£30000 per annum/10 days per month
About the appointment
Introduction from the Minister
Dear Candidate,
Thank you for your interest in becoming the Chair of the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody (IAPDC). I welcome candidates from the widest possible field.
The IAPDC is a non-departmental public body of the Ministry of Justice, co-sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care, and Home Office. The IAPDC, together with the Ministerial Board on Deaths in Custody and a Practitioner and Stakeholder Group, forms part of the Ministerial Council on Deaths in Custody in England and Wales.
The role provides an opportunity for the right candidate to contribute significantly to improvements in the delivery of key public services, develop strong links with partners and senior stakeholders, and make a real difference to the lives of those held in custody.
The IAPDC acts as the primary source of independent advice and information to Ministers and operational services on the best ways to reduce the number and rate of deaths in custody. The cross-departmental ambit of the IAPDC means that they are concerned with all deaths which occur in prisons, in or following police custody, immigration detention, the deaths of residents in approved premises and the deaths of those detained under the Mental Health Act in hospital.
The successful appointee will be clearly independent but will also understand how best to propose and influence changes in large and complex organisations. Candidates will need to possess the ability to lead a diverse panel and the strategic skills to shape ideas and form recommendations based on analysis and evidence. They will need to demonstrate their proven ability to drive forward change, particularly through their influence with senior stakeholders, in complex and sometimes challenging circumstances. Their understanding of the views of bereaved families, staff, and people detained in the custody of the state will be a strong contributing factor.
If you believe you have the experience and qualities sought, I look forward to hearing from you.
If you have further questions about the role, you are welcome to speak to Kishwar Hyde, Deputy Head of the Ministerial Council on Deaths in Custody. Please contact Kish via email at kishwar.hyde1@justice.gov.uk.
If you have questions about the appointment process, you can contact the Public Appointments Team at: PublicAppointmentsTeam@Justice.gov.uk.
Lord Timpson
Appointment description
The Chair is accountable to the Ministers with relevant responsibility for deaths in custody in each of the following sponsoring Government Departments: Ministry of Justice, Department of Health and Social Care, and the Home Office.
The Chair will:
· Provide clear, expert advice to Ministers, senior officials and the Ministerial Board on Deaths in Custody (MBDC) on how best to prevent deaths, both natural and self-inflicted, in all forms of state custody, and provide leadership to influence required change;
· Provide effective and visible leadership of the Panel, ensuring that each member has clear roles and responsibilities which play to their individual strengths, working closely with the Panel’s secretariat;
· Develop and maintain strong links with senior figures, the Ministerial Board’s member organisations, Ministers and other wider stakeholders, including people with lived experience, bereaved families, lawyers, academics, media, Parliamentarians, non-governmental organisations, and members of professional and scrutiny bodies;
· Establish the Panel’s priorities and determine its programme of work, taking into account any views expressed by Ministers or the Ministerial Board; and
· Publish relevant reports including an annual workplan and mid-term and end-of-term reports.
The Chair will attend (twice annual) meetings of the MBDC and chair regular (every six weeks) meetings of the IAPDC, as well as both regular and ad-hoc meetings with co-sponsor departments as required while ensuring the independence of the IAPDC.
Organisation description
The IAPDC is a non-departmental public body and was established in 2009, following publication of the 2008 Fulton Report. The IAPDC is jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Justice, Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Home Office (HO) and forms part of the Ministerial Council on Deaths in Custody in England and Wales (“the Council”).
The Council is formed of three tiers – The Ministerial Board on Deaths in Custody (“the Ministerial Board”); the IAPDC; and a practitioner and stakeholder group. The Council considers all deaths in state custody (including prison, approved premises, police, immigration removal and those detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act).
The role of the IAPDC is to provide independent advice and expertise to the Ministerial Board, the first tier of the Council, with the central aim of preventing deaths in custody. The IAPDC provides guidance on policy and best practice across sectors and makes recommendations to Ministers and operational services. It assists Ministers to meet their human rights obligations to protect life. The IAPDC’s aim is to bring about a continuing and sustained reduction in the number and rate of deaths in all forms of state custody in England and Wales.
The IAPDC’s main roles are to:
· Act as the primary source of independent advice to ministers and service leaders (both through the Ministerial Board and where appropriate directly) on measures to reduce the number and rate of deaths in custody;
· Consult and engage with Ministers and the Ministerial Board to identify the key areas of advice and research to enable the operational services to reduce the number and rate of deaths in custody;
· Consult and engage with relevant stakeholders in order to collect, analyse and disseminate relevant information about deaths in custody and the lessons that can be learned from them;
· Commission relevant research;
· Carry out thematic enquiries into areas of concern, in co-operation as appropriate with the relevant oversight and investigative bodies;
· Issue formal guidance (and where appropriate set common standards) on best practice for reducing deaths in custody, both on its own authority and where appropriate under the authority of the Ministerial Board;
· Monitor compliance with such guidance and standards; and
· Where appropriate, make recommendations to ministers for changes in policy or operational practice, which would help to reduce the incidence of death in custody.
Board composition
Chair
Lynn Emslie – 25 February 2023 – 24 February 2026
Members
Dr Jake Hard – 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2026
Professor Seena Fazel – 1 October 2023 – 30 September 2026
Kate Eves – 10 December 2024 – 9 December 2027
Professor Andrew Harris – 3 December 2024 – 2 December 2027
Regulation of appointment
Person specification
Essential criteria
- Strong commitment to the safety and humane treatment of people detained by the state, and their families, with rooted determination to prevent deaths in custody, including an understanding of the United Kingdom’s human rights obligations in relation to deaths and near deaths in custody and their investigations;
- An incisive analytical ability to gather information and develop clear independent, expert advice for Ministers and officials;
- Excellent communication and relationship management skills with a proven ability to engage constructively with and strategically influence Ministers, service leaders and key stakeholders;
- Highly developed leadership skills, including a proven ability to set strategic vision and priorities and to chair the panel confidently and effectively;
- Ability to make strategic use of limited chair, panel, and secretariat time and resources, in a fast-paced environment working across three major government departments, with an excellent understanding of the workings of Government;
- Understanding of, and attention to, equality and diversity issues, such as the experiences of ethnic minority groups, people with neurodivergent conditions, and/or women in custodial environments; and
- Clear track record of delivering projects and initiatives and/or applying research to policy and practice with measurable impact.