The Department of Health has announced the reappointment of four Non-Executive Members and the extension to the terms of appointment of one Non-Executive Member of the Patient and Client Council (PCC) Board. The reappointments are:
Mrs Joan McEwan, Non-Executive Member for a maximum of 4 years from 2 December 2017.
Mrs Seana Talbot, Non-Executive Member for a maximum of 4 years from 2 December 2017.
Mrs Elizabeth (Liz) Cuddy, Non-Executive Member for a maximum of 4 years from 16 Decemebr 2017.
Mr William Halliday, Non-Executive Member for a maximum of 4 years from 9 December 2017.
The extension is: Mr Garrett Martin, Non-Executive Member for the period from 12 December 2017 to 30 September 2018.
The PCC, which is established under Section 16(1) of the Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009, is a regional body supported by five local offices operating within the same geographical areas covered by the five HSC Trusts.
The overarching objective of the PCC is to provide a powerful, independent voice for patients, clients, carers, and communities on health and social care issues.
These reappointments and extension to appointments were made with the approval of the Department of Health. There are no specific qualifications for appointment.
Non-Executive Members of the Patient and Client Council receive annual remunerations of £3,601 for a time commitment of 2 days per month.
The appointments were made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
Notes to editors:
- 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 (if any declared) to be published. All appointees declared that they had not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
- Mrs Joan McEwan currently works with Marie Curie in Northern Ireland as Head of Policy and Public Affairs. She has experience in the field of health and social care especially within the area of end of life care and of working in partnership with the public and third sectors to meet the needs of patients. Mrs McEwan is a member of the Lisburn Integrated Care Partnership Committee. Her background in banking has provided her with extensive financial management skills in managing budgets, investment programmes as well as governance and risk management. Mrs McEwan is also a Non-Executive member of the Department of Education Board and Chair of its Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. Mrs McEwan holds no other public appointments.
- Mrs Seana Talbot lives in Newry, Co Down. She is employed by the Upper Springfield Development Trust as Sure Start Manager. Mrs Talbot is Chair of the Tyrone, Armagh and Down branch of the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) and Chair of the Maternity Services Liaison Committee in the Southern HSC Trust and in the Belfast HSC Trust. She has a range of experience within health and social care and working in both the public and the voluntary & community sectors. She has an allied health profession background having trained and worked as a Speech and Language Therapist for several years before progressing to management roles within the health sector. Mrs Talbot holds no other public appointments.
- Mr Garrett Martin lives in Claudy, Londonderry. He is currently Deputy Director of the Royal College of Nursing, NI, where his duties include deputising for the Director, managing the employment relations department and regional Trade Union joint secretary. Mr Martin was Assistant Director for Medicine and Unscheduled Care with the Northern HSC Trust where he was responsible for operational management and leadership for inpatient medical, A&E and older people services in the Trust. He has also held a number of Nurse Consultant/Senior Nurse positions within the Western HSC Trust. Mr Martin holds no other public appointments.
- Mrs Elizabeth Cuddy lives in Dungannon. Mrs Cuddy is the Chief Executive for the Southern Area Hospice Services and is also a Director of Radius Housing, formerly Helm Housing. Mrs Cuddy trained and practiced as a nurse and has many years of experience in the health and social care sector. She was the Director of Planning, Performance and Governance at the NI Fire and Rescue Service and has been a Board Member of the NI Council for Voluntary Action and served as an Independent Assessor for the Commissioner for Public Appointments NI (CPANI). She previously held the position of CEO of Extern. Mrs Cuddy holds no other public appointments.
- Mr William Halliday lives in Ballynahinch, Co Down. He was the Chief Executive of Mindwise, and has been very active in the area of raising awareness of mental health issues and Chaired the Human Rights and Equality strand of the Bamford Review on mental health and learning disability. Mr Halliday has previous board room experience, having worked in the Southern Health and Social Services Board between 1986 and 2000. During this time he led a multi-disciplinary team which implemented the Community Care Reforms for adult services. He has also been a Board Member with the Belfast Carers Centre. Mr Halliday was awarded an OBE in the 2014 New Year’s honours list for services for people with disabilities and mental health conditions. Mr Halliday holds no other public appointments.
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