NHS Forth Valley has confirmed that Jane Grant has been appointed as its new Chief Executive.

Jane, who is currently the Chief Operating Officer of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Acute Service Division, will take up the post in early October 2013 when Professor Fiona Mackenzie, NHS Forth Valley’s current Chief Executive, stands down after 11 years in the role.

The appointment followed a rigorous selection process which saw a very strong field of candidates interviewed for the post.

Alex Linkston, Chairman of NHS Forth Valley, said:

“I am delighted that Jane has accepted the post of Chief Executive for NHS Forth Valley. She has an outstanding track record in health service delivery and I am confident she is the right person to take the organisation forward. Many significant changes and improvements have already been made to the way health services are delivered across Forth Valley over the last ten years however there is more to be done and I look forward to working with Jane to build on these achievements.”

Jane joined the NHS in 1983 as a Management Services Officer within Highland Health Board and early in her career worked in Stobhill Hospital as Deputy Administrator. In the early 1990s, she moved to Lanarkshire Health Board as Hospital Administrator within Hairmyres Hospital.  She then undertook a variety of posts associated with planning, information and contracting within Lanarkshire, culminating in her appointment as General Manager of Hairmyres Hospital in 1999.

Jane moved back to Glasgow in 2000 to become the General Manager for Surgery in North Glasgow and from April 2005, she acted as Chief Executive within the North Glasgow Division. She was appointed as Director of Surgery and Anaesthetics for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in early 2006 and became the Board’s Chief Operating Officer in 2009. Jane Grant said:

“I am delighted to have been appointed as Chief Executive of NHS Forth Valley. I look forward to continuing the work established by the current Chief Executive, Fiona Mackenzie, to drive forward the delivery of high quality health care and ensure a continued focus on the health improvement agenda to further reduce health inequalities for the people served by NHS Forth Valley.

“I have very much enjoyed working with colleagues in Greater Glasgow and Clyde for more than 13 years and in that time have taken great pride in the significant improvements in access and quality that we have achieved.”