Dickson to leave role as NHS chief

Michael Dickson is to leave his role as chief executive of NHS Shetland.

The health board announced on Friday he will be taking up a new role as chief executive for the Scottish Ambulance Service in due course.

Mr Dickson joined NHS Shetland in January 2020, and led the board through the Covid pandemic.

He was also chief executive for NHS Orkney during his tenure.

In January of this year he was awarded an OBE for his services to healthcare during the pandemic in the New Year’s Honours List.

Mr Dickson said the whole of Shetland had “pulled together with an enormous community effort” during the outbreak of Covid.

“I have seen enormous acts of kindness, from Harriet Middleton and her Maakers raising money for the Shetland MRI Scanner to colourful scrubs being sewn when we were first short of PPE, and even meeting Santa,” he said.

“There have been challenges and we all made sacrifices, missing celebrations, gatherings and loved ones because we knew, although it was hard, it was the right thing to do, and we were all truly in it together.

“To visit Shetland is lovely, to work in Shetland a privilege, and to live in Shetland is truly special.

“There are few places that I can think of where the sense of community is as strong and people’s kindness boundless, it is a special place and one I will miss with all of my heart.”

His leaving date is still to be confirmed.