News stories & announcements
NHS Manager co-opted unto Executive Committee
Derek McAuley has been co-opted unto the Executive Committee for a one year period to fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Rev. Robert Wightman as GA Vice President.
Derek is a member of Cross Street Chapel in Manchester, serving on the Congregational Committee and has recently taken over as editor of the bi-monthly Calendar. He is a member of the Council of the Manchester District Association. As he told the GA session on growth he has found his spiritual home at Cross Street Chapel and has been welcomed and supported by the congregation. He can even walk to Chapel!
Executive Committee Convener, Sir Peter Soulsby said, "He brings enormous enthusiasm to the EC and I am confident Derek will be a very valuable member of our team."
Steve Dick, Chief Executive welcomed the appointment, "Derek has already made an invaluable contribution to our work even after attending just on meeting. He brings fresh eyes and a sense of the need to actually deliver on our intentions."
Over a series of six weekends during October 2007 to March 2008 Derek took part in the Hibbert Trust collaborative Inquiry into the future of liberal religion. With an interest in communications he has participated in the last two UCCN weekends in Great Hucklow. He organized the Unitarian participation in Pride in Manchester last August and is already planning for this year's event. He has written for The Inquirer on several occasions on a range of topics.
Derek has been an NHS manager for sixteen years working in Merseyside and Manchester. He is currently Assistant Director Corporate Governance and Risk with Manchester Primary Care Trust. He is an experienced project manager and is a PRINCE2 practitioner. An active member of the Institute of Healthcare Management (IHM), the professional body for healthcare managers in the public, voluntary and private sectors, he served on the Institute's National Council for four years until 2006. He was awarded Companionship of the IHM in recognition of his outstanding contribution.
Derek has also since 2001 been a Trustee, and more latterly also Company Secretary, of 42nd Street, a community based charity for young people facing mental health difficulties who work in Manchester, Trafford and Salford.
Derek said "I was surprised to be approached and had to carefully consider both the time commitment given that I have a full-time job, and also the responsibilities of the position. Fortunately flexible working is second nature to the NHS, as the overwhelming majority of our staff are women, and by a judicious mix of leave and flexibly managing my time, I can just about manage it."
I believe I can bring some relevant knowledge and experience to the role. My day job has focused on corporate governance and risk management. IHM is a similar size to the Unitarian movement having some 6000 members across the UK. As a Council member I dealt with many of the same strategic, organisational and financial issues that the Executive Committee face, including stemming declining membership and activity and sustaining finances. At IHM I supported similar governance changes to those introduced by the General Assembly; namely a smaller and more accountable governance body.
42nd Street has a budget of £1million and 30 staff and as a medium sized voluntary organization has been coping with the strains caused by changes in Government policy with moves to competition and contracting as well as increasing demands from donors and funders."
He was educated at the Queens' University of Belfast and has a Masters degree in Welfare Organisation and Management from the University of Liverpool. He lives with his partner Martin in Hulme in inner city Manchester and enjoys reading, "national trusting" as they travel across the country and regular foreign trips.
