Board Members are responsible and accountable for setting the overall strategy and direction of the organisation, approving key strategic plans, priorities and targets and monitoring performance against them.
Our Non-Executive Board members are appointed by the Scottish Government to provide external perspectives and bring a wide range of specialist experience and knowledge from the public, private or voluntary sectors.
As part of a series of regular features to provide more information on our Board members, their experience and work within NHS Forth Valley – this issue features Finlay Scott who joined the Board in July 2025.
Tell us a bit about your background, skills and experience.
My career was spent in Financial Services, originally with Bank of Scotland working with businesses to arrange loans and credit to support growth, then moving into project management before specialising in risk management and becoming Head of Risk Oversight for Lloyds Banking Group where I helped manage operational risk, regulatory compliance and colleague conduct and behaviours. What I liked about it was the opportunity to do so many things, with all kinds of people, in one organisation. Although risk management can still be seen by many people as a bit boring and a bit of an add-on it’s critical to how well and sustainably organisations function. When things go wrong and they haven’t been anticipated, planned for or ideally prevented someone somewhere is impacted – and good risk management helps prevent that.
What inspired you to apply to join NHS Forth Valley’s Board?
Having retired I was looking around for something which would keep me a bit active, where I could use some of the skills and experience, I had and which I thought I would find interesting, challenging and fulfilling. When I saw that NHS Forth Valley was looking for some additional Non-Executive Directors, ideally with some risk management experience, I thought that looked like an ideal opportunity. After a rigorous process I was lucky enough to be offered a position. The recruitment team really emphasised the team culture and ethos being built and my early impressions certainly reflect that. People are genuinely committed to delivering the best they can despite the well-known challenges being faced. I’m looking forward to being part of the team going forward.
How do you support the work of the Board?
So far, it’s been about Board meetings, Committee meetings, seminars and workshops and the Stirling & Clackmannanshire Integrated Joint Board. With my background I’m also involved with the Audit & Risk Committee and NHS Forth Valley’s Risk Management team. It is taking some time to get fully up to speed – there’s so much going on – and I’ll soon be involved in some sessions around the area and visits to front line teams.
The role of a Non-Executive Board member is to provide independent support and challenge to the organisation – that means helping to ensure scrutiny of decisions and performance, transparent and appropriate governance and effective risk management. In addition, I will be able to provide inputs and suggestions from experience I have from outside the NHS which might be useful as healthcare evolves.
What do you like best about your role as a Non-Executive Board member?
The best thing for me is the people I’ve met and the way their professionalism, passion and commitment is evident at the sessions I’ve been in. Colleagues are striving to meet competing priorities in a complex environment and I’ve been very impressed by the culture, energy and the willingness to look for improvement alongside the genuine concern for patient care and wellbeing.
What have you learned about the NHS and local health services since you joined the Board?
NHS Forth Valley is a completely new environment for me. I’m used to very large, very complex organisations with multiple teams and many objectives, but I’ve really had my eyes opened to the huge range of NHS activity and the people, teams, processes and arrangements around that.
There is a lot going on, and with the papers and news full of NHS stories it’s clear that despite the challenges, and that there are no easy answers, people are working on it all. I wasn’t sure what to expect but mentioned previously, the people I’ve met since I took up this role have been great. They’re dedicated, professional and are focussed on continually improving and delivering excellent patient care.
What are your interests and hobbies outside of work?
I try to keep pretty active by cycling and golfing regularly as well as playing badminton and 5 a side football weekly. I’m married to Gill, who’s about to start as Captain of West Lothian Golf Club, and my daughter Kara is in her final year at Glasgow University studying statistics and threatening to move back home for a while when she finishes and starts her first job.
What message would you like to like to share with local staff and partners?
In the short time I’ve been involved I’ve been really impressed by colleagues and everyone I have met and I’m really looking forward to getting more involved. Large organisations rely on their people and teamwork is how things get done. The challenges facing the NHS are well known however NHS Forth Valley has a great team with passion, commitment, skill and ambition and that sets it up to move into the future with confidence.
