The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Former hospital porter new boss of NHS Tayside
Dundee man becomes board’s third chief executive in less than a year
A former Ninewells Hospital porter has been named as troubled NHS Tayside’s third chief executive in less than a year.
Grant Archibald, who is currently, chief operating officer of Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s acute services, will take over from Malcolm Wright.
Mr Wright arrived at NHS Tayside after Lesley McLay stepped down in April following revelations money donated to NHS Tayside for charitable purposes had been used to buy IT equipment.
He was scheduled to retire at the end of the year but will now instead take up a temporary appointment as chief executive of NHS Scotland until a permanent replacement for Paul Gray, whose departure was announced yesterday, is found.
The changes were announced by Scottish Government health secretary Jean Freeman yesterday.
She said: “Paul will remain in post until February. I would like to offer him my sincere and personal thanks for his work over the last five years. I look forward to working with Malcolm Wright, who brings a wealth of senior management experience to the role.
“I am also pleased to announce the appointment of Grant Archibald as chief executive of NHS Tayside. He also has a strong background with more than 30 years of experience in the health service,.”
NHS Tayside has to find nearly £50 million of savings this year in order to meet budget targets.
Mr Archibald was born and raised in Dundee.
He began his working life as a porter at Ninewells Hospital while studying at Dundee University. He joined the NHS’ graduate training programme in 1984 and has held a series of senior management posts with three of the country’s largest health boards: NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Lothian and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
NHS Tayside chairman John Brown said: “NHS Tayside is a health board which has seen a lot of changes over the past eight months and now has a clear sense of purpose and direction, with improved financial management.”
Mr Archibald said: “I am delighted and proud to have been appointed to this important post and am looking forward to getting on with the job of continuing to build a really bright future for health and social care services in the region.
“I know the staff in Tayside do amazing things every day in communities and in our hospitals and it is now my job to make sure they can keep making a difference to patients, service users and their families.”