The new chief executive of a troubled health board has been suspended over alleged discrepancies in the job application that secured him the post at the start of the year.
Officials at NHS Western Isles and the Scottish government would only confirm yesterday that a "senior member of staff" had been suspended, but The Herald has learned that it is Laurence Irvine, who was appointed chief executive in January.
It is understood the suspension follows a freedom of information request from within the board for the CV presented by Mr Irvine with his application for the job.
At the time of his appointment the health board's biographical details said he was a fellow of the Institute of Healthcare Management, and had previously been unit general manager of Barnet and Edgware General Hospitals before taking up the post of chief executive of Wellhouse NHS Trust in London.
Yesterday the health board described the suspension as a "neutral act", while refusing to reveal the member's identity.
As a result of the chief executive's suspension, the board's annual review, due to be chaired by Nicola Sturgeon on Monday, has been postponed.
A health board spokeswoman added: "It would be inappropriate to comment further until that investigation has been completed."
She said the board would not comment further at this stage due to "legal reasons".
And the Scottish government would not comment on suggestions that Dr Kevin Woods, head of the Scottish Health Department and chief executive of NHS Scotland, had helped draw up the shortlist from which Mr Irvine was selected.
A spokeswoman said there could be no comment on selection procedures involved as "the member of staff is suspended and as such cannot be identified".
Mr Irvine's suspension is the latest episode in an unhappy saga for the health board.
In February 2004 Murdo MacLennan was suspended as chief executive of the Western Isles Health Board by the then chairman David Currie pending a disciplinary hearing into allegations of his "dysfunctional" management.
He had been on sick leave since the previous April. In March 2004, Mr MacLennan was sacked. He sought to take the matter to an employment tribunal but the board settled before the hearing, scheduled for November 2004.
Meanwhile, another senior official was sacked in January last year after 32 years in the NHS. David Tierney, a former director of human resources and a projects director, was sacked after writing of his concerns about mismanagement and bullying to a non-executive board member. The Scottish Executive refused to hold an inquiry, despite being sent a 90-page dossier with statements from 12 witnesses, and insisted it be dealt with locally.
Much of the early part of last year saw the board's stewardship of the health service in the islands punctuated by these repeated allegations.
This ended last August when the then Health Minister Andy Kerr, after repeated representations from the then MSP Alasdair Morrison, sent in a management task force to take control. Chairman David Currie, chief executive Dick Manson, and the medical director Dr John Smith all departed at this time.
Ronnie Cleland, a non-executive board member of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, was installed as interim chairman and the management support team was led by Malcolm Wright, chief executive of NHS Education for Scotland.
Alasdair Allan, the new SNP MSP for the Western Isles, said: "This is a further concerning situation at NHS Western Isles. I am in touch with ministers regarding this situation and also with people who are working for the NHS in the Western Isles. More light needs to be shed on the health board's recent past."
The Herald was unable to contact Mr Irvine last night for comment.
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