Decision

Summary of business appointment applications - Jon Rouse

Published 25 April 2016

Mr Jon Rouse will leave his role as Director General in the Department of Health in July 2016.

1. Chief Officer of Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, NHS England

Mr Jon Rouse asked for the Committee’s advice about an appointment with NHS England that had already been publicly announced. The Committee wrote to the Department of Health registering its concern about the timing of the application. The Committee noted that the Business Appointment Rules specify that retrospective applications will not normally be accepted. To fulfil the remit given to it by Government the Committee needs to be able to consider an application fully and freely before offering its advice. This is impossible to do in a way that will command public confidence if an appointment has already been announced and/or taken up. Therefore, the Committee was unwilling to give retrospective approval for the appointment.

The Committee formally recorded that:

  • Mr Rouse has informed the Committee that his role is Chief Officer, Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership and that he will lead the body overseeing devolution of health and social care in Greater Manchester.

  • NHS England is an arms-length body of the Department of Health and the Greater Manchester Devolution Project is a product of Government Policy.

  • While at the Department of Health Mr Rouse had worked closely with his prospective employer and had an influence over ministerial decisions affecting it.

  • Mr Rouse was appointed following an open application process.

  • Mr Rouse will need to have contact with Government to carry out this role.

The Committee also drew Mr Rouse’s attention to the normal restriction imposed prohibiting the misuse of privileged information obtained while in public office.

The letter containing the Committee’s views was sent in April 2016.