Media Statement:
Scottish Care announces appointment of a new Honorary President
Over the last number of years Stewart Sutherland, Baron Sutherland of Houndwood, has served as Honorary President of Scottish Care and has brought to the role his unique blend of intellectual rigour and personal compassion. Lord Sutherland has decided to stand down from his commitment and all the Executive and members of Scottish Care would wish to extend both their appreciation and best wishes to Lord Sutherland at this time.
Scottish Care’s Executive Committee is delighted to announce that Professor Alan Baird has been appointed as the new Honorary President of Scottish Care.
Speaking about the appointment, Dr Donald Macaskill, Scottish Care Chief Executive said:
“I am absolutely delighted to welcome Prof Baird as our new Honorary President. Alan has served until recently as the Scottish Government’s Chief Social Work Adviser. In that role he has done a huge amount to build relationships between the statutory, voluntary and independent social care sectors across Scotland. We are confident that he will bring the intellectual insight, creativity and empathy that he has shown throughout his career to his new role and we very much look forward to working with him.”
The announcement of Professor Baird’s appointment was made this morning (Friday 17 November) at Scottish Care’s annual Care Home Conference in Glasgow, at which over 450 delegates from across the health and social care sector are in attendance.
Biography of Professor Baird:
Alan qualified as a social worker in 1980 and subsequently held a number of practitioner and management posts in Glasgow, Angus and Dundee. He was appointed Director of Social Work with Dundee City Council in 2001 and served as President of the Association of Directors of Social Work in 2008/9. Alan was appointed Chief Social Work Adviser to Scottish Government in 2013 and remained in post until April of this year.
Alan graduated with an MBA from Dundee University in 1999. He has been a Trustee of Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) since 2013 and has recently been appointed Honorary Professor in Social Work at Dundee University.
Alan is married to Rosaline and they have one daughter Lauren who is a primary school teacher.
