Public sector recruitment costs

A fundamental shift is needed in the approach used within the Northern Ireland Civil Service with regard to recruitment and selection for government jobs. This must involve an up-front assessment of the skills that are required to fulfil the specific role in question, rather than matching a person to a role according to an individual's grade and level...

Guidance should address: circumstances for civil servant transfers within government; which positions may use agency staff; and whether temporary contracts suit positions unfillable by permanent staff.

There should be a national review of the pay, status and career development of residential child care staff and field social workers to ensure as far as possible that there is a sufficient supply of candidates for such posts of appropriate calibre.

As recommended in ‘The NHS Plan’, there should be an NHS Appointments Commission responsible for the appointment of non-executive directors of NHS trusts, health authorities and primary care trusts.

The criteria and process for selection of the executive directors of a trust board must be open and transparent. Appointments should be made on the basis of ability and not on the basis of seniority.

A standard job description should be developed by the NHS for non-executive directors, as proposed in ‘The NHS Plan’.

Newly appointed non-executive directors of trusts, health authorities and primary care trusts should receive a programme of induction: this should refer to the principles and values of the NHS and their duties and responsibilities with regard to the quality of care provided by the trust. This programme should be provided through the NHS Leadership Centre.

The NHS Leadership Centre, in conjunction with trusts, should develop programmes of training and support for clinicians and others who seek to become executive directors.

The security of tenure of the chief executive and senior managers of trusts should be on a par with that of other senior professionals in the NHS.