intimidating. Still not entirely clear what expertise they need.

Know what you mean Mog. On one hand they seem to be saying they want everyone to apply from every background, but on the other they only want serious senior management. I've not done anything else on my app since last week

Also a bit dissuaded by jessajam's point about 15 people being up for 5 jobs - makes me wonder if it's even worth bothering......

This looks a lot like something my sister does - In her other job, she is a community healthcare assistant..not at all executive - but she was asked to apply for a place on the board so that it would represent more of a cross-section of people.
Good luck to all the MN applicants!

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I have just found out that I have been successful and I am now a NED for my local NHS trust . I can't believe it. I knew my interview went well but because there were 5 other candidates, I knew that I only had a 1 in 6 chance in succeeding. I only applied because DH saw it and told me to go for it. I just hope that I can balance this with my part time job (3 days a week) and looking after my 2yo twin boys!

Good luck to the rest of you who are waiting.

congratulations..very well done and now you will hopefully be able to make a valid contribution

Thank you!

I just hope that the front staff will understand that the role is about providing constructive help to the trust and not about being a management leech!

Ooops! I meant front line staff

congrats!
And as an ex-management leech, i can safely say that some will,most won't, that's what you're there for, along with us leeches!

was it tough getting thro' the recruitmt process, btw?

Thanks Mischief

I had to complete an 8 page application form which was not as onerous as it sounds. The section that required the most effort asked 5 questions about the skills that I would bring to the role e.g.
what 2 things would you change in the NHS and why?
give an example of how you made a difference to a team,
how you dealt with a problem at work and achieved a positive outcome,
summarise why you feel that you should be considered for the role

I was called for an interview about 3 weeks after submitting my application and was given a choice of times. There were 3 people on the interview panel (the chair of the board, a doctor and an independent assessor) and the interview lasted about 45 minutes. The first question was about why I applied for the role, they then explored my background and linkages to the role that I was applying for. I was very surprised at how well I performed because I thought that I would be very nervous and stumble over my words. I had prepared well and at one point I was correcting the doctor on some of his stats about the ongoing changes. I could tell they were impressed about my breadth of knowledge with respect to my work and how I applied it to the NHS.

I'm really delighted with getting this role and I will really work hard to make a difference.

Well done SpeedyMama!

Can I ask - is this for an NHS Hopsital Trust or PCT?

I also applied to the PCT role, and had the 'last 5500' e-mail , but haven't heard anything else yet. I expect our PCT (which isn't a very efficient one) are still sorting out applications...)

What did your interview involve?

OK - you've answered the interview Q!

Sounds a different application to the PCT forms I filled in....

SM - well done you, sounds quite tough!
out of interest waht were yr changes then?

My first was about managing complexity in the NHS by taking a system engineering approach (I'm currently working as system engineer who integrates new technology into legacy systems). It was about the understanding all the isssues that impacted on the financial performance of the NHS trust and implementing rigorous systems that would achieve financial stability.

The second was about managing the change process by ensuring that all the stakeholders were involved and understood the long term goal for the trust.

Anyone got any updates? I have just heard I have got through to the next stage :-)

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