Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department seeks references for candidates appointed to public positions which fall under the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
The Department asks all candidates for public appointments to provide at least two referees, one of whom should be from the candidate’s main or most recent organisation. Referees are approached for shortlisted candidates.
Candidates are also asked to declare when they apply and again if interviewed, if they have any potential conflicts of interest, or any issues in their history which if they were appointed, may bring the appointment into disrepute, particularly in the context of meeting the Principles of Public Life. The Principles form part of the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies, which candidates are informed they will need to adhere to. Checks are also carried out on open-source material for shortlisted candidates and information is provided to the assessment panel.