Extension to the Term of Appointment of the Non-Executive Member to the Public Health Agency

The Non-Executive appointment of Thomas Mahaffy, Non Executive Member to the Public Health Agency (PHA) has been extended for a period of 12 months from 7 April 2017.

The remuneration for the position of Non Executive member carries a time commitment of 5 days per month and attracts an annual remuneration of £9,004.

The appointment is made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments for NI.

Notes to editors: 

1. The PHA was established in 2009 under a major reform of health structures in the north of Ireland. It is a multi-disciplinary, multi-professional body, with a strong regional and local presence. The Agency was established to provide a renewed and enhanced focus on public health and wellbeing by bringing together a wide range of public health functions under one organisation. It is required to create better inter-sectoral working, including enhanced partnership with local government, to tackle the underlying causes of poor health and reduce health inequalities.
    
2. The four key functions of the Agency are:

   -  Health and social wellbeing improvement
   -  Health protection
   -  Public health support and policy development
   -  Health and Social Care research and development.

3. The PHA is managed directly by a board of directors which has corporate responsibility for its operation. The board of the PHA is made up of four Executive Directors including the Chief Executive, a non-executive Chair and seven non-executive Directors. The non-executive Directors include a Member from a social care background; a Trade Union Representative Member, two Local Government Representative Members, one Financial Member and two Lay Members.
    
4. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of appointees to be published. Mr Mahaffy has declared that he has not engaged in any political activity.
    
5. Thomas Mahaffy is Head of Organising and Development for UNISON. He has strategic and operational responsibilities for recruitment, branch development, member participation and services,‎ and ensuring that equality and human rights principles underpin all the union's internal and external activities. He leads UNISON's successful partnerships with NHS employers that continue to achieve real quality care, health and satisfaction outcomes for service users and the workforce in hospitals, care homes and homecare.

   Thomas was UNISON's Policy Officer from 1996-2015 and now leads the union's organising, policy, education, communications and black and migrant workers departments.

   Thomas is a director of a number of organisations including the Public Health Agency; NI Anti-Poverty Network; NI Human Rights Consortium; and Participation and Practice of Rights.

   He is a founder member of the Equality Coalition and Right in Community Care Group and was a member of the cross-sectoral Bill of Rights Forum established following the St Andrew's Agreement. With degrees in Politics and Law and an MSc in Social Research, his key research interests include worker participation, satisfaction and development as a core driver of service improvement and quality in health and social care. Publications include 'Time for Change - UNISON-led partnerships with NHS employers (2015).

6. For media enquiries please contact DOH Press Office on 028 9052 0575 or email pressoffice@health-ni.gov.uk. For out of office please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07623 974383. Follow us on twitter @healthdpt

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