§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration the NHS management executive has given to advising newly appointed chairmen of the general time commitment expected of them for the remuneration they are paid; and what are the reasons for the decision reached.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe national health service management executive has routinely provided guidance to new chairmen that their time commitment to their NHS authority or trust would be up to three days a week. No such guidance was issued to chairmen of fourth-wave NHS trusts, since at the time of their appointment the management executive's task force on corporate governance had not reported. The management executive will be issuing new guidance on chairmen's roles and responsibilities in a code of accountability for NHS boards to take786W effect from 1 April 1994, which will be based upon a requirement to fulfil clearly described responsibilities on a part-time basis.