The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety today announced that the Minister, Michael McGimpsey, has appointed Mr Noel McKenna from 8 October 2007 to 31 March 2008.
Notes to Editors:
1. The Mental Health Commission is established under the Mental Health (NI) Order 1986 to protect the interests of mentally disordered people.
2. Membership of the Commission consists of a Chair, one Legal Member, four Consultant Psychiatrist Members, two Nurse Members, two Social Work Members, one Clinical Psychologist Member, one General Practitioner Member, one Allied Health Professional Member and six Lay Members, including two user members, two carer members and two members able to demonstrate an interest in mental health/learning disability.
3. The Chair of the Mental Health Commission receives annual remuneration of £14,580.
4. Appointments to the Mental Health Commission are made with the approval of the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety. Each person is appointed on merit to act in a personal capacity and not to represent any particular interest or group.
5. The appointment was made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointment for Northern Ireland. A selection panel, which included an independent assessor, as required under the Commissioner’s Code, considered candidate suitability. The final decision on the appointment rested with the Minister.
6. 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. Mr McKenna declared he had not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
Appointment
Mr Gerald Noel McKenna FCIS lives in Derry. He is a self-employed Management Consultant, having previously been Chief Executive of North West Training Services Ltd. Mr McKenna is also a former Mayor of Derry City Council. At present, he is a member of the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP Maghaberry for which he receives expenses only. Mr McKenna was a Lay Member of the Mental Health Commission from 2002 until 7 October 2007. He has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
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