New faces join the health board

Four new NHS Shetland board members have been announced, just a week after the panel suffered a high-profile resignation.

Lisa Ward, Natasha Cornick and Shona Manson will join the board for four years from 10th July, filling spaces left empty by Andy Glen, Catriona Waddington and most recently Tom Morton.

The fourth appointment, Jane Haswell, will join the board for four years from 1st January. All four will earn £7,479 per annum, for one day work per week.

The appointments come shortly after Mr Morton resigned from the board, complaining of its impotence in the face of “the brutal requirements of Edinburgh politicians”.

In his letter of resignation, Mr Morton wrote: “We are presented with fait accompli after fait accompli. We may delay or nitpick, but we change nothing.”

In their announcement, NHS Shetland note that “Mrs Cornick is married with two small children, one of whom has a serious congenital heart defect.”

“She therefore has direct experience of a number of NHS facilities,” the announcement adds.

Of Shona Manson they write: “Shona Manson was a founding member of local mental health charity Mind Your Head and chairperson for almost 11 years as it grew and developed in Shetland.

“For the past 10 years she has been project manager for Family Mediation Shetland, following its re-launch in 2007, and has grown and developed the service to support families in Shetland experiencing conflict following separation and divorce and other challenging life transitions.”

The statement adds: “Her experience on various committees and how to process and utilise information effectively will be crucial for this role.”

Lisa Ward “is a local business owner” with “over a decade of experience working in communications, from journalism through to PR and marketing,” the statement says of the youngest appointment.

Of the final appointment the statement reads: “Jane Haswell worked in Lothian & North Clwyd Health Boards before moving to take up a post as Community Podiatrist with Shetland Health Board in 1989.

“She has experience across health, social care and education within Shetland with special interests in long term conditions and learning difficulties.

“This breadth of experience will bring a professional and Carers perspective to the role within the Board. She has experience of accessing rural Shetland primary care as well as secondary care within Shetland and Grampian Health Board.”

• News of the appointments came too late for this tomorrow’s paper though there will a Sounding Off on the challenges facing NHS Shetland by departed member Tom Morton.