Public appointment: Member reappointed to Western Isles NHS Board

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Neil Gray MSP today announced the reappointment of Annetta Smith as a Member of the Western Isles NHS Board.

Member

Professor (Emerita) Annetta Smith is the former Head of Department of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of the Highlands and Islands and has held various nurse academic positions in the University sector in Scotland.  She was a registered nurse and nurse educator with experience of education and health research collaborations within the UK and internationally. Her health research spanned remote and rural healthcare, research with older people with sight and hearing impairment that includes evaluative research around service access and experiences of using community pharmacy services and management of the pharmaceutical journey. She has a particular interest in the experience of service users access to and use of healthcare services in remote, rural and island settings.  

Reappointment

This reappointment will be for 4 years and will run from 1 February 2026 to 31 January 2030.

This reappointment is regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

This reappointment is part-time and attracts a remuneration of £14,352 per year for a time commitment of 1 day per week.

Other ministerial appointments

Annetta Smith 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.   

Annetta Smith has had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

NHS Western Isles is responsible for the protection and the improvement of its population’s health and for the delivery of frontline healthcare services to around 27,000 people living in the area, stretching from the Butt in the North part of the Isle of Lewis to Barra in the Southern part of the chain of islands. The Board’s role is to deliver high quality, person-centred care and to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of the Western Isles.  In doing so, NHS Western Isles provides a comprehensive range of range of acute, mental health, primary and community services