Public appointment: Chair appointed to Borders NHS Board

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care, Angela Constance MSP, today announced the appointment of Fiona Sandford as Chair of the Borders NHS Board.

Chair

Fiona Sandford has been a Non-Executive Director for NHS borders for eight years, and Vice Chair and Chair of Clinical Governance for the past six. Since January 2026, she has been Interim Chair of NHSB. From 2015-2019 she was Chair of Court of the University of Stirling. Her career was spent in higher education, latterly as Associate Dean at Imperial College Business School. She also was previously chair of a health charity, the Primary Immunodeficiency Association, and trustee and founder member of the Jeans for Genes Campaign. For eleven years she was a lay member/patient advocate on a UK government health ethics committee, the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee.

Appointment

This appointment will be for 4 years and will run from 01 April 2026 to 31 March 2030.

This appointment is regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

This appointment is part-time and attracts a remuneration of £ £56,472 per year for a time commitment of 3 days per week.

Other ministerial appointments

Fiona Sandford does not hold any other public appointments.

Political activity

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.  However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.   

Fiona Sandford has had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

NHS Borders is responsible for meeting the health needs and improving the health and wellbeing of around 118,900 people living in the Borders, spread over 4,723 square kilometres of town, village and rural communities.  NHS Borders provides a range of health and social care services which includes acute, mental health, primary and community services.