Public appointment: Members reappointed to Lanarkshire NHS Board

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care, Angela Constance MSP, today announced the reappointment of Phillip Couser, Colin Lee and Siobhan White as Members of the Lanarkshire NHS Board. 

 

Members 

Phillip Couser MBE was the Director for Public Health and Intelligence in NHS National Services Scotland from 2013 until 2020, leading both Information Services Division and Health Protection Scotland. He was appointed as the Director of Data Driven Innovation in Public Health Scotland (PHS) on its formation in 2020; before retiring from this post in July 2021. From both these roles he brings a strong interest in public health and a passion for data driven and digitally enabled transformation.  

Phillip’s NHS career started in 2008, gaining experience working in the Northeast of  England and London. Prior to this, Phillip had an Army career, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. Highlights included command of the Scottish Transport Regiment and the award of an MBE for leadership in national logistic planning for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. 

 

Colin Lee has been the Chief Executive of CEMVO Scotland since 2003 which is one of the leading national race equality organisations in Scotland and strategic partner of the Scottish Government. He brings to NHS Lanarkshire a wealth of experience and expertise in race and intersectional equalities. More broadly, Colin has worked within the Third Sector for over 35 years in areas that include mental health, welfare and debt advice, social housing performance standards and employment. This has provided him with wide knowledge and experience in various fields and in project and organisational management.    

Colin was previously the Chair of the Scottish Court & Tribunal Service Equalities Advisory Group, was appointed the sole adviser to the Scottish Parliament Equalities, Human Rights & Justice Committee to advise on the scrutiny the Scottish Government 2012-13 draft budget from a race / equalities perspective and currently serves as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park.   

 

Siobhan White is Associate Dean: Learning & Teaching at the University of the West of Scotland where she provides leadership for the School of Business & Creative Industries in creating and sustaining a high-quality, supportive, and inclusive learning environment.   

She was previously Assistant Head: Learning, Teaching & Quality, and a Senior Lecturer in Accounting at Glasgow Caledonian University. She specialises in the subject areas of public sector accounting, internal/external auditing, and public sector financial management, having previous work experience as a government auditor.  Siobhan is also a qualified Chartered Public Finance Accountant, a previous Non-Executive Board Member for the Scottish Housing Regulator and Chair of their Audit & Risk Assurance Committee, and the previous Chair of the Audit & Governance Panel at South Ayrshire Council. She also currently sits an Advisory Audit Board Member to the SPCB and associated Commissioners. 

 

Reappointment 

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

These reappointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner. 

 

Remuneration 

This reappointment is part-time and attracts a remuneration of £312 per day for a time commitment of 1 day per week. 

 

Other Ministerial appointments 

Phillip Couser is a Member of Food Standards Scotland and receives £11,941 per year for a time commitment of 52 days per year.  

  

Colin Lee is a Member of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority Board and receives £229 per day for a time commitment of 4 days per month. 

 

Siobhan White is a Member of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body: Advisory Audit Board and receives £377.11 per day for a time commitment of 4 days per year. Ms White is also a Member of the Scottish Human Rights Commission: Audit and Risk Committee and receives £377.11 per day for a time commitment of 4 days per year. She is also a Member of the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland: Advisory Audit Board and receives £377.11 per day for a time commitment of 2 days per year. Finally Ms White is a Member of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman: Advisory Audit Board and receives £377.11 per day for a time commitment of 2 days per year. 

 

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.    

Phillip Couser, Colin Lee and Siobhan White have had no political activity within the last five years.  

 

Background 

The Health Board’s role is to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Lanarkshire and to deliver high quality, person-centred care. In doing so, NHS Lanarkshire provides a comprehensive range of primary, community-based and acute and psychiatric hospital services for the population. NHS Lanarkshire is developing a business case to replace University Hospital Monklands, which will by capital value, be the largest capital project ever delivered by NHS Scotland. NHS Lanarkshire has two Health & Social Care Partnerships – covering North and South Lanarkshire. It also works in close strategic partnership with the University of Strathclyde, the University of the West of Scotland and Caledonian University.