HTA welcomes new Chair Baroness Diana Warwick

Baroness Diana Warwick has been appointed Chair of the Human Tissue Authority.

Issue date: 14 December 2009

It was announced today (14 December) that Baroness Diana Warwick has been appointed Chair of the Human Tissue Authority with effect from 1 January 2010.

Baroness Warwick recently retired from her role as CEO of Universities UK, where she was responsible for representing the interests of 130 universities throughout the UK. Before this, Baroness Warwick’s roles included CEO of the Association of University Teachers and Chair of Voluntary Services Overseas. She is a Member of the House of Lords and has been a Labour life peer since 1999.

Adrian McNeil, Chief Executive of the HTA said: “I am delighted with the appointment of Baroness Warwick as HTA Chair. We will value her experience of championing innovation and bringing together multiple stakeholders to achieve success. She also brings extensive understanding of many of our regulated groups and has a wealth of parliamentary and political experience.” 

Baroness Diana Warwick said: “I am tremendously excited to have been appointed to this role. The HTA has been progressive in safeguarding the storage and use of human tissue – work that is vitally important to reassure the public that their wishes are respected and that tissue is used appropriately.  I supported the introduction of the Human Tissue Act and the HTA has done well to set standards that are clear and reasonable in response to it.

“The HTA is now established as a modern, proportionate regulator. There are many challenges for the future, including the financial climate, future scientific advances that may test regulatory boundaries and new European legislation on organ transplantation. I look forward to leading the HTA and ensuring it continues to thrive and adapt to future change.”

ENDS

For more information, please contact Claire Bithell, Senior Media Advisor at the HTA on 020 7211 3439 or claire.bithell@hta.gov.uk. Photographs of Baroness Warwick are available on request.

 Notes to editors 

• Baroness Warwick’s appointment will be from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012. She will receive £42,000 remuneration per annum.
• The appointment has been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments 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. Baroness Warwick has undertaken political activity which is considered relevant, for the labour party. She is a Member of the House of Lords and has been a Labour life peer since 1999.
• Baroness Warwick’s biography describes twenty years in successful leadership at a senior executive level. She recently retired from her role as CEO of Universities UK, where she was responsible for representing the interests of 130 universities to government, the media, the public, and internationally, and was accountable for an annual budget of £6 million. In this role she restructured and rebranded the organisation with the desire to make Universities UK the collective voice of all UK universities. Prior to taking up this challenging role in 1995, Baroness Warwick’s career was in the public sector and education, spending almost a decade as the CEO of the Association of University Teachers (AUT). She served several years as Chair of VSO covering the period of successful restructuring. Baroness Warwick makes regular media appearances and is widely quoted for her views. She is a Member of the House of Lords and has been a Labour life peer since 1999.
• The HTA’s current Chair, Shirley Harrison, will step down from her role on 31 December 2009. Shirley has been Chair of the HTA since 1 January 2007.
• The HTA is currently looking for up to four members to join the Authority. For more information please visit the Appointments Commission website www.appointments.org.uk or call 0870 240 3802 for an information pack, quoting DH9109C. The closing date for applications is 12 noon on 19th January 2010.
• The HTA is a watchdog that protects public confidence by licensing organisations that store and use human tissue for purposes such as research, patient treatment, post-mortem examination, teaching, and public exhibitions. We also give approval for organ and bone marrow donations from living people.
• The HTA works under two laws: the Human Tissue Act 2004 (HT Act) and the Human Tissue (Quality and Safety for Human Application) Regulations 2007 (Q&S Regulations). The HT Act applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.