Support for Royal Hospital for Children and Young People

A Senior Programme Director, who will report directly to the Scottish Government, has been appointed to work with NHS Lothian on the delivery of the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP).

Mary Morgan, who is currently Director of Strategy, Performance and Service Transformation at NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) will take up post on Monday 16 September.

The appointment has been made by Health Secretary Jeane Freeman following the publication of KPMG’s independent review of governance arrangements and NSS’s assessment of compliance of all building systems at the new hospital. Following these reports, NHS Lothian has been escalated to level 4 in the NHS Board Performance Framework for this specific issue.

The new Senior Programme Director will oversee actions to ensure the safe delivery of RHCYP and the Department of Clinical Neurosciences.

Ms Freeman said:

“I am pleased to have swiftly appointed Mary Morgan to the role of Senior Programme Director. Mary comes with a wealth of experience within NHS Scotland, leading on major change programmes, and will bring extensive expertise and knowledge to this role.

“Mary will work closely with both the Scottish Government and senior management at NHS Lothian and will oversee the safe delivery of the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences.

“Our overriding priority is that the children and families who depend on these hospital services can receive them in the safest way possible. The current situation is not one anyone would choose – but it is one I am determined to resolve.”

Ms Morgan said:

“I recognise the importance and the challenge of the task ahead, whilst acknowledging the large amount of work that has been already undertaken. I am looking forward to working with colleagues in NHS Lothian in order to ensure that the new site for the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and the Department of Clinical Neurosciences is fully compliant and safe, ensuring the successful completion and move of services to the new premises.”

Background

The Health Secretary updated Parliament on the KPMG and NSS reports on 11 September.

Mary Morgan joined the National Health Service in Scotland in 1982 and subsequently pursued her career in nursing and NHS management. Ms Morgan joined NHS National Services Scotland as the Director of Health Protection Scotland in 2008 and prior to her current role she was the Director for the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) and led the successful completion of the award winning new SNBTS facility (Jack Copland Centre) which was also Non-Profit Distributing funded.