We need to inform you of how we are using and storing your data. You don’t need to do anything but it is important that you read this information together with our  privacy notice so that you are fully aware of how and why we are using your data.

This information applies to our candidates for Chair and Non-executive Director roles. It also applies to members of our talent pool, referees, our selection panels,  and former members of NHS provider boards.  In addition it applies if you have subscribed to our vacancy mailing list.

We understand that protecting your personal information is crucial to building a lasting relationship with you. Your personal information is held in accordance with data protection legislation.  When we ask you for personal information we will:

• only ask for what we need and ensure you know why we need it
• protect it and insofar as is possible, make sure nobody has access to it who shouldn’t
• ensure you know what choice you have about giving us information
• make sure we don’t keep it longer than necessary
• only use your information for the purpose which you provided it.

We ask that you give us accurate information and tell us as soon as possible:

• of any changes or mistakes in the information we hold about you
• if you wish to have the information we hold about you erased.

Processing your personal data

Your personal data and sensitive information is collected in order to fulfil our functions in the recruitment, appointment and development of Chairs and Non-executive Directors of NHS trusts to support and improve the leadership of all NHS provider boards by monitoring their capacity, capability and diversity, and to help us meet our public sector equality duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2012.

The information we hold includes identity and contact data, and other information such as CVs and appraisals that relate to our recruitment and development functions, and records of our interactions with you.

Special categories of personal data we collect may include information about gender, disability, race or ethnicity, religious or philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation or information about political activity.  These special categories of personal data that you provide will not be shared with third parties unless expressly stated, but may be anonymised and aggregated so that your identity can not be revealed.

We also use other sources of information about you to inform our decision making processes which include assessments from our selection panels, stakeholder feedback, views of employers and referees, online data sources and other corporate information known to us and our NHS partners that may relate to your suitability for a role.

We use the data to:

• process and assess applications and gain opinions about candidates suitability for particular roles
• establish the membership and capacity of NHS provider boards and monitor their diversity
• identify suitable candidates for roles and development opportunities, as they become available
• make statistical analyses and to produce high level anonymised reports about board members and the candidate pool
• improve the quality of our services
• keep you informed through our weekly round-up of non-executive vacancies or about the sector more widely via newsletters or bulletins
• contact you about relevant roles, development and networking opportunities and other support available to you
• administer your personnel record with us if you are appointed to an NHS provider

We also recognise our obligations under Section 22 of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and have set out a robust framework for handling protected information to ensure that these obligations are met.

Disclosures of your personal data

We limit access to your personal data to those employees, agents, contractors and other third parties who have a business need to know. We require them to respect the security of your personal data and only permit them to process your personal data for specified purposes and in accordance with our instructions and they are subject to a duty of confidentiality.

Candidates

We work closely with other directorates within NHS England and those NHS partners with vacancies and involve them in every stage of the selection process. This means when you apply for a specific post, we will pass your application, including special categories of personal data details to the relevant individuals within NHS England and at the NHS Provider with the vacancy to proceed with the selection process.  As a result, you may receive further direct correspondence from them about your application.

It is likely that applications will be long-listed before they are passed to the selection panel for consideration. In this event your information may be shared with one of our relevantly qualified agents and your application might not be considered in full by all panel members. We also often work with search firms / head-hunters to help us to identify candidates for roles, in this event your information may be shared with them and you may be invited to be interviewed by one of their consultants.

The information you provide as your application, and relevant information from other sources will be shared with members of the selection panel, so that your application can be assessed.

If you have taken part in any political activity within the last five years and declared it on your application for an NHS trust role we are required by the Cabinet Office Governance Code for Public Appointments to share this information with the selection panel. All other special categories of personal data you provide will not be used in the selection process and will not be shared with the selection panel.

We are required by the Commissioner for Public Appointments to retain information about the people who apply for public appointments within his remit, and make this information available to him for audit purposes or formal complaints investigations, if requested to do so. Information you provide in your application may therefore be made available to the Commissioner and his auditors on a confidential basis.

Members of our talent pool

If you have expressed an interest in future roles and agreed to be added to our talent pool of potential candidates we want to give you the best possible chance at finding the right role for you.  To do this we may share your personal data with NHS partners who are recruiting, recruitment agencies, the Department of Health, other Government Departments and Arm’s Length Bodies. This means that if we believe you are suitable for a specific role, we may pass some information about you, including some special categories if you have agreed to this, to the organisation concerned without contacting you. If they agree that you might be suitable, we will contact you and discuss this with you in more detail.  At this point, we will pass them further details about you including contact details and you may receive direct correspondence from them.

Members of NHS Providers 

Once appointed, we will create a personnel record which includes information and correspondence related to your recruitment and share it, including special categories of personal data, with relevant individuals at the trust to which you have been appointed.

We work closely with other directorates within NHS Improvement and with our NHS partners.  Some aspects of your personnel record may therefore be shared with other directorates within NHS England, our NHS partners, the Department of Health, other Government Departments and Arm’s Length Bodies who have a business need to know.

If you have volunteered your expertise as a Well Led Peer Reviewer we will share the information and contact details you provided for this purpose with potential suppliers, upon request, in relation to developmental reviews of leadership and governance. In addition, we may make it available to NHS Improvement staff and our partners for queries relating to peer input for well-led or similar reviews.

Sources, referees, stakeholders and members of selection panels

We will use your data to enable us to obtain your assessment and opinions on a candidate or candidate’s suitability for roles, and may invite you to become a candidate in future.

As well as basic contact information we will also collect information regarding your background and credentials as a source or panel member, details of your relationship/knowledge of a candidate and your assessment and opinions of that individual.  We will obtain this information directly from you.  We will share your name and details of your relationship to the candidate (eg source, referee selection panel member) along with any additional information you provide about the candidate with the selection panel.  If the candidate is successful in being appointed this information may also be shared with the organisation concerned.  Any information you provide could also be made available to the candidate, should they request it.

Retaining your personal information

In relation to the information we collect:

Candidates – If you submit an application for a Chair or Non-executive Director role, your application and any supporting documentation related to the recruitment will be retained for two years after the appointment decision has been made, regardless of the outcome.  This is required for audit purposes or formal complaint investigations as described above.

Members of our talent pool – If you agree for your information to be added to our talent pool of potential candidates we will retain your CV and any other relevant documentation in order to notify you about new roles as and when they become available.  You may ask to be removed from this pool at any time by contacting england.chairsandneds@nhs.net.

Members of NHS provider boards – If you are appointed to a chair or non-executive role your personal record will be retained for the period you hold office.  This record includes information and correspondence related to recruitment and appraisal, performance and development information. Due to the nature of these leadership roles, after leaving office it will be retained for a specified period with option to review.  After this, your personal data will be deleted and information which is in the public domain will be kept as a public record.

Contacting us

If you have any queries or feedback, or wish to withdraw your consent at any time please get in touch by emailing england.chairsandneds@nhs.net.