NHS Highland health board role for council's deputy leader
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HIGHLAND Council’s deputy leader Alasdair Christie is set to join the health board, it has been confirmed.
The Liberal Democrat group leader will attend his first NHS Highland board meeting on Tuesday in his new role as non-executive director.
Councillor Christie (Inverness Ness-side) will step down as chairman of the council’s people committee, which works closely with the health board, to avoid a conflict of interest.
The NHS position is a public role and Cllr Christie was not appointed to the board by the council. Sutherland councillor Deirdre Mackay remains the council’s representative.
With a senior role in the independent-led coalition, as well as his work as manager of Inverness, Badenoch and Strathspey Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Cllr Christie acknowledged he will have to juggle his workload.
“I will be looking carefully at the positions I hold to see what I can continue to take forward,” he said.
In his new position, Cllr Christie hopes to work with the rest of the directors to reduce poverty and health inequalities.
“This is an area I have been passionate about for a long time so I’m happy to have been appointed and I’m looking forward to trying to improve the wellbeing and outcomes of people in the Highlands.”
It is not yet known who will take over the reigns of the people committee, which covers issues including schools, housing and welfare.
