FOI/202300382440 · FOI · unclear
NHS 24 Board Member Appointment: FOI release
Information requested
1. Why there were no panel members from a clinical background on the panel and from a BME background as per the Equality Act (2010)?
2. The panel were all non-clinical and white. Why?
Response
There is no requirement in either the general duty (Equality Act 2010 (legislation.gov.uk) or Scottish specific duties (The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 (legislation.gov.uk) to place someone with a BME background on the selection panel for a public appointment. The Scottish Government delivers the public appointments process in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty and set an equality outcome for public appointments in 2017 and reported on progress in 2021 Outcome Progress Summary (www.gov.scot)
The Scottish Government also deliver public appointments in line with the Ethical Standards Commissioner’s Code of Practice. The Code sets out requirements for the selection panel in Part A. The people on the selection panel for the NHS24 appointment round met these requirements, in terms of their suitability for the role, their protected characteristics were not considered. The criteria for appointment did not seek clinical expertise from applicants and clinical expertise was not required of the selection panel members, for further information about the criteria for appointment please refer to the information pack which is attached.
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