Reappointment of Independent Chair to the Health and Social Care Pension Board
Date published:
Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, has announced the reappointment of the
Independent Chair to the Health and Social Care Pension Board (HSCPB).
Paul Cummings, Independent Chair is to be reappointed from 1 July 2026 to a date not later than 30 June 2030.
The Independent Chair position attracts a remuneration of £436 per day, and the role carries a time commitment of 10 to 20 days per year.
The procedure for this appointment is not bound by the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland; however, this appointment has been made within the ‘spirit of the Code’.
The HSCPB was established in 2015 under the Public Service Pensions (Northern Ireland) Act 2014 and the Health and Social Care Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015. Its purpose is to assist the HSC Pension Scheme manager in relation to securing compliance with the Scheme regulations and other legislation relating to the governance and administration of the HSC Pension Scheme, and any statutory pension scheme that is connected with it.
The Board is made up of one Independent Chair appointed by the Department. In addition, there are currently 12 members made up of equal numbers of employer representatives and representatives of scheme members.
Notes to editors:
- Paul Cummings joined the Health Service in 1986 having qualified as an accountant with Northern Ireland Electricity. He was appointed as Director of Finance to the Mater Hospital in 1990 and spent over thirty years in a range of Director roles across the Health and Social Care system, including the South Eastern and Northern HSC Trusts. In 2020, he retired from the role of Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Finance of the Health and Social Care Board, a role he held for eleven years. In 2002/3, he was elected as the National President of the Health Care Management Association. Paul previously served as a member of the Board of Sport NI. He is currently a Trustee for the Methodist Church Ireland and a member of their Governance Board.
- This appointment to the HSCPB is made by the Health Minister.
- All public 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. Mr Cummings has declared that he has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
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