Minister appoints non-executive directors to the new business services organisation

Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey today announced the appointment of eight non-executive directors to the new Business Services Organisation.

They are Mr Robin McClelland, Trade Union Representative Member, and lay members Mrs Geraldine Fahy, Mr Alan Hanna, Mr Gregory Irwin, Mrs Hilary McCartan, Mr Brian McMurray, Mr Sean Mahon, and Mr Gerald Strong.

The appointments are for the period from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2013.

Notes to Editors:

1. The Review of Public Administration was launched by the Northern Ireland Executive in June 2002 to deliver wide ranging and comprehensive modernisation and reform across the public sector.

2. For Health and Social Care Services in Northern Ireland, there were two major phases involved in the Review of Public Administration, the first being the establishment of the five new integrated Health and Social Care Trusts and the retention of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Trust with effect from 1 April 2007. The second phase, following consultation, included the establishment of the new Business Services Organisation which will provide a range of support functions for the whole of the health and care system, a role previously undertaken by the Central Services Agency which ceased to exist from 1 April 2009.

3. Role of the Business Services Organisation

• The Business Services Organisation (BSO) will bring together services which are common to bodies or persons engaged in providing health or social services which include: administrative support; advice and assistance; financial services; human resource; personnel and corporate services; training; estates; information technology, and information management; procurement of goods and services; legal services; internal audit and fraud prevention. The board of the BSO is made up of four executive directors, including the chief executive, a non-executive chair and eight non-executive directors. The non-executive directors include a Trade Union Representative Member and seven Lay Members.

4. Non-executive directors of the Business Services Organisation receive annual remuneration of £5,296 for a time commitment of three days per month.

5. Appointments to the Business Services Organisation are made with the approval of the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

6. These appointments were made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by 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 the appointments rested with the Minister.

7. 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. All of the appointees declared they had not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

8. Pen pictures

• Mrs Geraldine Fahy PIIA MIIA CFE lives in Belfast. She is employed as Head of Internal Audit with FGS McClure Watters, Belfast, and was previously employed for fourteen years by the Departments of DSD and DHSS respectively in a variety of roles including auditor. Mrs Fahy was formerly a non-executive director of the Central Services Agency until 31 March 2009. She holds no other public appointments and has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
• Mr Alan Hanna MSSc BA Hons lives in Belfast. He is a Director of his own firm providing consultancy and interim management services. Mr Hanna was previously a non-executive director of the former Green Park Healthcare Trust for some six years. He holds no other public appointments and has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
• Mr Gregory (Greg) Irwin MSSc MBA lives in Belfast. He is currently Board Secretary/Corporate Communications Manager with the Utility Regulator. Previously he was the Assistant Director at the Foods Standards Agency Northern Ireland (including a year on secondment as Executive Director of Corporate and Consumer Services at the New South Wales Food Authority). He was also head of a business unit at the Central Services Agency between 2000 and 2004. He was formerly a member of the HPSS Research Ethics Committee from May 2004 to March 2006. He holds no other public appointments and has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
• Mrs Hilary McCartan BA (Hons) FCA MBA lives in Belfast. Mrs McCartan is a chartered accountant by profession. She was formerly Finance Director of the Progressive Building Society. She holds two other public appointments as a Commissioner on the NI Legal Services Commission for which she receives £10,528 per annum and as a non-executive director of the Probation Board for NI for which she receives £5,050 per annum. Mrs McCartan also serves as a Member of the Audit and Risk Committee of the NI Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY) for which she receives an attendance fee. She was formerly a non-executive director of the Central Services Agency until 31 March 2009. She has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
• Mr Robin McClelland lives in Bangor. He is a Higher Executive Officer with the NI Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) having held the post of personnel and facilities manager for five years and is currently negotiating official. He was previously employed as Staff Side Officer providing Secretariat support to all the Trade Unions in the HPSS. He holds no other public appointments and has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
• Mr Brian McMurray lives in Limavady. Mr McMurray was formerly Managing Director of Abbicoil Springs, Portadown. He is currently a non-executive director of Ulster Supported Employment Ltd for which he receives £110 per meeting, Chairman of Roe Valley Enterprise Agency and non-executive of Action Mental Health. He is also a member of the Board of Governors of Oakgrove Integrated Primary School, Londonderry; this appointment is unremunerated but travel expenses may be payable, if claimed. He was a non-executive director of the former Causeway Trust. He has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
• Mr Sean Mahon lives in Lisburn. Mr Mahon is employed as Managing Director Ireland of Cable and Wireless Limited. He is currently serving as a non-executive director on the board of NI Public Sector Enterprise Ltd (NICO) for which he receives £1,710 per annum and is appointed, by the Department of Employment & Learning, as a representative Board member of St Mary’s University College, Belfast, and is appointed by the Department of Education as Vice Chairman of St Mary’s Christian Brothers Grammar School, Belfast. Both of these appointments are unremunerated but travelling expenses may be payable, if claimed. He was formerly a non-executive director of the Central Services Agency until 31 March 2009. He has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
• Mr Gerard (Gerry) Strong BA BEd lives in Omagh. Mr Strong retired from his post as Principal of St Joseph’s High School, Plumbridge, Omagh, in August 2007, where he was responsible for the organisation and management of the school in the educational, emotional, physical and religious development of the pupils. He holds a PG Certificate in electronics/computing and management. He holds no other public appointments and has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

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