Scotland’s chief nursing officer (CNO) Professor Alex McMahon is set to retire next spring, the Scottish Government has confirmed.
Professor McMahon, who has been in post since late 2021, will be stepping down in April 2024.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said arrangements for the recruitment of a successor ‘will progress’ in the new year.
‘Professor McMahon has made an invaluable contribution to health leadership in Scotland over the course of his career,’ they added.
‘Throughout his time as CNO he has applied his great wealth of knowledge and experience to the role and we would like to wish him a long, happy and healthy retirement.’
Professor McMahon had been officially appointed to the CNO position in December 2021, having carried out the role on an interim basis since the October of that year.
He replaced Professor Amanda Croft who stood down after a short period in August 2021 for personal reasons. Prior to that, Professor Fiona McQueen had been in post for around six years before she retired.
Professor McMahon had previously worked as executive director of nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals for NHS Lothian.
In a message to Nursing in Practice readers on the 75th anniversary of the NHS, Professor McMahon paid tribute to the dedication of the nursing profession and stressed that nurses’ wellbeing was his ‘priority’.
The Scottish Government said further information on his departure would be released in the new year.
