Chief nursing officer (CNO) for Scotland, Professor Alex McMahon has announced his retirement, after a ‘distinguished career’ in nursing. He will retire later this month. Professor McMahon was appointed as CNO in December 2021.
Professor McMahon qualified as a registered mental health nurse in 1986 and then as a registered general nurse in 1989. Prior to becoming CNO, he was Executive Director of Nursing, Midwifery and AHPs at NHS Lothian. He was also chair of the Scottish Executive Nurse Directors Group and worked closely with the previous CNO to shape policy and professional practice.
‘Throughout his tenure as CNO, Professor McMahon has demonstrated a profound commitment to the nursing profession,’ said health secretary, Neil Gray. ‘His leadership has been characterised by compassion, integrity and a relentless pursuit of excellence during some of the most challenging times for our health service.’
Reflecting on his time as CNO, Professor McMahon said:
‘Being the CNO in Scotland has been a great privilege. It really has been the “icing on the cake” of my career. Throughout my time in the role, it has been particularly gratifying to be associated with the implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 and the Nursing and Midwifery taskforce.
As CNO, Professor McMahon oversaw the implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 that ensures sufficient staffing levels to meet patient needs.
Professor McMahon also spoke of his pride in being involved with work on a range of issues including regulation and the development of advanced practice roles. He also said the ‘Once for Scotland Retire to Return’ policy had ‘been a highlight, benefitting a huge number of staff and patients across NHS Scotland.’
Professor McMahon concluded: ‘None of the work I’ve been involved with would have been possible without the support of a strong team and I’d like to thank them for helping me drive forward these changes that I hope have made a difference.’
Deputy CNO, Anne Armstrong, will act as the interim CNO from Friday 26 April, until the recruitment process to fulfil the CNO post has concluded.
Image | Shutterstock and Scottish Government
