Newly Scottish Ambulance Service Chair appointed
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport Shona Robison has appointed a new Chair to lead the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Tom Steele, who takes up his new role today, joins the Service after serving as a Non-Executive Director of NHS Lanarkshire and a member of the South Lanarkshire Integrated Joint Board since 2014. His work in helping to lead health boards comes after a senior management career in the IT industry.
He said: “Being appointed the new Chair of the Scottish Ambulance Service is a huge honour and I am extremely excited to be leading the Board of such an important national organisation.
“I join at a time where innovation and positive change is already underway within the Scottish Ambulance Service and I am really looking forward to working with our staff to further improve the care we are delivering for people across Scotland.
“In my view, we can play a bigger and even more vital role within the NHS in Scotland and I will be championing the fantastic work which is being undertaken by our staff with all of our partners, whilst looking for new opportunities for the Service to make a positive difference to people’s lives and improve the experience for our patients.
“It is a privilege being appointed the new Chair and I am really looking forward to working alongside our staff and partners in making the Scottish Ambulance Service the very best it can be.”
Chief Executive Pauline Howie said she was delighted Tom Steele had agreed to lead the organisation.
She added: “Leading the Scottish Ambulance Service requires dedication and a steady hand – qualities I am sure Tom will bring, especially as we move forward to meet the health and social care challenges facing services across the UK. On behalf of all our staff I would like to welcome Tom and wish him well for the future.”
Tom Steele replaces the previous Chair David Garbutt. David, who served as Chair of the Scottish Ambulance Service for nine years, has been appointed Chair of NHS Education in Scotland.