A CHIEF officer has been appointed to develop a regional partnership which is reportedly facing a deficit position.

Annemargaret Black is set to join the Clackmannanshire and Stirling Health and Social Care Partnership, which consists of two local authorities as well as NHS Forth Valley and delivers services in the wider area.

She was chosen due to her “extensive leadership experience in driving forward improvements across the NHS, local authority and voluntary sectors” – indeed documents for Clackmannanshire Council’s budget raised concerns over the “level of overspend on adult social care” at the organisation while “all partners have been experiencing pressure on budgets”.

Papers for the budget meeting said that additional funding of £2.627million “is required to avoid making significant service reductions”, equating to a more than 16 per cent growth in the current 2018-19 budget as the board at the helm of the partnership faces an "in-year deficit".

As previously reported by the Advertiser, the Wee County local authority decided to “not make any further financial contribution in respect of 2018-19” to the partnership, something that is likely to result in a dispute as highlighted by council leader Councillor Ellen Forson at the budget meeting early this month.

Annemargaret will be leaving the East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership where she is currently head of community health and care.

“Delighted” with her new role, which she will start in the summer, the former nurse said: “Throughout my career I have worked with local people, voluntary organisations and partner agencies to improve the way health and social care services are designed and delivered, particularly for some of the most vulnerable groups in our society.

“This has included the development of care home, addictions, mental health and adult protection services as well as specific work to tackle loneliness and isolation.”

Nikki Bridle, chief executive at Clackmannanshire Council, said: “Annemargaret has a fabulous track record of leading positive improvement in partnership with the public and voluntary sectors.

“She is bringing a wealth of experience which I am sure will make a positive contribution to delivering the aims of the Clackmannanshire and Stirling Health and Social Care Partnership as we move into the next phase.”

Trained as a nurse in Glasgow, Annemargaret specialised in treating and supporting people affected by drug and alcohol addictions and worked in a number of frontline roles for many years before taking on leading positions at the former East Dunbartonshire Community Health Partnership.

She is replacing retiring chief officer Shiona Strachan, whose last board meeting was in November 2018.

Cathie Cowan, chief executive at NHS Forth Valley, added: “Annemargaret has extensive leadership experience in driving forward improvements across the NHS, local authority and voluntary sectors and is therefore ideally placed to build on the joint work already underway to develop local health and care services across Clackmannanshire and Stirling.”