CANDIDATE INFORMATION PACK
Psychiatrist Parole Board Members
Reference number: PAT150017-PAROLEBOARD-MEMBERS-ii
Closing date for these posts is: 13:00 on Wednesday 8 June 2016
Applications should be submitted via: https://jac.judiciary.gov.uk/vacancies/PAT150017-PAROLEBOARD-MEMBERS-ii/apply
Please note that the post of Parole Board Member is a public appointment and that the application process is being supported by the Judicial Appointments Commission on-line application service.
If after reading the material and looking at the website at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/parole-board you have further questions about any aspect of this post, you can contact the Public Appointments Team either by e-mail or on 020 3334 4014.
Alternative format versions of this candidate information pack are available on request from the Public Appointments Team.
Commissioner for Public Appointments Survey
The Commissioner for Public Appointments would like to find out what you think of the public appointments process. When you have left the process, the Commissioner would appreciate a few minutes of your time to complete this survey: http://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk/candidate-survey/. Your response will be anonymous and will inform the Commissioner's ongoing work with Government Departments to improve the public appointments process.
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Contents Page
1. A message from the Chair 3
2. Diversity and equality of opportunity 4
- Arrangement for candidates with a disability
- Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form
3. About the Parole Board 5
4. Role of a Psychiatrist Parole Board Member 6
5. Eligibility and criteria 7
6. Terms of appointment 8
7. Indicative timetable and how to apply 10
8. Complaints Process 13
Appendices
Appendix 1 - The seven principles of public life 14
Appendix 2 - Parole Board Members’ Fees 15
Appendix 3 - HM Prison Establishments by Region 17
Appendix 4 - Terms of appointment 19
1. A Message from the Chair of the Parole Board
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Psychiatrist Member of the Parole Board.
You may already have some idea about the important work ofthe Parole Board and the following pages will tell you more aboutthe Board’s purpose and the nature of therole.
The Parole Board is an independent body whose main aim is to protect the public by risk assessing prisoners to decide whether they can be safely released into the community. Our work is of critical importance to individual prisoners and their families of course, but also has a wider role to play in contributing to the prison reform process while maintaining public confidence in the justice system.
We are now looking to appoint a number of members; people with a genuine interest in the work we do and who possess the competencies, skills and judgement to make an effective and critical contribution to the Board’s work. This is an exciting time for the Board. There is new leadership of both members and staff and we are looking forward to being joined by a significant number of new members. Members’ role will develop in response to reforms in the prison system, we are moving to a digital case handling process and we are introducing new ways of working with partners across the criminal justice system.
We have some eligibility or qualifying criteria for this role, which are set out later in this document, together with a description of the types of cases we deal with, to give you a feel for the nature of our work. Please read these carefully before you submit an application.
If you believe you have the experience and qualities we are seeking and want to join us as we develop our role, I very much look forward to hearing from you.
Professor Nick Hardwick CBE
2. Diversity and equality of opportunity
Diversity of opportunity is something the Ministry of Justice and the Parole Board care passionately about.
Applications are encouraged from all candidates regardless of ethnicity, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or gender identity. We particularly welcome applications from women, those with a disability and those from a black or ethnic minority background.
We would also particularly welcome applications from those currently working in, or with experience of, the private sector, and those who have not previously held public appointments. We want to explore the widest possible pool of talent for these important roles.
Arrangements for candidates with a disability
Guaranteed Interview Scheme
The Ministry of Justice operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS) for disabled people. The Equality Act 2010 defines a person as disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment and the impairment has a substantial and long term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Under the GIS a disabled candidate will be selected for interview if they meet the minimum criteria for the role decided by the selection panel at shortlisting. To ensure fairness, the panel will not be informed of who has applied under the GIS until they have set the minimum criteria at the start of the sift meeting. If you wish to be considered under the scheme, please complete the on-line Guaranteed Interview Scheme Declaration.
Adjustments
If you have a disability and require adjustments to help you attend interview, should you be called, you may wish to contact:
· Phil Ramsden within the Public Appointments Team (by e-mail or on 020 3334 4014).
To discuss any adjustments you may require should you be appointed you may wish to contact:
· Stephanie McIntosh at the Parole Board (by e-mail . or on 020 3334 4436).
Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form
The online Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form is for monitoring purposes only. By collecting and analysing the data of those applying and obtaining an appointment, we can improve our diversity strategy. This form is not part of the selection process and will be treated in confidence. It will be kept separate from your application and not be seen by the selection panel.
3. About the Parole Board
The Parole Board aims to:
· Make risk assessments which are rigorous, fair and timely with the primary aim of protecting the public and which contribute to the rehabilitation of prisoners where appropriate.
· Demonstrate effective and accountable corporate governance by maintaining strong internal control, setting clear objectives and managing corporate risk as well as delivering best value by optimum use of resources.
· Promote the independence of and public confidence in the work of the Board, while effectively managing change.
The Parole Board for England and Wales was established in 1968 under the Criminal Justice Act 1967. It became an independent Executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) on 1 July 1996 under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. The Parole Board's role is to make risk assessments about prisoners to decide who may safely be released into the community.
A NDPB is an independent public body which has a role in the process of national Government. It is not a government department or part of one. It operates at arm's length from Government. Appointments to the boards of these public bodies are known as public appointments.
The Parole Board has responsibility for considering the following types of cases:
Indeterminate sentences
These include life sentence prisoners (mandatory life, discretionary life and automatic life sentence prisoners and Her Majesty's Pleasure detainees) and prisoners given indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPP). The Parole Boardconsiders whether prisoners are safe to release into the community once they have completed their tariff (the minimum time they must spend in prison) and also whether they are safe to re-release following recallto prison for a breach of their life licence conditions (the rules which they must observe upon release).
Determinate sentences
These include prisoners given extended sentences for public protection (EPP) for offences committed on or after 4 April 2005 and discretionary conditional release (DCR) prisoners serving more than 4 years whose offence was committed before 4 April 2005. The Parole Board considers whether these prisoners are safe to release into the community once they have completed the minimum time they must spend in prison. The Board also considersany determinate sentence prisoner referred bythe Secretary of State following recall to prisonfor a breach of their parole licence conditions (the rules which they must observe upon release) as to whether they aresafe to re-release into the community.
Location
You will sit on both paper and oral panels. Paper panels are single member and usually take place at home. Oral hearings can be 3, 2 or 1 member panels. The oral panels mainly take place in prisons, although some take place through a video link with the panel situated in the Parole Board’s offices at 52 Queen Anne’s Gate, London, or elsewhere, as needed. The hearings generally consider release or re-release after recall of life sentence and high-risk prisoners. You will be expected to travel as required to hear cases or attend related Parole Board events. This may entail an occasional overnight stay, for which expenses will be reimbursed at the prevailing rates.
The Parole Board manages the caseload on a regional basis across England and Wales. There are four regions:
· North East, North West, Yorkshire and Humberside
· East Midlands, West Midlands
· South, South East, East Anglia and London
· South West, South Central and Wales.
Although there are vacancies across all regions, we are particularly seeking members in the North East, North West, Yorkshire and Humberside and Midlands regions. The prisons located within each region are listed at Appendix 3.
4. Role of a Psychiatrist Parole Board Member
The key task of all members of the Parole Board is to make rigorous, fair and timely risk assessments about individual cases which have the primary aim of protecting the public and which contribute to the rehabilitation of offenders where appropriate.
As a Psychiatrist Member of the Parole Board for England & Wales you will:
· Use psychiatric knowledge and skills of assessment and management of risk/dangerousness in criminal groups.
· Apply knowledge and skills to individual prisoner cases (with determinate and indeterminate sentences) in order to decide whether it is safe enough for release into the community.
· Advise panels to clarify specific psychiatric issues of a case e.g. risk issues, cognitive functioning, response to treatment, psychopathy etc.
· Advise panels about psychiatric reports including qualifications and experience of author, specific assessment tools used, overall quality of assessment and conclusions drawn.
· Take an active part in oral hearings, questioning witnesses as appropriate, particularly leading on questioning of psychiatrist witnesses at oral hearings to elicit relevant information to inform the panel’s assessment of risk.
· Advise panels when two or more differing psychiatry opinions exist.
· Work collaboratively with other panel members in order to make judgements on the evidence supplied and to provide a concise summary of the decision taken in light of the evidence.
· Use Parole Board IT effectively to access electronic dossiers, draft and comment on summaries and decisions, to communicate with other panellists and executive staff, and to keep up-to-date with current case information, relevant developments and best practice guidance.
· Be responsible for your own personal development by accessing training, guidance and information offered by the Parole Board and contributing positively wherever possible to the effective running of the organisation.
· Carry out all casework for which you have been trained and accredited, keeping up your practice in these areas, whether carrying out work on paper panels, case management, oral hearings or any other casework.
· Be an effective ambassador for the Parole Board when representing it at hearings or any other event.
5. Eligibility and criteria
Eligibility
Applications are welcome from anyone aged 18 or over. There are circumstances in which an individual will not be considered for appointment. They include:
· People who have received a prison sentence or suspended sentence of three months or more in the last five years;
· In certain circumstances, those who have had an earlier term of appointment on the Parole Board terminated;
· Current employees of Her Majesty’s Prison Service; and
· If you have not been resident in the UK for three years preceding your application for Parole Board Member.
This is a senior position where it is expected individuals will use their knowledge of psychiatry, risk assessment skills and risk management skills, to work independently and in consultation with other Parole Board colleagues in deciding if an offender should receive parole.
Applicants must have full registration with the General Medical Council (GMC), and have worked as a consultant psychiatrist in the UK for at least 5 years.
Essential criteria
The essential criteria below will be tested throughout the recruitment process.
· Demonstrable experience of and ability to conduct effective evidence-based decision making, weighing facts and evidence, analysing and critically evaluating large volumes of complex information and identifying key issues, within tight deadlines and working on your own initiative.
· Demonstrable independence of mind and sound judgement, with the ability to make evidence based decisions that are accurately documented.
· Demonstrable knowledge and experience in the effects of psychiatric conditions on offending behaviour and of the assessment and management of risk in this context
· Excellent interpersonal skills: the ability to gain respect and maintain rapport through effective communication and influencing skills – with the confidence to challenge opinions where necessary, work collegiately and resolve differences to reach sound decisions.
· Excellent communication skills, both written and oral: the ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with a wide range of individuals, varying your approach as necessary and treating others with respect, to listen actively and evaluate replies in order to probe issues.
· Excellent written skills: the ability to draft well-formed written accounts which summarise evidence in support of a decision or recommendation.
· Demonstrable high standards of corporate and personal integrity and conduct, such as a strong commitment to equal opportunities, and the ethos of supporting the wider public or community good through your contributions.