Public appointment: Interim Chair appointed to Tayside NHS Board

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Neil Gray MSP today announced the appointment of Carole Wilkinson as Interim Chair of Tayside NHS Board.

Interim Chair

Carole Wilkinson has over 30 years’ experience of working in the public sector in social work and social care, holding several senior posts including in Oldham and Liverpool. She moved to Scotland in late 1995 as Director of Social Work for Falkirk Council and in 2001 became the first Chief Executive of the Scottish Social Services Council, the regulatory body for social work and social care. During this time Carole was involved in several Scottish Government Working Groups covering workforce, education and training and regulation. Her governance experience includes sitting as a Non-Executive on the Board of NHS Education for Scotland, chairing the Board of the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration and more recently as Chair of Healthcare Improvement Scotland. Since August 2023 Carole has chaired the NHS Chairs Group.

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 £330 per day for a time commitment of four days per week.

Other ministerial appointments

Carole Wilkinson is Chair of Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) which attracts remuneration of £260 per day for a time commitment of three days per week. As part of this role, she also has an ex-officio role with the Care Inspectorate which is not remunerated.

She will however fully recuse herself from carrying out any duties as Chair of HIS for the duration of her Interim Chair appointment at NHS Tayside.

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.   

Carole Wilkinson has had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

NHS Tayside is responsible for meeting the health needs and improving the health and wellbeing of over 400,000 people living in Tayside, and provides a comprehensive range of primary, community-based, and acute hospital services for the populations of Angus, Dundee City and Perth & Kinross.