DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY

PUBLIC APPOINTMENTS

CENTRAL NURSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE

CENTRAL NURSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CNAC)

Background

The Central Nursing Advisory Committee is a statutory Advisory Body established in 1974 under Article 24 of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972. Its function is to provide nursing advice to the Department, and the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) on matters concerning nursing, midwifery and health visiting in Northern Ireland. The Department and CNO from time to time ask CNAC to undertake specific tasks, whether commenting on major consultative documents or deliberating on wider professional topics. CNAC also advises on subjects of its own choice. The remit of the Committee includes:

- the identification of areas for particular study and research;

- the provision of advice to the Department and the promotion of understanding and co-operation within and between the professions in the health and personal social services and related areas.

Membership

The present membership of the Central Nursing Advisory Committee consists of 18 members, inclusive of the Chairman. The Committee will be representative of nurses, midwives and health visiting working in practice, education, research and management and will be from a wide range of care settings. Membership will reflect current practice and spread of expertise. Members will hold a statutory qualification as a nurse, midwife or health visitor and will normally be employed in a post that requires that qualification.

Members are selected after consultation with the HSS Area Boards Nurses Group, HSS Trusts Nurses Group, Chief Executives of HSS Trusts, Association of Paediatric Nurses, Community Psychiatric Nurses Association, Community and District Nurses Association, Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association, Mental Handicap Nurses Association, Mental Health Nurses Association, Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery, Practice Nurses Forum, Royal College of Midwives, Royal College of Nursing, Private and Voluntary Nursing Sectors, Queen's University of Belfast and University of Ulster and the Research and Development Office for HPSS. The Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery (NIPEC) is an ex-officio member of the Committee as is the Director of Nursing of the Regulation and Quality improvement Authority.

CENTRAL NURSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Role of Members

It is the member's role to:-

Meetings

The Committee will normally meet about four times a year but is empowered to call additional meetings if required. Committee meetings are of a half-day duration. Members must be willing to devote the necessary time to the appointment - approximately 4 days per year. The Committee may appoint specialist committees to respond quickly and authoritatively to the need for advice.

Remuneration

The Chairman and members are unpaid, however, they are eligible to claim allowances at rates set centrally for travel and subsidence costs necessarily incurred on Committee business.

Period of Appointment

Following a selection process, members are usually appointed for a three-year term of office and will be eligible to serve for a maximum of two terms

• Reappointments will be subject to a satisfactory review of the performance of the individual and his/her suitability for reappointment.

CENTRAL NURSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CNAC)

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Members will be conversant with and be committed to the principles and objectives of the HPSS and will subscribe to the goals and functions of the Committee and abide by its Standing Orders and Procedures.

QUALIFICATIONS

Must hold current registration as a nurse, midwife or health visitor in an area relevant to the needs of the Committee.

COMPETENCIES

Nominees will be required to demonstrate that they possess most of the following skills and attributes:

• an in-depth knowledge of their specific area of practice and a general knowledge of the wider context of health care practice;

• an ability to think strategically and the ability to analyse complex problems;

• an ability to work as part of a team, including chairmanship skills;

• effective communication skills with fluent expression of ideas in both written and oral form;

• good interpersonal skills, developing relationships and networks within and without the Committee;

• the confidence to question and challenge other members in an objective manner, applying their own experience and expertise to the development of an independent view;

• sound personal skills such as time and stress management.

QUALITIES

Commitment

Drive

Diplomacy

Flexibility

Vision

Openness

Sensitivity

Self Awareness

Integrity

Probity

Independence

Responsible