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National Programme Board for Prisoner’s Healthcare
10/03/2009
The Scottish Ministers have appointed John Ross, former Chair of NHS Dumfries & Galloway to the post of Chair of the National Programme Board for Prisoner's Healthcare. The new Board will oversee and steer the preparatory work, and the eventual operational transfer of the responsibility of the primary healthcare services from the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to Health Boards. Membership of the Board will comprise NHS and SPS senior staff, NHS and SPS staff organisations, Scottish Government officials and representatives of service users.
Mr Ross' role will be to provide leadership and direction to deliver the transfer. He will be supported by a small programme management team and officials from the Scottish Government and the Scottish Prison Service. The process for appointing the programme management team is underway and further updates will be published on this page in due course.
John Ross retired as Chair of NHS Dumfries & Galloway on July 31, 2008 having held the position for 7 years. He is a former Chair of the NHS Chairman's Group in Scotland, a position he held for 3 years. A farmer, John Ross is a past Chair of the Scotch Quality Beef and Lamb Association and a past President of the National Farmer's Union of Scotland. Currently he is also the Chair of the Moredun Foundation. He was appointed CBE in 1994.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr Ross said:
"I am delighted to be given the opportunity to take forward this important piece of work. Prisoner healthcare is an important issue, not just for prisoners themselves, but also for their families and their communities. The Board will have a difficult challenge. To deliver proposals for change which improve the quality of healthcare services to prisoners whilst at the same time providing significant levels of re-assurance to all those who have an interest in how these services are delivered. I am looking forward very much to my new role."