NHS Grampian interim chief executive Adam Coldwells’ retirement leaves major question marks over what comes next for the under-pressure health board.
The board has not had a permanent boss since former chief Caroline Hiscox was seconded to Tayside in November 2023.
Speaking to The Press and Journal, SNP health chief Neil Gray says he aims to support Grampian through changes – and rejected Labour’s controversial proposal to merge it with Highland and islands boards in a radical shake-up.
What happens next for NHS Grampian?
Mr Gray was quizzed about NHS Grampian’s hunt for a new chief executive during a visit to a Glasgow café where he spoke to cancer survivors.
“Obviously the work is under way for us to recruit a permanent chief executive, and I’ll allow that recruitment process to take its course,” he said.
Ms Hiscox took up a post to lead the Lothian health board last March, meaning she would not be returning to the north-east.
It’s understood the long-term chief executive role was not initially advertised by Grampian because multiple health boards were recruiting at the time.
This could have diluted the pool of available candidates.
Mr Coldwells was expected to remain in the top job long-term and it’s understood his retirement came as a surprise.
The NHS Grampian post is now being advertised online with a salary between £111,000 and £151,000 each year.
Could NHS Grampian be axed and reformed?
The health board has already endured upheaval.
Scottish Labour suggests shaking things up even more by getting rid of NHS Grampian entirely in a huge merger.
Anas Sarwar’s party wants to create one combined health board across the north which would also include NHS Highland, the islands, and potentially even Tayside.
Labour claims this bold proposal would mean “fewer managers, more nurses”.
Mr Gray claimed the policy idea is a “red herring” which offers little improvement.
“A plan for major structural reform within the health service would be time-consuming, costly, and very painful,” he said.
“I think it would take years to see any benefit from it.”
What will the new boss have to grapple with?
Mr Coldwells’ replacement will have a tough task.
Staff have had to deal with long ambulance queues outside A&E. A “critical incident” was declared at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary last year.
Last month the P&J revealed autism and ADHD tests for adults in Aberdeenshire could be scrapped entirely, adding to patient upset.
Mr Gray said he takes those concerns seriously, but did not commit more SNP cash to ensure the tests could continue.
“We’ll continue to work with local areas where they’ve got a concern around funding,” he told the P&J.
“Wherever there is a request based upon evidence or a plan, we will consider that.”
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