Care Commission Re-appointment of Member Announced

Health Minister Andy Kerr today announced a non-executive member re-appointment to the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (the Care Commission). Ms Lesley Bloomer is currently Convener of the Care Commission Audit Committee. She was previously a Director of Audit Scotland, with whom she has worked since 1997. Before that she was a consultant with Eglinton Management Centre, having earlier worked with Scottish Enterprise.

The appointment will be for three years from September 1, 2006 to August 31, 2009.

This post is part time with a time commitment of eight hours per week for which the annual remuneration is £7,175. Ms Bloomer does not hold any other Ministerial appointments.

The Care Commission opened for business in April 2002 to regulate care services throughout Scotland with the aim of improving their quality. Some 500,000 of the most vulnerable people in our society currently use the care services provided by over 100,000 people employed in the social care workforce.

The establishment of the Care Commission has put in place a new, unified and effective system of care regulation that puts the safety and well-being of people who use care services at its heart.

Ministerial public appointments are made in accordance with the Commisioner for Public Appointments in Scotland’s Code of Practice.

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Within the last five years, Ms Bloomer has not been involved in any political activity.