The advice below should be followed by both trusts and Integrated Care Boards (ICB) alongside the general good practice outlined within this guide. Executive search agencies involved in the recruitment process should also adopt these practices within their processes.
- ensure the trust has a talent development strategy to identify potential candidates internally
- avoid recruiting by 'fit' and aim for recruitment by 'values', experience, principles and 'skills'
- board members: stop rolling appointments and offer recruitment training
- if using agencies, their board should be diverse
- target ethnic minority organisations, recruiters, and payment groups
- careful critique of job description (as per indicator 1) - include a competency linked to compassion and inclusion and evidence of developing and/or direct involvement in EDI initiatives
- batch recruitment preferred to single appointments
- create deliberately diverse long lists
- ensure balanced and representative selection panel
- score process independently before discussion (as with model recruitment example)
- apply the tie-breaker principle (allowing selection committee with a choice between two or more candidates of equal merit, to take into consideration whether one is from an under-represented group) – this requires transparency about diversity data (use the Government equalities office statement referenced earlier)
- ensure there is a panel debrief.
Further recommended measures which support the development of a talent pipeline and retention for board members include:
- Develop an ethnic minority talent pipeline for high level appointments. Consider resourcing, what initiatives are in place and whether you are offering shadowing or sponsorship opportunities.
- Develop a talent pool created for near-miss candidates.
- Ensure good induction and appraisal process exists for new board members.