Leadership Change at NHS Grampian and NHS Tayside

NHS Grampian chief executive, Prof. Caroline Hiscox, has been appointed to the interim chief executive post at NHS Tayside.  

Prof. Hiscox has over 30 years’ experience in corporate and public sector clinical and managerial roles and will succeed Tayside chief executive Prof. Grant Archibald when he retires in December, after a 40-year career with the NHS. 

Chief executive of NHS Scotland, Caroline Lamb said: “I would like to thank Grant for his service and Caroline for accepting this interim position. Her extensive experience will help to ensure that quality of care continues to be prioritised for patients in Tayside and across the North of Scotland.” 

No stranger to NHS Tayside, Prof. Hiscox worked for the Health Board for three years as associate nurse director before joining NHS Grampian.  She said: “I am delighted to be asked to lead NHS Tayside and feel sure that, by working with colleagues across its health and social care system, we will be able to explore new ways of improving both staff and patient experience.” 

NHS Tayside chair Lorna Birse-Stewart said: “Caroline is a well-respected member of the NHS leadership in the Northeast and has earned a reputation for delivering patient-focussed improvements. I look forward to working with her as we strive for the high standards of healthcare which the people of Tayside expect and deserve. I would also like to thank Stuart Lyall for his contribution as acting chief executive.” 

NHS Grampian Chair Alison Evison added: “Caroline’s inclusive management style and patient-centred approach has served NHS Grampian well and contributed hugely to our organisation’s positive culture. Caroline has worked to develop a whole system approach to better serve our residents across Grampian and her appointment to NHS Tayside will give opportunities to consider regional partnerships. I wish Caroline every success in her new role.” 

Prof. Hiscox was appointed chief executive of NHS Grampian in October 2020 after five years with the Health Board, three as nurse director. In addition to leading the organisation through the pandemic, she has set it on course towards achieving the internationally renowned Magnet accreditation and introduced a new collaborative approach to management. She will formally take up the post of chief executive for NHS Tayside from 11 December 2023. 

Current deputy chief executive and director of strategy at NHS Grampian, Adam Coldwells, has been appointed by NHS Grampian chair, Alison Evison to lead NHS Grampian as its interim chief executive. In addition to three years as Prof. Hiscox’s deputy, Adam has spent 27 years working across Grampian in hospital, community and system-wide roles, including spear-heading the formation of the Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership as its chief officer and the development of NHS Grampian’s Plan for the Future as its director of strategy. 

Professor Caroline Hiscox biography 

Professor Hiscox joined NHS Grampian in April 2015. She was appointed as chief executive of NHS Grampian in October 2020 after serving as executive nurse director since April 2018 - a role in which she held executive responsibility for acute and tertiary services as well as professional leadership for over 7,000 nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. Prior to joining NHS Grampian, Caroline was associate nurse director at NHS Tayside between 2012-2015. She was awarded a PhD in 2019 following extensive research into the behavioural aspects of professional accountability in the nursing workforce and holds an honorary Chair at the University of Aberdeen, the University of Stirling and is a Visiting Chair at Robert Gordon University. Caroline was responsible for ground-breaking international recruitment work for NHS Grampian, which attracted 100 Australian based nurses to Northeast Scotland and led to an advisory role for NHS Scotland at the request of the Chief Nursing Officer. 

As the co-chair of silver command, Caroline successfully lead NHS Grampian’s response to the COVID pandemic, ensuring that a system-wide response was maintained right across health and social care alongside the three associated partnerships.