Member of the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP)

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care is looking to appoint 4 Members to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP). The membership of the IRP is drawn from three groups: clinical, managerial and lay. We are looking to recruit two clinicians who should be a consultant or senior doctor working in NHS hospital care, and two lay members with personal experience of using NHS services as a patient or carer, or experience in representing the public/patient perspective in the development of NHS services.

The IRP provides independent advice to Ministers in the Department of Health and Social Care on proposals for changes to local NHS services (reconfigurations) in England.

As a member of the IRP, you will work with the Chair and other members to consider the concerns raised in the requests received by Ministers to use their legal powers to intervene in local NHS reconfigurations. You will be required to review a substantial amount of written evidence for NHS reconfiguration proposals including business cases, consultation responses, performance data and impact assessments in order to provide expert advice and recommendations to Ministers.

You will be required to go on site visits to local NHS organisations and meet with stakeholders to gather further evidence to support Ministerial casework, and keep up to date with NHS policy and strategy which may impact on the IRP’s role.

Applicants must have an awareness and understanding of the strategic drivers and issues involved in developing proposals for substantial changes to NHS services; and have effective decision-making skills with the ability to critically analyse a wide range of information and documents, and make clear and objective recommendations even if these may be unpopular with stakeholders.

You will have good verbal communication skills with the ability to listen, accept challenge and constructively challenge others in discussions with clarity and respect; and have good time management skills with the ability to work at pace and follow procedures to achieve deadlines on time and to a high standard.

In addition, candidates must also be able to demonstrate a significant background in one of the following areas:

• Clinical members: a consultant or senior doctor working in NHS hospital care having completed clinical training in a specialised area of medicine. 

• Lay members: personal experience of using NHS services as a patient or carer, or experience in representing the public/patient perspective in the development of NHS services.

Remuneration will be £300 per day for a time commitment of 10 – 12 days per year, consisting of 6 meetings a year, and additional meetings to discuss casework. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care determines the length of appointment, which will be for up to a maximum of 4 years.

For more information, please visit the Public Appointments website:

http://publicappointments.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/8237 

If you require an alternative format, please call Rachael Gingell on 0207 4849424 or Zubeda Seedat on 0207 210 5352 quoting the reference VAC-8237.

The closing date for applications is midday on Tuesday, 28 January 2025.  The Department of Health and Social Care values and promotes diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community.