NHS Ayrshire and Arran has appointed a children’s wellbeing specialist who led parts of its covid-19 response as its new director of public health.

Lynne McNiven, who has worked as Consultant in Public Health and Joint Interim Director of Public Health for the board since 2017, says she is deeply committed to taking forward a strategy to improve health and reducing inequalities:

“I am absolutely delighted to be appointed as Director of Public Health and continuing to work with our fantastic public health team and partners within Ayrshire.

“Improving health and reducing inequalities have been a long-held passion and I am delighted to be given the opportunity to continue to lead the Public Health response to covid-19 and to work towards our vision of improved life expectancy and population health through a strong health improvement focus.

“Public health is the glue which binds our services and working locally, regionally and nationally the opportunity to improve health and wellbeing has never been greater.

“I look forward to working closely with my public health colleagues and in collaboration with our partners in the public and third sectors to address a range of contributing factors which impact on the health of individuals and the communities in which they live.”

Lynne has been sharing the role of Director of Public Health with Dr Joy Tomlinson who is moving east to take up the role of director of public health for NHS Fife.

Ms McNiven began her career as a staff nurse in NHS Ayrshire and Arran before training as a midwife and then qualifying as a specialty registrar in public health, working for 12 years in England before returning to Ayrshire and Arran in 2013 to serve as Children’s Consultant in Public Health and Child Health Commissioner for the board.

She has led the area’s public health response to Covid 19 including the roll-out of testing and vaccination programmes.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran Chief Executive, John Burns, says a driving ambition for the board is to improve outcomes for people by reducing reduce health inequalities:

“Lynne will continue to develop our strategic partnerships with our Community Planning Partnerships, Local Authorities and Care Home sector as we seek to improve health for all through an integrated model of health and care within Ayrshire as part of our Caring for Ayrshire blueprint.

“Lynne’s experience as Child Health Commissioner will also help us to progress our commitments to improving health outcomes for future generations.”

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