Non-Executive Director

Early application notice

In the event of excessive applications being received this vacancy may close earlier than the stated closing date, you are encouraged to submit your application as soon as possible.

All references from current and previous employers will be sought and must cover a minimum of 3 years employment. Therefore, when completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number and work email address of each of your current/previous line managers that cover 3 years employment. Where possible this should be from two separate employers. Failure to complete this section may result in your application not being processed.

All successful applicants pay for their DBS certificate if a check is required for the post. This will be done through deduction from monthly pay over a maximum of three months. It is also a requirement that all successful applicants register or are registered with the DBS update service where a DBS is required.

All new entrants to the NHS will be appointed on the minimum of the pay scale in line with Terms & Conditions.

NOTE that to be eligible to apply for this role candidates must reside in the North East or North Cumbria (i.e. the geographical area covered by the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System).

We are seeking a Non-Executive Director to complement our existing Board Members, using their skills and experiences to help us to achieve our ambitions and strategy. We are seeking a Non-Executive Director with a legal qualification and significant legal experience. We recognise the value that legal expertise can add to our Board of Directors, providing constructive feedback and input into complex issues.

NOTE that Non-Executive Directors must be members of one of the public constituencies of Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust (which includes the whole of the North East and North Cumbria in line with the geographical boundaries of the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System).

As a Non-Executive Director, you will work alongside the Chair, other Non-Executive Directors and Executive Directors of the Trust as a full member of the Board. You will be individually and collectively accountable with the other Directors for the success of the organisation and will have the responsibility to constructively challenge the decisions of the Board and help develop proposals on priorities, risk mitigation, values, standards and strategies.

As a qualified lawyer you will bring independent legal knowledge and judgement to the work of the Board and its committees, utilising your subject matter knowledge to constructively contribute to debate and decision-making.

Non-Executive Director appointments are made by the Trust's Council of Governors taking into account local needs and the requirements of the Code of Governance for NHS Provider Trusts.

A Non-Executive Director with communications experience would add real value to our Board discussions – ensuring that we adopt the most effective approach to communicating with patients, people, the public and partners. This is a desirable rather than essential criterion in our person specification.

Non-Executive Directors are chosen for their breadth of experience, appropriate calibre and personal qualities.

A Non-Executive Director of the Trust, or any other NHS Foundation Trust, may not be or become a Governor of the Foundation Trust.

At Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust we provide a wide range of acute, community and older peoples' mental health services to our local community and beyond. We also provide a range of specialist services including bowel screening for a population of around 7 million people and specialist gynaecological cancer treatments from the Scottish Borders through to Cumbria and Whitby.

We employ over 5,100 people and have over 400 hospital beds across the Gateshead area. We have an annual turnover of around £400 million and our wholly‑owned subsidiary, QE Facilities, provides a wide range of high‑quality services to the Trust…