Commentary on Sections Part 10 – Abolition of certain public bodies etc Section 279 – The Appointments Commission
1470.This section provides for the abolition of the Appointments Commission. Originally established as the NHS Appointments Commission, a Special Health Authority, in 2001, it was established by section 57 of the Health Act 2006 as a body corporate and executive non-departmental public body in October 2006, changing its name to the Appointments Commission to reflect new powers to provide recruitment and selection services to all Government departments and NHS Foundation Trusts. The section also gives effect to Part 2 of Schedule 20, which makes consequential amendments to legislation and provides for the Secretary of State to be able to carry out any activity undertaken by or duties required of or in relation to the Appointments Commission before, during or after its abolition.
1471.The main role of the Appointments Commission was to appoint Chairs and Non-Executive Directors to local NHS organisations and the majority of the Department’s national bodies, under direction of the Secretary of State for Health. It also provided services to other Governmental organisations.
1472.There will be no local Chair and Non-Executive Director appointments to PCTs and SHAs, and eventually none to NHS trusts. This along with fewer national public appointments makes the Appointments Commission no longer viable. Remaining national appointments will be handled by the Department of Health, in line with the practice of other government departments.