Info centre chair sought

The government wants to recruit someone with a “deep understanding of the transformative power of information and data” to be chair of the Health and Social Care Information Centre.

An advertisement on the Department of Health website describes this is a key appointment.

“The successful candidate will be an outstanding individual with significant leadership experience,” it adds.

“He or she will have a deep understanding of the transformative power of information and data for customers, credibility with stakeholders and a commitment to the values of the NHS.”

The HSCIC will be established as an executive non-departmental public body on 1 April this year.

It will be the, “focal point for data and for core IT infrastructure and expertise across the health and social care sector,” the accompanying information says.

This includes setting information standards and the management of major national IT system contracts.

It is receiving staff and functions from the NHS Information Centre, NHS Connecting for Health and strategic health authority informatics delivery functions. Ultimately, it will have 2,000 staff and a budget of £200m.

The chair is expected to quickly build the reputation of the centre as the “trusted source of authoritative data and information relating to health and care”.

He or she will also work to appoint a chief executive and non-executive directors for the board.

Minutes from the HSCIC’s November board meeting reveal concern about the slippage in the appointment of a chair and chief executive and the “consequent lack of action on development and engagement with stakeholders on a clear strategy for the new organisation."

The new chair will be paid up to £63,000 a year for working two to three days per week. Applications are due by 25 February and Interviews are being held in March.