Public appointment: Chair appointment extended on Tayside NHS Board

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Neil Gray MSP, today announced the extension to the appointment of Lorna Birse-Stewart as Chair of Tayside NHS Board.

Chair

Lorna Birse-Stewart has brought a wealth of experience to Tayside NHS Board since her appointment as Interim Chair in 2019 and substantive Chair in October 2020. She has over 35 years senior leadership experience working across health and social care organisations through which she has proven leadership skills with a strong emphasis on people, values and personal interactions as an essential component of achieving change and the delivery of excellence. Lorna has a strong governance, strategic and financial oversight track record, having chaired the Remuneration Committee, Care Governance Committee and a number of other Committees of the Board. She is currently Chair of NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation and has led the strategic review for the Charity, bringing to this her significant experience of working within the charitable sector with a special interest in paediatrics and research. Lorna was appointed to Tayside NHS Board as a Non-Executive Member in April 2018, having previously been a Director of the Royal West Sussex NHS Trust for seven years where she held non-executive responsibility for Acute Services and as a member of NHS England independent review panels. Brought up and resident in Perthshire, Lorna has an understanding of health and social care provision and services in rural communities, including medicine for the elderly and health inequalities.

Extension

This extension will be for up to six months and will run from 5 October 2024 to 31 March 2025.

This extension is regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

This extension is part-time and attracts a remuneration of £35,790 for a time commitment of three days per week.

Other ministerial appointments

Lorna Birse-Stewart does not hold any other public appointments.

Political activity

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 within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public. 

Lorna Birse-Stewart has had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

NHS Tayside is responsible for meeting the health needs and improving the health and wellbeing of over 400,000 people living in Tayside, and provides a comprehensive range of primary, community-based, and acute hospital services for the populations of Angus, Dundee City and Perth & Kinross.