Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information he holds on (a) the reasons for the Cheshire/Mersey integrated care system's (ICS) appointment of an assistant Medical Director without advertising that post and (b) the human resources arrangements for that ICS; and what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that ICS's follow best practice in relation to human resources and governance matters.

The national human resources framework for establishing integrated care boards (ICBs) sets out the process to be followed in each integrated care system (ICS) for making appointments to their executive roles. Appointments can be made via an organisational change process or by a recruitment process. If posts are filled by an organisational change they will not be advertised.

The Department is advised that for the Medical Director post of Cheshire/Merseyside ICS, the panel agreed to appoint two candidates, one as Executive Medical Director and the other as Associate Medical Director. These appointments are on a designate basis, subject to the successful passage of the Health and Care Bill. The individuals were also appointed on the basis that both candidates will continue to undertake some clinical work and fulfil their roles on a less than full time basis. The human resources support to the ICS is provided by the Midland and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit with a small internal Health and Care Partnership resource.

The Department is working on overall implementation plans with NHS England. The Health and Care Bill proposes that the chair of an ICB be appointed by NHS England, with the approval of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. However, the Department does not have a role in relation to other appointments that will be made to ICBs.