Clause 60 - Commission to assist other bodies with appointments
Health Bill
6:30 pm
Caroline Flint (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Health), Department of Health; Don Valley, Labour)
I hope that I can clarify the position. Under clause 60, the commission can in future enter into arrangements, contractual or otherwise, to provide boards of governors of foundation trusts with such assistance or support as they may request when appointing chairmen and non-executive directors. The board of governors of the foundation trusts will continue to make the appointment. Such matters have arisen from recent discussions when, for example, the NHS Appointments Commission has sometimes been asked to provide recruitment and other advice not only to organisations such as Monitor but to Government Departments. The facility will give powers to the commission to provide such services, but it will be up to the foundation trust to decide whether it wants an assessment of the services that it provides.
The facility will be on a cost-recovery basis, so the foundation trust, for example, would be charged. However, providing the service will be non-profit making.