This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New appointment to SACDA
06/12/2002
Professor Colin Suckling is to be appointed as Chair of the Scottish Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards (SACDA). His appointment will be from 1 January 2003 to 31 October 2005.
Making the announcement, Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm said:
"I am delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Suckling to this post.
"He has demonstrated considerable awareness of the key issues surrounding the strengths and development requirements of the current system of awards, which will undergo a fundamental review during the next year. I am confident that he is an excellent choice for this important position and look forward to working with him over the years to come."
SACDA acts on behalf of Scottish Ministers, in particular the Minister for Health and Community Care, and takes final decisions on which NHS consultants working in NHSScotland should receive distinction awards. Nominations are considered at a national review meeting and at regional awards meetings where shortlists are identified for consideration by SACDA. The Scottish Executive agreed with consultants' representatives in Scotland to undertake a fundamental review of the scheme during the next year.
Professor Suckling, who is a Professor of Chemistry and until recently Vice Principal of Strathclyde University, has been a committed public servant whose academic career has spanned more than 30 years - valuable experience for taking forward the work of SACDA which rewards consultants for their outstanding contribution to the NHS.
Professor Suckling has not been involved in any political activity within the last five years, and does not hold any other Ministerial appointments. It is expected that as Chair of the Committee, Professor Suckling will contribute around 100 days per year, for which he will receive an annual remuneration of £11,000.
The NHS Consultants' Distinction Award Scheme was introduced at the inception of the NHS. It aims to reward individual consultants for outstanding professional work - often of national and international importance - which involves consultants devoting a substantial amount of their time to activities of wider benefit to patient care in the NHS as a whole.
This Ministerial public appointment was made in accordance with guidance issued by the Office of the Commissioner of Public Appointments (OCPA). A statement of validation from the Independent Assessor appointed by OCPA has been obtained. This confirms full compliance with the OCPA Code of Practice at each stage of the appointments process.