Press Release
Former NHS Shetland Chief Executive Joins Council
Sandra Laurenson, recently retired NHS Shetland chief executive, has agreed to join the Council on a short-term basis, to assist in delivering the demanding improvement programme.
Ms Laurenson worked for the NHS for almost 34 years, the last 25 in Shetland, before taking early retirement at Christmas. She will work at the SIC for three days a week over the next six months, mainly on identifying efficiency savings and better ways of working.
Ms Laurenson said:
“I’m relishing the challenge of working as part of the team that’s trying to improve the way the Council does its business. Although I have spent my career working in the NHS, I believe a lot of things are transferrable into a council context. Over many years I was proud of the way the local NHS found efficiency savings by working directly alongside staff whilst maintaining services for the public. I’d aim to take the same approach here.”
Council chief executive Alistair Buchan said:
“Sandra has a huge amount of local experience and I’m delighted to have her on board. She comes with a well established track record of achieving cost savings in NHS Shetland and has particular skills that will help us drive forward some specific aspects of the improvement work. Her principal focus will be to help the organisation continue its drive to do things more efficiently and save money, which is a high priority for the council and vital for Shetland’s future.”
Ms Laurenson added:
“When looking for ways to do things more efficiently and at less cost, I think it’s vital that staff are asked for their ideas and kept involved. So one of the first things I would like to explore is engaging staff in the possibility of introducing a scheme where they are able to develop suggestions for savings and are then supported to deliver them.”