This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New director for Beatson centre
06/12/2001
Glasgow's Beatson Oncology Centre is to be given a new
Director to drive forward the action plan to support staff
and stabilise services for patients.
Dr Adam Bryson will take over day-to-day management
responsibility for the Beatson from the North Glasgow
Hospitals NHS Trust. Dr Bryson will report directly to NHS
Glasgow Chief Executive Tom Divers.
The move was announced today by Health Minister Malcolm
Chisholm following his visit to the Beatson yesterday.
Dr Bryson is a former NHS Medical Director, with
experience of working in the Western Infirmary in Glasgow.
He takes up his new post on Monday on secondment from the
National Services Division of the NHS Common Services
Agency.
Announcing the new management arrangements, Mr Chisholm
said:
"Yesterday's meeting with staff at the Beatson was a
useful, and I hope, constructive one for all concerned. It
was clear to me, as I toured the wards and talked to staff,
that high-quality cancer services are still being delivered
at the Beatson. But the immediate pressures and concerns of
staff are pressing.
"We need to make progress in both the short and the
longer-term. Last night, I announced that I had instructed
NHS Glasgow Chief Executive Tom Divers to 'fast-track'
plans for the new replacement Beatson at Gartnavel. As a
result I now expect to see an outline business case for
phase 2 of the Gartnavel cancer centre on my desk by the
end of December.
"Moving forward quickly with these plans will, I
believe, send a powerful signal that we are serious about
developing high-quality services here in Glasgow in the
future. However, I am also very aware of the need to tackle
the immediate problems and the imminent staff shortages.
This is my top priority as Health Minister.
"The action plan initiated by the Scottish Executive
last month and now being taken forward by NHS Glasgow is
the best way of making immediate progress. I promised staff
yesterday that I would look closely at how we could add
momentum to that action plan - and sustain that action over
many months.
"I believe that now needs extra drive and new leadership
at the Beatson. I am today announcing that a new director
is to be appointed to lead the Beatson. Former west Glasgow
Medical Director Dr Adam Bryson will start work on Monday.
He will report directly to NHS Glasgow Chief Executive Tom
Divers - rather than to North Glasgow Hospitals Trust.
"This is an important new appointment and achieving
short-term improvements will not be easy. But, working in
partnership with Beatson staff, it is an initiative which I
believe will give the extra momentum to the action plan we
are looking for."