News / Former NHS boss to join SIC improvement team
FORMER NHS Shetland chief executive Sandra Laurenson is the latest former public service manager to join Shetland Islands Council to help the local authority to save money and improve its performance.
Ms Laurenson, who took early retirement from her NHS Shetland post at Christmas, will work for the SIC for three days a week over the next six months, mainly on identifying efficiency savings and better ways of working.
The former NHS chief executive will join a team of consultants assisting new chief executive Alistair Buchan to implement the council’s improvement plan which was drawn up following the damning report from local government watchdog, the Accounts Commission.
The other four are: Keith Yates, former chief executive of Stirling Council; Brian Lawrie, former executive director of finance with Fife Council; Nigel Stewart, former director of corporate services with Argyll and Bute Council; as well as BBC broadcaster Tom Morton, who advises the SIC on its communication strategy. The council is also assisted by St Andrew’s University.
Justifying the number of consultants appointed, Mr Buchan said on Wednesday morning: “With the amount of improvement we had to make, we needed some special resources to support that.”
He added: “Sandra has a huge amount of local experience and I’m delighted to have her on board.
“She comes with a well established track record of achieving cost savings in NHS Shetland and has particular skills that will help us drive forward some specific aspects of the improvement work.
“Her principal focus will be to help the organisation continue its drive to do things more efficiently and save money, which is a high priority for the council and vital for Shetland’s future.”
Ms Laurenson said: “I’m relishing the challenge of working as part of the team that’s trying to improve the way the council does its business.
“Although I have spent my career working in the NHS, I believe a lot of things are transferrable into a council context.
“Over many years I was proud of the way the local NHS found efficiency savings by working directly alongside staff whilst maintaining services for the public. I’d aim to take the same approach here.”
She added: “When looking for ways to do things more efficiently and at less cost, I think it’s vital that staff are asked for their ideas and kept involved.
“So one of the first things I would like to explore is engaging staff in the possibility of introducing a scheme where they are able to develop suggestions for savings and are then supported to deliver them.”
Become a member of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider paying for membership to get additional features and services: -
- Remove non-local ads;
- Bookmark posts to read later;
- Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
- Hide membership messages;
- Comments open for discussion.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.
Already a member? Sign in to hide this message.
