Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
New health chief quits
Professor Beech steps down to take up role at university
NHS Tayside’s new chairma n has qu it for a £260,000 role down south – less than four weeks after being appointed.
Professor Nic Beech is to become vice-chancellor at Middlesex University from February but has already quit his NHS role.
He was appointed chairman on October 31, having sat on the board since last year.
Concerns had been reported in the Tele last week over Prof Beech’s ability to commit three days a week to the NHS alongside his fulltime role as vice-principal at Dundee University.
In a statement, he said: “It is with regret that I have to withdraw as chairman of Tayside but I have been offered a role which represents a career ambition. This does not in any way diminish my belief in the ambitious change programme in NHS Tayside and its leadership.”
He will be replaced in the NHS by vice-chairwoman Lorna BirseStewart. Chair appointments to health boards are made by Scottish Health Minister Jeane Freeman. The Scottish Government said she had not been aware of Professor Beech’s interest in a new job.
Labour shadow health secretary Monica Lennon has criticised the “disastrous” decision.
Ms Lennon said: “NHS Tayside staff had already raised fears that Professor Beech’s full-time duties at Dundee University would distract him from leading the troubled health board.
“They have been proven right. NHS Tayside needs stability and strong leadership. Patients and staff have every right to be angry.”
North East Scottish Conservative MSP Bill Bowman said: “The health board needs to ensure people selected for senior positions like this are able to confirm they will commit to being available to fulfil the role.
“NHS Tayside needs a board chairman who is committed to creating a legacy – not resigning after less than a month in the role.”
NHS Tayside’s chief executive Grant Archibald declined to comment on the decision to appoint Prof Beech.
He said: “I don’t have any involvement in it, so I won’t be offering any opinion on it.
“What I will say is that Nic Beech was an excellent appointment and he would have made a great contribution to the board, having served as a non-executive member for some time. We are in very safe hands with Lorna Birse-Stewart.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said the appointment had been made in “good faith” with “firm assurances” from Prof Beech of his commitment.
She added: “Quite clearly the health secretary cannot reasonably have been expected to know that Professor Beech would take up a new job in England so soon after being appointed.
“The health secretary takes her obligations to the patients of NHS Tayside extremely seriously.”