Two Non-executive directors of NHS East Sussex Downs and Weald have been re-appointed by the Appointments Commission.
Jack Barnes and Rita Lewis were first appointed Non-executive directors in October 2006 when East Sussex Downs and Weald Primary Care Trust (PCT) was established.
Rita Lewis is vice chair of the PCT and Jack Barnes is a member of the Audit Committee. As the organisation shares a single management team with NHS Hastings and Rother, the PCTs tackle issues in common by way of joint committees; both Rita Lewis and Jack Barnes are members of the PCTs’ Joint Remuneration Committee and Rita Lewis serves on the Joint Governance Committee.
Chairman John Barnes said: “I am delighted about Rita and Jack’s re-appointments. The experience they have gained in the last three years when coupled to their long and wide experience of the health service and other fields, makes them invaluable counsellors as we look to continue to improve health and health services in a worsening financial climate.”
Their new terms run from 1 October 2009 to September 2013 and both will receive £7,882 a year. Neither holds any other ministerial appointments and they have not been involved in any political activity in the last five years.
A resident of Eastbourne, Rita Lewis has more than two decades of experience in the NHS, which includes service as a Non-executive director and founder Chair of the Governance Committee of Epsom and St Helier University NHS Trust, as Chair of the British Acupuncture Accreditation Board, and Trustee and Chair of Action Against Medical Accidents.
Jack Barnes lives in Seaford. During a distinguished career in the civil service he was deputy chief inspector for social services, director of research management and head of the Department of Health’s primary care division. He has been director of research and policy for the National Asthma Campaign and director of administration for Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
The re-appointments were made in accordance with the Commissioner of Public Appointments’ Code of Practice. All non-executive appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public.
East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT was established on 1 October 2006 and covers a population of around 333,000 people.
The PCT is responsible for engaging with local people to improve health and well-being, commissioning high quality health and social care services, and overseeing community health services provided in community hospitals, health centres, clinics and people’s homes. Its budget for the current year is £531.8 million.
