The new chairman of NHS Grampian will have a “mammoth task” ahead of him when he takes over the troubled health board at the start of the New Year.
Leading north-east professor, Stephen Logan, will take up the high-profile post next month following his retirement from his current role as senior vice-principal of Aberdeen University.
His appointment was announced yesterday following the resignation of former chairman, Bill Howatson, in October amid a troubled time for the north-east health board.
Yesterday, local politicians and the former first minister Alex Salmond congratulated him on the move, and said his medical background and public sector experience would serve him well in taking the NHS forward.
But he was also warned that challenging times would lie ahead.
Professor Logan, a former board member of NHS Grampian, held the role of chairman of Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust between 1998 and 2004.
Two decades ago, he became the first professor of neuroscience at Aberdeen University, and subsequently became dean of the Medical School.
He has served on the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council and Scottish Funding Council and is currently a board member of Aberdeen Sports Village and Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Futures (Acsef).
The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport, Shona Robison, officially announced his appointment yesterday and said she was “confident” his experience would serve the health board well as it resolves the issues it faces.
“Under this new leadership, the health board is now in a strong position to take forward the recommendations from the Healthcare Improvement Scotland report quickly and effectively,” she said.
Prof Stephen Logan declined to give interviews yesterday, but said in a statement he was “delighted” and “honoured” to be asked to fill the “critical” role.
“I view this opportunity as a great privilege to serve the people of the north-east, and to work with our outstanding teams of healthcare professionals and management to ensure that services across our region are of the quality that our communities deserve,” he said.
Scottish Liberal Democrat north-east MSP Alison McInnes said it would not be an easy job.
“Professor Stephen Logan faces a mammoth task in resolving the myriad issues faced at NHS Grampian,” she said.
“I will always fight for the north-east’s best interests and look forward to working with the new chair wherever I can in order to secure better health services.”