NHS Fife boss quits role after bullying allegations

Professor Scott McLean was cleared of misconduct

A senior NHS executive suspended on full pay has quit his post despite being cleared by a misconduct inquiry.

NHS Fife chief operating officer Professor Scott McLean, who earned between £74,000 and £100,000, was suspended in November amid bullying allegations made in a series of anonymous letters about management at the board.

A seven-month inquiry into the allegations found there was no case to answer but Prof McLean, who was in charge of acute services at NHS Fife, has now decided to leave his post.

It was the second time in a year he had been hit by allegations of misconduct, having previously faced false claims about promoting a member of staff.

The Sunday Post reports misconduct investigations into other managers, also based on anonymous letters to the health board, are continuing.

Willie Duffy, head of bargaining for health at the trade union Unison, which has been representing Prof McLean, confirmed the allegations were thrown out and Prof McLean has left the health board by mutual consent.

Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Alex Rowley said he is going to write to new health secretary Jeane Freeman to demand clarity on the situation.

He said: “This whole episode leaves big questions for both NHS Fife and the Scottish Government about what is going on with the management of the health board.

“The investigation has dragged on over months, drawn in lots of people and I keep being told, time and time again by people within the organisation, that morale is rock bottom at NHS Fife.

“NHS Fife has huge pressures, both financially and with recruitment, and we need a review of what is going, a review that goes right to the top of the organisation, because something is clearly not right.

“Ultimately with all this going on, this culture of allegations and investigations, it is the staff and then the frontline care who will suffer.”

NHS Fife said it had no comment to make on the situation.

Prof McLean said: “I have no comment to make at this stage.”

Professor Scott McLean was chief operating officer at NHS Fife, where he was in charge of acute services.