Former NHS Tayside chief executive McLay leaves health board

Concerns over the possibility of a ‘golden handshake’

The former boss at NHS Tayside has left the health board three months after being stripped of the leadership.

Lesley McLay was effectively removed as chief executive of the organisation in April amid furore over the use of charity funds for general spending.

The former nurse went on sick leave the day before her accountable officer status was rescinded, meaning she remained an employee on a £125,000 CEO salary.

All NHS Tayside staff who have completed five years of service are entitled to six months of full pay while absent through sickness.

NHS Tayside confirmed over the weekend she left the board on July 31.

The board refused to say whether Ms McLay had received a pay-off.

Jenny Marra, the Labour MSP who convenes Holyrood’s public audit committee, said a “golden goodbye” for Ms McLay would be “wholly inappropriate” given she was in charge when Tayside fell into financial disarray.

“The committee could not have been clearer as we worked through the mess that has been created at NHS Tayside that there should be no golden goodbyes or golden handshakes for people leaving the health board who helped to put it in such a poor condition,” she said.

“Lesley McLay was at the helm of the organisation when it was getting into difficulty and we were of the view that any generous severance package would be wholly inappropriate.

“We need greater clarity from NHS Tayside and if it turns out there has been some form of golden handshake then we will pursue this matter through the committee.”

The health board, which has relied on government bail-out loans to break even, was exposed in April for dipping into its endowment fund and transferring £2.7 million to cover core expenditure.

Soon after, the then health secretary Shona Robison removed chairman John Connell and Ms McLay.

In April, the auditor general Caroline Gardner told MSPs it would be “difficult to justify” a golden goodbye for Ms McLay.

Next month public spending watchdog Audit Scotland is expected to deliver a report on NHS Tayside.

If it turns out there has been some form of golden handshake then we will pursue this matter through the committee. JENNY MARRA MSP

Picture: Steve MacDougall. Lesley McLay has left after three months of sick leave on her CEO salary.