Appointment of Non-Executive Chair and Non-Executive Director to the Western Health and Social Care Trust Board

Date published: 17 April 2019

The Department of Health has announced the appointment of a Non-Executive Chair to the Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT) Board, and the appointment to the Board of a Non-Executive Director.

Western Trust Public Appointments Image

The Chair position will be filled by Mr Sam Pollock, whose appointment will run from 1 May 2019 to a date not later than 30 April 2023. The role of Chair carries a time commitment of 3 days per week and attracts an annual remuneration of £30,618. Mr Sean Hegarty has been appointed as Non-Executive Director from 8 April 2019 for a maximum period of 4 years. The Non-Executive Director role attracts a remuneration of £8,201 per annum and carries a time commitment of 1 day per week.

The WHSCT is one of five Health and Social Care (HSC) trusts established in 2007 responsible for the delivery of responsive and effective health and care services and for the ownership and management of hospitals and other establishments and facilities.

Each HSC trust is managed directly by a Board of Directors which has corporate responsibility for its operation. The Board consists of the Chairman, the Chief Executive, seven Non-Executive Directors and five

Executive Directors. Executive Directors and Non-Executive Directors are full and equal members of the Board.

The appointments are made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments for NI.

Notes to editors: 

  1. Mr Sam Pollock OBE, B.Sc. (Hons) – Sam was born and has lived much of his life near Kilrea.

He has been engaged in the Criminal Justice System since 1969. He worked as a Welfare Officer in Magilligan Internment Camp and then in the Prison Service as a Governor in Long Kesh/Maze during the 70s.

He continued to hold various senior roles in the Probation Service until he was appointed Chief Probation Officer in South Wales for 7 years. 

He returned here as CEO and helped Nuala O’Loan set up the Police Ombudsman’s Office at the end of 2000, serving there for 11 years.  Then for 3 years he was CEO of the Police Board.

Sam is conscious that his experience is far removed from the work of a health trust, nonetheless he looks forward to serving the people of the west.

 

  1. Mr Sean Hegarty – Sean is a new native of Cookstown and was Educated at Holy Trinity College, Cookstown. He enjoyed a 40 year career with Bank of Ireland within the financial services sector across many varied areas of responsibility including, Retail Banking, Commercial Lending, Governance, Risk Management, People Management, Business Development & Strategic Development and he achieved
    Executive status when he was appointed as MD Business & Retail Banking NI.

In recent years he served as a Board Member of Causeway Institute of Further and Higher Education, Coleraine/Limavady/Ballymoney.

Sean currently serves as a Director of Derry Credit Union Ltd, the largest Credit Union in Northern Ireland. He holds voluntary roles as Chair of the Risk Management Committee and Vice President of Derry Credit Union. Sean has resided in Culmore, for the past 20 years with his wife Noeleen, and he has two adult children and three grandchildren.

 

  1. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. Both appointees declared they had not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
  1. Media enquiries to DoH Press Office on 02890 520575 or email: pressoffice@health-ni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 02890 378110. Follow us on Twitter @healthdpt.

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