The NHS Appointments Commission announces appointments of the members to the Skipton Fund Appeal Panel

The NHS Appointments Commission has announced the appointments of the Chair and members of the Skipton Fund Ltd Appeal Panel for the period from 1 September 2006 until
31 August 2009.

NOTES TO EDITOR

The Government (all four UK administrations) have collectively established a scheme to make ex-gratia payments to individuals infected with hepatitis C as a result of receiving NHS blood or blood products. A private company limited by guarantee (called the Skipton Fund) has been established to operate the scheme and make payments. The scheme has been in operation since 5h July 2004.

The scheme provides for two levels of payments, the first for individuals who develop chronic hepatitis C infection, with a further second payment for those who go on to develop cirrhosis or primary liver cancer, as a direct result of hepatitis C infection due to NHS blood or blood products.

Claims are assessed and decided by the Skipton Fund based on evidence submitted by the claimant. Where claims are not successful, claimants have the right to appeal to the independent Appeal Panel. The secretariat for the Panel is provided by the Skipton Fund.

Terms of Reference

The role of the Appeal Panel is to reconsider the cases of any claimants who appeal against individual decisions made by the Skipton Fund. The Panel will look at how the decision was reached and examine all available evidence, or seek further written evidence where necessary, in order to either confirm or change the Skipton Fund’s decision. In considering the evidence the Appeal Panel will look solely at the written evidence and will not seek personal attendance. The Panel will not be able to consider appeals against the ex-gratia payment scheme itself, but only to examine the process to determine the claims within the terms of the scheme.

Appeals may be made against decisions concerning both stage 1 and stage 2 payments. For stage one appeals, the Panel will need to determine whether, on the balance of probabilities, chronic hepatitis C infection resulted from receipt of NHS blood or blood products, and for stage two appeals, the likelihood, on the information provided, that the claimant has developed cirrhosis or primary liver cancer.
The following rates of fees will be paid:

Allowances for necessary travel and subsistence, at rates set centrally, are also payable.

These appointments have been made in accordance with the OCPA Code of Practice. All non-executive appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.

Details of Appeal panel members:

Chair:
Professor Mark Mildred, aged 57, lives in London. He is Professor of Litigation at Nottingham Law School, Vice Chair of Wandsworth PCT and legal member of Family Health Services Appeal Authority (FHSAA). He is also a member of various law-related committees and editorial panels. Professor Mildred is white and has not declared a disability. He is a member of the Labour party, having held offices such as Chair, Treasury or secretary of a local branch.

Ministerial appointments
Dept of Health, Non Executive Director – Wandsworth PCT until 31 December.2006, receives £5,700pa.
Dept of Constitutional Affairs, Member – Family Health Services Appeal Authority until 31 January 2007, receives daily fee of £438

Lay member:
Mrs Annie Hitchman aged 59, lives in Durham. Annie Hitchman has been appointed as Non-Executive member of North East Ambulance Services NHS Trust and is standing down as Non Executive Director, Durham & Chester-le-Street PCT. She is Vice Chair of Co. Durham & Darlington Research Ethics Committee and is also a Lay Member of several organisations including the Bar Council for England & Wales. Mrs Hitchman is white and has not declared a disability. She is not politically active.

Ministerial appointments
Dept of Health, Non Executive Director – newly appointed from 1 July 2006 no other details available
Dept of the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs – until 30 September 2008, receives £4,000pa

Hepatologist:
Dr David Mutimer aged 48 lives in Birmingham. David Mutimer is a Consultant Hepatologist at the Liver & Hepatobiliary Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, since 2000 he has been the Clinical Service Lead in the department. He has advised several societies & groups in the field of viral hepatitis. Dr Mutimer is white and has not declared a disability. He is not politically active and holds no ministerial appointments

Haematologist:
Dr Patricia Hewitt aged 54 lives in London. She is a Consultant Specialist in Transfusion Microbiology, National Blood Service (NHS Blood & Transplant). She is chair of UKBTS/NIBSC Standing Advisory Committee on Transfusion Transmitted Infection and a member of Standing Advisory Committee on Donor Selection for the same body. She is a Member of the CJD Clinical incident Panel and also NBA National Claims Manager. Dr Hewitt is white and has not declared a disability. She is not politically active and holds no ministerial appointments

GP:
Dr John Dracass aged 62 lives in Totton, Hampshire. He is a part time Principal in General Practice, also part time GP Appraiser & GMC Performance Assessor. He is the current chairman of West Hampshire LMC. Dr Dracass is white and has not declared a disability. He is not politically active and holds no ministerial appointments

Glossary

Comisiwn Penodiadau’r GIG yn cyhoeddi penodi aelodau i Banel Apêl Cronfa Skipton

Mae Comisiwn Penodiadau’r GIG wedi cyhoeddi penodi Cadeirydd ac aelodau Panel Apêl Cronfa Skipton Cyf ar gyfer y cyfnod o 1 Medi 2006 tan 31 Awst 2009.

NODIADAU I’R GOLYGYDD

Mae’r Llywodraeth (pedair gweinyddiaeth y DU) wedi sefydlu cynllun ar y cyd i wneud taliadau ex gratia i unigolion a heintiwyd â hepatitis C o ganlyniad i dderbyn gwaed neu gynnyrch gwaed y GIG. Sefydlwyd cwmni preifat cyfyngedig trwy warant (o’r enw Cronfa Skipton) i weithredu’r cynllun a gwneud taliadau. Mae’r cynllun wedi bod yn gweithredu ers 5 Gorffennaf 2004.

Mae’r cynllun yn darparu dwy lefel o daliadau, y cyntaf ar gyfer unigolion sy’n datblygu haint hepititis C cronig gydag ail daliad ychwanegol i’r rheiny sy’n mynd ymlaen i ddatblygu sirosis neu gancr sylfaenol yn yr afu o ganlyniad uniongyrchol i haint hepatitis C, oherwydd gwaed neu gynnyrch gwaed y GIG.

Asesir a phennir ceisiadau gan Gronfa Skipton yn seiliedig ar dystiolaeth a gyflwynir gan yr hawliwr. Pan na fydd ceisiadau’n llwyddiannus, mae gan hawlwyr y cyfle i apelio i’r Panel Apêl annibynnol. Darperir ysgrifenyddiaeth y Panel gan Gronfa Skipton.

Cylch Gorchwyl  

Rôl y Panel Apêl yw ail ystyried achosion unrhyw hawlwyr sy’n apelio yn erbyn penderfyniadau unigol a wnaed gan Gronfa Skipton. Bydd y Panel yn edrych ar sut y gwnaed y penderfyniad ac yn archwilio’r holl dystiolaeth sydd ar gael, neu’n gofyn am dystiolaeth ysgrifenedig bellach pan fo angen, er mwyn cadarnhau neu newid penderfyniad Cronfa Skipton. Wrth ystyried y dystiolaeth bydd y Panel Apêl yn edrych ar y dystiolaeth ysgrifenedig yn unig ac ni fydd angen presenoldeb personol. Ni fydd y Panel yn gallu ystyried apeliadau yn erbyn y cynllun taliadau ex gratia ei hun ond yn archwilio’r broses i bennu’r ceisiadau o fewn telerau’r cynllun yn unig.

Gellir apelio yn erbyn penderfyniadau sy’n ymwneud â thaliadau cyfnod 1 a chyfnod 2. Ar gyfer apeliadau cyfnod 1, bydd yn rhaid i’r Panel benderfynu, yn ôl tebygolrwydd, a oedd yr haint cronig hepititis C yn ganlyniad o gael gwaed neu gynnyrch gwaed y GIG, ac ar gyfer apeliadau cyfnod 2, pa mor debygol ydyw, o’r wybodaeth a ddarparwyd, fod yr hawliwr wedi datblygu sirosis neu gancr sylfaenol yn yr afu.
Telir ffïoedd yn ôl y graddfeydd canlynol:

Telir lwfansau teithio a chynnal hefyd yn ôl graddfeydd canolog.

Gwnaethpwyd y penodiadau hyn yn unol â Chod Ymarfer Swyddfa’r Comisiynydd   Penodiadau Cyhoeddus (OCPA). Caiff pob penodiad anweithredol ei wneud yn ôl teilyngdod ac nid yw gweithgarwch gwleidyddol yn effeithio ar y broses ddethol.

Manylion aelodau’r Panel Apêl:

Cadeirydd:
Athro Mark Mildred, 57 oed, byw yn Llundain. Mae’n Athro Cyfreitha yn Ysgol Gyfraith Nottingham, yn is-gadeirydd i Ymddiriedolaeth Gofal Sylfaenol (PCT) Wandsworth ac yn aelod cyfreithiol o Awdurdod Apêl Gwasanaethau Iechyd Teulu (FHSAA). Mae hefyd yn aelod o wahanol bwyllgorau cyfreithiol a phaneli golygyddol. Mae’r Athro Mildred yn wyn ac nid yw wedi datgan anabledd. Mae’n aelod o’r Blaid Lafur ac wedi bod mewn rolau gwahanol megis Cadeirydd, Trysorydd neu Ysgrifennydd cangen leol.

Penodiadau Gweinidogol
Yr Adran Iechyd, Cyfarwyddwr Anweithredol - Wandsworth PCT tan 31 Rhagfyr 2006, yn derbyn £5,700pa.
Yr Adran Materion Cyfansoddiadol, Aelod - Awdurdod Apêl Gwasanaethau Iechyd Teulu tan 31 Ionawr 2007, yn derbyn ffi ddyddiol o £438

Aelod lleyg:
Mrs Annie Hitchman, 59 oed, byw yn Durham. Penodwyd Annie Hitchman yn aelod anweithredol Gwasanaethau Ambiwlans Ymddiriedolaeth GIG y Gogledd Ddwyrain ac mae’n rhoi’r gorau i fod yn Gyfarwyddwraig Anweithredol Ymddiriedolaeth Gofal Sylfaenol Durham a Chester-le-Street. Mae’n is-gadeirydd Pwyllgor Moesau Ymchwil Durham a Darlington a hefyd yn aelod lleyg o nifer o sefydliadau gan gynnwys Cyngor Bar Cymru a Lloegr. Mae Mrs Hitchman yn wyn ac nid yw wedi datgan anabledd. Nid yw’n wleidyddol weithredol.

Penodiadau Gweinidogol
Yr Adran Iechyd, Cyfarwyddwr Anweithredol - penodiad newydd o 1 Gorffennaf 2006, dim manylion eraill ar gael
Adran yr Amgylchedd, Bwyd a Materion Gwledig- tan 30 Medi 2008, yn derbyn £4,000pa

Hepatolegydd:
Dr David Mutimer, 48 oed, byw ym Mirmingham. Mae David Mutimer yn Hepatolegydd Ymgynghorol yn Uned Afu a Hepatobiliaeth Ysbyty’r Frenhines  Elizabeth ym Mirmingham. Ers 2000 ef yw Arweinydd y Gwasanaeth Clinigol yn yr adran. Mae wedi rhoi cyngor i nifer o gymdeithasau a grwpiau ym maes hepatitis firaol. Mae Dr Mutimer yn wyn ac nid yw wedi datgan anabledd. Nid yw’n wleidyddol weithredol ac nid oes ganddo benodiadau gweinidogol.

Haematolegydd:
Dr Patricia Hewitt, 54 oed, byw yn Llundain. Mae’n Arbenigwr Ymgynghorol ym maes Trallwysiad Microbioleg, Gwasanaeth Gwaed Cenedlaethol (Gwaed Thrawsblaniad y GIG). Hi yw cadeirydd Pwyllgor Cynghori Sefydlog UKBTS/NIBSC ar Heintiau a Drosglwyddir drwy Drawsblaniad ac mae’n aelod o’r Pwyllgor Cynghori Sefydlog ar Ddethol Rhoddwyr ar gyfer yr un corff. Mae’n aelod o Banel Digwyddiad Clinigol CJD ac yn Rheolwraig Hawliau Cenedlaethol NBA. Mae Dr Hewitt yn wyn ac nid yw wedi datgan anabledd. Nid yw’n wleidyddol weithredol ac nid oes ganddi benodiadau gweinidogol.

Meddyg Teulu:
Dr John Dracass, 62 oed, byw yn Totton, Hampshire. Mae’n bennaeth rhan amser ym Meddygaeth Teulu, hefyd yn Werthuswr Meddyg Teulu ac yn Asesydd Perfformiad i’r Cyngor Meddygol Cyffredinol. Ef yw cadeirydd presennol Pwyllgor Meddygol Lleol Gorllewin Hampshire. Mae Dr Dracass yn wyn ac nid yw wedi datgan anabledd. Nid yw’n wleidyddol weithredol ac nid oes ganddo benodiadau gweinidogol.

Geirfa