Alastair Boyle MBE has been appointed new NHS Lanarkshire board vice chair and takes up his new post this month.
Ally initially joined the Board as a non-executive member in 2020.
Martin Hill, chair of NHS Lanarkshire, said: “We are delighted to announce that Alastair Boyle has been appointed as NHS Lanarkshire’s new vice chair.
“Ally has been involved in protecting the public for all of his career. He is already an invaluable member of our board and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as well as outstanding leadership and professionalism to his new role of vice chair.”
Ally added: “It has been an honour to be part of the Board at NHS Lanarkshire the past four years and I’m delighted to take up the position of vice chair.”
Ally retired from the Fire and Rescue Service in 2014 having held many senior positions across the West of Scotland. Prior to the reform of Scottish Fire & Rescue Services he was the Head of Community Safety for Strathclyde Fire & Rescue and a member of the Corporate Management Team. Ally has a particular expertise in Community Planning and Partnership Working and is passionate about prevention, early intervention and reducing inequalities. He has a strong conviction on the considerable benefits of integrated services and that the best solutions are developed with those delivering and receiving services.
Ally was diagnosed with a blood cancer in 2008 and has lived with the condition since then. He has tried to use this experience to help others through bringing the patient voice to several research charities and other organisations.
He is the founder of a life-saving partnership between the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the stem cell charity Anthony Nolan, a Trustee of Blood Cancer UK; and the first patient to Chair their Research Governance Committee.
He is also a volunteer for Cancer Research UK where he co-chairs a Patient and Public Involvement panel and represents the patient voice on two of their research funding committees.
As a Lanarkshire resident Ally has, for the last 15 years, been treated for his cancer by NHS Lanarkshire and therefore brings that added perspective to the Board.
In 2018 Ally was awarded an MBE for services to Charity.
