Public appointment: Chair appointment to Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board

The Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, Michael Matheson MSP today announced the appointment of Dr Lesley Thomson KC as Chair of Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board.

Chair

Dr Lesley Thomson KC is currently the Vice Chair at NHS Lanarkshire having been a non-executive board member there for the past 5 years. Prior to that she was the Solicitor General for Scotland and had a long career in law including Area Procurator fiscal for Glasgow. Lesley’s previous non-executive career includes sport at Scottish Rugby and education as a Lay Governor at Glasgow Caledonia University. Lesley has wide ranging experience of strategy development leadership and collaborative working with partners across the public and third sectors. She is committed to putting people at the heart of the NHS and contributing to improving lives in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

The Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, Michael Matheson MSP welcomed the appointment and said he looked forward to working with Dr Thomson in her new role.

Mr Matheson said: “I’m pleased to be able to appoint Dr Lesley Thomson as Chair of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and I am confident that she will bring a wealth of experience to this important role.

“With her wide knowledge of the public sector and government, her extensive collaborative leadership experience; as well as her experience as a non-executive member of NHS Lanarkshire, I know she will bring the vision, drive and resilience to lead the Health Board in the crucial recovery and reform following the impact of the COVID pandemic on our NHS services.

“I look forward to working with Dr Thomson in addressing the challenges and opportunities which lie ahead.”

Appointment

This appointment will be for four years, from 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2027.

This appointment is regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

The appointment is part-time and attracts daily rate of £287.39 for a time commitment of four days per week.

Other ministerial appointments

Dr Thomson is currently a non-executive member and Vice Chair on the NHS Lanarkshire Board, for which she receives an annual remuneration of £9,030 for a time commitment of one day per week in relation to her non-executive member commitments. She committed an additional 5 hours per week for her Committee Chair and Vice Chair duties, remunerated at a pro-rata daily fee rate of £173.66. Dr Thomson will stand down from this role on taking up the Board Chair position with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Dr Thomson is also a member of the Scotland committee of Equality and Human Rights Commission; receiving a daily fee of £250 for a time commitment of 12 days per annum.

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.   

Dr Thomson has had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is the largest health system in Scotland and one of the largest in the UK, responsible for meeting the health needs of around 1.14m people living in the area. The Health Board’s role is to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Greater Glasgow and Clyde and to deliver high quality, person centred care. In doing so, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde provides a comprehensive range of primary, community-based and acute and psychiatric hospital services for the population.