Health board has university plans
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The board of NHS Highland has agreed a groundbreaking move to form a university board, the first in Scotland.
Following initial agreement last year, a further paper was presented to the board on Tuesday, outlining support for the proposal and the benefits of being recognised as a university board.
Professor Hugo Van Woerden, director of public health for NHS Highland, said: "We have taken a significant step in becoming a university board.
"Formalisation of these links will ensure greater recognition of our longstanding commitment to research, education and training and as an organisation we are committed to ensuring that joint work by staff is appropriately recognised.
"The board has agreed to the working title of ‘NHS Highland University Board’ which we feel will enhance the reputation of NHS Highland and support our expertise in the delivery of integrated health and adult social care."
NHS Highland has a long history of working with the academic sector and the health board already works in close collaboration with universities across Scotland.
These academic links operate across all professional groupings and arrangements are in place with a number of providers of training in personal and social care.
Nurse training in Inverness and Stornoway was taken over by the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) in September last year and, also last year, NHS Highland head of procurement Neil Stewart was appointed chairman of Inverness College UHI.
The health authority and UHI in particular have been working together over a long period to drive forward projects to create "homegrown" staff and encourage more people to live and work in the north.
Granting NHS Highland university status, both groups argue, would reflect the work already taking place as well as creating stronger links for future projects.
The remit of the university partnership will be to drive forward and monitor developments across education and training; quality improvement; research and innovation and remote and rural practice and service delivery.
NHS Highland will now approach to the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) to ask for a nominee who would attend NHS Highland’s board meetings as an academic representative.
Professor Clive Mulholland, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), said: "We are delighted that NHS Highland’s proposals have been approved and that the university is recognised as a key partner.
"As our School of Health, Social Care and Life Sciences continues to grow and develop, we welcome the opportunity to build on work together."
