Public appointment: Interim Chair appointed to Healthcare Improvement Scotland

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Neil Gray MSP today announced the appointment of Evelyn McPhail as Interim Chair of Healthcare Improvement Scotland. Evelyn is taking on the role of Interim Chair, in her capacity as Vice-Chair of HIS.

Interim Chair

Evelyn McPhail has 38 years’ experience working in the NHS and health and social care sector until her retirement in 2019. She was the Director of Pharmacy and Medicines for NHS Fife and the Fife Integrated Joint Board of the Health and Social Care Partnership and was responsible for providing strategic leadership, leading on clinical governance and working with partner organisations in the development and delivery of pharmaceutical care services. She is a retired pharmacist with experience of transformational change, working in a complex environment with multiple stakeholders and managing in a large organisation. Evelyn was awarded the Scottish Pharmacy Lifetime Achievement Award in November 2019 for her work in Pharmacy and the public sector. Her non-executive roles include six years as a Council member of the General Pharmaceutical Council until April 2020. She was also appointed as a Governor of Fife College in February 2020 and to Deputy Chair of the Board in April 2024. She was appointed to the Healthcare Improvement Scotland Board in October 2020.

Appointment

This appointment will be for 1 year and will run from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.

This appointment is regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

This appointment attracts a remuneration of £300 per day for a time commitment of three days per week.

Other ministerial appointments

Evelyn McPhail is Deputy Chair of the Fife College Board, for which she receives no remuneration, for a time commitment of 2 days per month.

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.   

Evelyn McPhail has had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s aim is to ensure that the people of Scotland experience the best quality health and care services.  They work with people at every level of the health and social care system and make sure improvements in care are informed by the experiences of people who deliver and people who use services.

As a national improvement organisation, they can see all of the integration jigsaw and how the parts fit together. This perspective allows them to shape, tailor and provide support that responds to both individual provider’s and system needs.