MSP slams 'deeply unhelpful' turn of events as NHS Highland seeks third chief executive in two years
TROUBLED NHS Highland is hunting for its third chief executive in less than two years.
And an unimpressed Highland MSP is amongst those furious about the latest turn of events.
It has emerged current boss Paul Hawkins is due to retire at the end of the year.
He arrived in January when Iain Stewart left to take up an ill-fated role with NHS Orkney. Mr Stewart had replaced Elaine Mead whose eight-year tenure ended in controversy while the health board faced claims of bullying and harassment.
NHS Highland has been advertising the post, which has a salary of £103,998-£140,579, in national press.
Highland Tory MSP Edward Mountain said: “I am shocked and saddened that this is the third chief executive to depart NHS Highland in as many years when we need stability and long-term leadership to allow us to remobilise, recover and redesign NHS Highland post the Covid-19 pandemic.This is deeply unhelpful and I look forward to an early meeting with the chair of NHS Highland to discuss the future of the health board.”
According to the job advert, the chief executive will be responsible for the health of more than 320,000 people across the Highlands and Argyll and Bute with an overall budget approaching £1 billion for 2020/21.
Mr Hawkins’ successor faces the fallout of the bullying crisis, plus workforce and financial issues.
Known for his forthright style of management, he leaves after steering the organisation through the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also oversaw an improved financial performance, the launch of key programmes designed to deal with bullying and made progress on the renewal of a major agreement on care provision with Highland Council, despite significant disputes with the local authority over funding.
NHS Highland chairman Professor Boyd Robertson stressed Mr Hawkins had taken up the role on an interim basis when he moved north after five years at NHS Fife.
“Paul has provided excellent leadership to NHS Highland during his period of secondment with us which coincided with the Covid-19 emergency and all that it entailed,” he said. “He has set in train a development programme and we are now looking for a chief executive to take forward that transformation agenda.”
