Re-appointments to the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency

The Health Minister has re-appointed three non-executive members to the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency (NIMDTA).

Michael McGimpsey has re-appointed Dr Ronald Atkinson for a further three years, Mrs Anna Eggert and Dr John Marley have both been re-appointed for a further four years.

All three re-appointments took effect from 24 January 2009.

Notes to Editors:

• The Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency was established as a Special Agency by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety on 1 April 2004 and is responsible for funding, managing and supporting postgraduate medical and dental education within the Northern Ireland Deanery.
• The board of NIMDTA consists of a non-executive Chair and five non-executive members (three lay members, one medical member and one dental member).
• Non-executive members of NIMDTA receive annual remuneration of £2,922.
• The appointments were made with the approval of the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety. There are no specific qualifications for appointment.
• The appointments were made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointment for Northern Ireland.
• 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. Dr Ronald Atkinson, Mrs Anna Eggert, and Dr John Marley declared that they had not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
• Media queries to DHSSPS Press Office on 02890 520579. For out of office hours queries contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number on 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.

Re-appointments

Dr Ronald Atkinson MB BCh BAO FRCS MD FRCOG PGCRes Ethics, lives in Hillsborough, Co Down. He was senior Lecturer/Consultant in Medical Oncology at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) from August 1980 to his retirement in November 2003 and as a Locum Consultant BCHT until August 2007. As Chair of the Oncology Training Committee from 1996 to 2003, he established the first QUB Undergraduate Oncology Course and developed a new Postgraduate Oncology Course. Dr Atkinson is currently Vice-Chair of the Northern Ireland Research Ethics Committee 2 and Chair of the NI Hospice Clinical Ethics Committee. He was initially appointed to the NIMDTA board from 24 January 2005, for a four year period. Dr Atkinson does not hold any other public appointments and has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

Mrs Anna Eggert MA, lives in Belfast. She is currently self-employed and works freelance as a consultant and assessor of grant applications. From September 1997 to March 2004, she was Head of Operations for the Community Fund’s office for Northern Ireland. Prior to that she established the Training for Women Network TWN (Ltd) and Worknet Job Training. She was a former Chair of the Board of Directors at Cranmore Integrated Primary School Ltd which she was instrumental in establishing and has a long involvement in the voluntary sector. She was initially appointed to the board of NIMDTA from 24 January 2005, for a four year period. Mrs Eggert does not hold any other public appointments and has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

Dr John Marley BSc (Hons) BDS PhD FDSRCS (OS) FFDRCSI, lives in Belfast. He is currently employed as a Consultant Oral Surgeon at the Belfast Health & Social Care Trust and is a Senior Lecturer in Oral Surgery at Queen’s University Belfast. Between 2003 and 2006, Dr Marley was Associate Head of the Dental School (Teaching & Learning) QUB/ Royal Group of Hospital HSS Trust. He is a member of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS), Hospital Dental Services Committee and a member of the DHSSPS Young Drinkers Working Group. He is a deputy member of the Specialist Advisory Committee of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, which deals with training in Oral Surgery and was an executive member of the Association of British Academic Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (2004-2008). He is currently an “examiner” in the Intercollegiate Exit Examination in Oral Surgery for the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland and is an “external examiner” in Final Examination for both the Leeds Dental Institute and Queen Mary University College London. Dr Marley remains a member of the Central Dental Advisory Committee, which informs the Chief Dental Officer on all aspects of dental care in the Province. From December 2008, he has been a member of the Dental Hospital Workforce Review Group. Dr Marley was initially appointed to the board of NIMDTA from 24 January 2005, for a four year period. Dr Marley does not hold any other public appointments and has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.