Extensions to the appointment of six Non-Executive Directors to the Regional Health and Social Care Board

The Non Executive appointments of Robert Gilmore, Stephen Leach, Brendan McKeever, Melissa McCullough, and John Mone to the Regional Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) have been extended for the period 7 April 2017 to 6 April 2018 and Stephanie Lowry’s Non Executive appointment has been extended for the period 15 April 2017 to 14 April 2018.

These appointments carry a time commitment of five days per month and attract an annual remuneration of £9,004.

The extensions were made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland.

Notes to editors: 

1. The Regional Health and Social Care Board was established by Section 7 (1) of the Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009 and replaced the four Health and Social Services Councils. The role of the HSCB is to arrange or ‘commission’ a comprehensive range of modern and effective health and social services for the 1.8 million people who live in Northern Ireland, to work with the Health and Social Care Trusts that directly provide services to people to ensure that these meet their needs and to deploy and manage its annual funding from the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that all services are safe and sustainable. The Board of the HSCB is made up of five Executive Directors, including the Chief Executive, a Non-Executive Chair and seven Non-Executive Directors. 

2. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of appointees to be published.  Mrs Lowry declared she had not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

3. Details of appointees:

Mr Robert Gilmore OBE, FCIS, FCMI, Non Executive Director

Mr Gilmore lives in Co Down and is a Public Sector Advisor and former Local Authority Chief Executive. He is a Non-Executive Director of the Health and Social Care Board since April 2009 and was previously a lay member of the Southern Local Commissioning Group (Health and Social Services). He is an Independent Member of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee in the Department for Infrastructure. He was formerly a Director in a Local Enterprise Agency, a Governor in a Further and Higher Education Institute and a Commissioner in the Local Government Staff Commission.

Mr Stephen Leach CB, Non Executive Director

Mr Leach lives in North Down.  He is a former senior civil servant and was Chair of the Northern Ireland Criminal Justice Board from 2000 to 2009. He is currently a Commissioner with the Criminal Cases Review Commission. 

Mr Brendan McKeever MSc, PGCE, Non Executive Director

Mr McKeever is a User Consultant at Queen’s University and the University of Ulster and has undertaken work to support projects to improve the care of people with disabilities. He has written widely on these matters and continues to assist organisations that provide and develop services for users and carers.

Dr Melissa McCullough PhD, MSc Clinical/Bioethics, LLB, Non Executive Director

Dr McCullough lives in Belfast and has held senior academic appointments in clinical ethics & law at both University of Sussex (2015-2016) and Queen’s University Belfast (2005-2015). Melissa has been a visiting lecturer at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland since 2006 and her interests are primarily in human rights & healthcare, ethics, medical education, equality and justice in priority setting in health & social care, policy, commissioning and public health. She was recently appointed to the NICE Lyme disease guideline committee in 2016 and works with local voluntary bodies in Belfast.

Mr John Mone MSc, BA, Non Executive Director

Mr Mone lives in Co Armagh. Until his retirement in 2007, Mr Mone had been Executive Director of Nursing at the former Craigavon Area Hospital HSS Trust and former Director of Healthcare and Nursing and Executive Director on the Trust Board of the former Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust.  He serves on the Board of Governors of St John’s Primary School; member of the NI Research Ethics Committee and Middletown & District Community Development Association.

Mrs Stephanie Lowry, Non Executive Director

Mrs Lowry has 30 years’ experience working in both the private and public sector throughout her career. She has held several public appointments in a variety of areas, including Independent Board Member with the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure; Deputy Chair of the Health and Safety Executive and was a member of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) Audit Committee and an Independent Assessor for Public Appointments.

4. Media enquiries to DOH Press Office on 028 9052 0579. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07623 974383 and your call will be returned. Follow us on Twitter @healthdpt

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