NHSScotland North - Regional Team

Alan Cooper, Director of Regional Planning (North)

 Alan joined the North Scotland Regional Team on secondment from December 2023.  Alan has worked in both local and regional roles with his most recent post as Head of Strategy, Governance and Performance in NHS Grampian.  

Alan has a keen interest in improvement science, a background in business and change management and holds a deep-seated commitment to improving outcomes for all.  He is passionate about delivering success through aligning diverse stakeholder interests and truly collaborative working.

Heather Binns, Senior Programme Manager - HEPMA

"Heather joined the NHS when she moved to Scotland in 1998 and between then and 2007 worked in Moray undertaking a number of roles across Mental Health, the Community Health Partnership and Dr Gray’s Hospital. In 2007 Heather was seconded to Scottish Government where she had her first taste of working in the North of Scotland (NoS), implementing the National CHI programme across NHS Grampian, Highland, Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles.

In 2017 Heather returned to NHS Grampian as an eHealth Programme Manager with responsibility for the implementation of TrakCare Bed Management, ED and Order Comms, before becoming the EPR Programme Manager.  As host to a number of IT systems for NHS Orkney & Shetland, she worked closely with them as their account manager and also added Strategic Head of Health Records to her responsibilities which supported the ongoing move away from paper based records.

Heather is currently the Senior Programme Manager for HEPMA, overseeing the planning, implementation and development of the HEPMA service across the North.

Fiona Collins, Child Health Network Manager & North Forensic and Custody Health Care Network Manager

Fiona is a fully qualified nurse and midwife with over 40 years experience in the NHS in Scotland. Her main nursing career was spent in neonatal services, including working as a Specialist Practitioner and Unit Manager. She has worked as a regional Network Manager for neonates, and in more recent years Paediatric Critical Care and Adult Critical Care in the West of Scotland.

Her lifelong passion has always been focused on patient / family centred care, patient safety, supporting educational opportunities for staff, audit and research and driving improvements in service delivery.

Claire Donaldson, Lead Radiographer, North Imaging Alliance

Claire is a diagnostic radiographer with 17 years experience. They have been an advocate for radiographers throughout their career. In more recent years they have developed leadership and management experience and like to use their empathetic leadership skills to support and develop the teams they work with. Claire has been fortunate to secure a secondment with the North Imaging Alliance and is focussed on how to improve imaging services throughout the North of Scotland. They are looking forward to progressing collaborative approaches to improve parity of access for patients and explore how imaging services can be more efficient and sustainable.

Claire has been involved with the Society of Radiographers throughout their career in various roles. They joined UK Council as a Scottish representative in 2014 and they were the first out non-binary President of their professional organisation. They have always been a passionate about equalities and they have been involved in LGBTQI+ advocacy since their late teens and throughout their career. In addition to this they have been involved in the work to make the SCoR an anti racist, and truly representative organisation for its members and the population that they serve.

Karen McNicoll, Senior Advisor, North Imaging Alliance

Karen joined the North Regional Team in January 2023, as a Senior Advisor for the North Imaging Alliance. 

Prior to this, Karen's most recent role was as Area Head of Operations Clinical Support & Diagnostics Services for NHS Highland Acute Services, which she started in August 2016. 

Karen is an Allied Health Professional by background registered through HCPC and has worked in a variety of clinical, leadership & management roles in the NHS, Local Authority and the Voluntary Sector. Karen holds Post Graduate 1st Class Hons in Health & Social Care and is an ex Member of the Institute of Healthcare Management by examination. She has worked in central and southern Scotland and also for a UK national charity. In all, over 30 years of public service.

Karen's personal interests & activities include: 80’s music, family & friends, gardening, beachcombing, amateur etymologist, a voracious reader (not horsey books because she was traumatised by Black Beauty at 7yrs old – she much preferred Biggles) so also a second-hand book/charity shop frequent flier, general knowledge crossword addict on Saturday mornings, golf widow and proud parent of 2 adult sons. Jam & preserve pots collector (127 at the last count). A lapsed accordion player.

Anne-Marie Pitt, Trauma Network Manager

Anne-Marie has had a varied career in health management including within the NHS Executive England and Department of Health. In 2004 she moved to the NHS as Head of Clinical Governance at Northamptonshire Primary Care Trust. Her last post in NHS England was Associate Director of Quality and Standards with NHS Northamptonshire and then moved to NHS Scotland in 2009 where she has managed a number of regional networks in the southeast and north of Scotland. She currently manages the North of Scotland Trauma Network

Jennifer Downes, Senior Project Manager 

 Jen is always in a ‘sleeves rolled up’ kind of mood.  With a scientific background and 12 years of varied experience in the In-Virto Diagnostics industry in Dundee, she began training as a PRINCE II Project Manager in 2013.  Her combined passion for people and improvement led her to join the NHS as a Project Manager for the North Regional team in early 2020. 

As a busy Mum of two energetic girls there isn’t much spare time to do all the things she loves but she is never happier when outdoors in the sunshine. 

Jen can’t wait to get started on meeting your next regional need. 

Julie joined the North regional team in 2012 and has since worked in a number of roles supporting a variety of regional projects and networks.

Lorna Pennycook, Senior Project Manager - North Imaging Alliance

Lorna has been with the regional team since 2020 as a member of the Project Management team. She has over 20 year's experience within the NHS, joining NHS Tayside in December 2002, and has supported projects and initiatives in Public Health, Health Strategy, Mental Health strategic development and Health & Business Intelligence.

She is currently Senior Project Manager for the North Imaging Alliance (NIA), supporting imaging services in the North Boards as part of the NIA core team. Her key focus for 22-24 has been to lead and manage the regional mobile MRI project in the North, adopt the Quality Standards for Imaging Networks within the NIA, support regional networking and collaboration opportunities and link with national initiatives. The best part of her job is working with the core NIA team and colleagues in imaging services.

Outside of work, Lorna is active in her local community and parish church, usually with an accompanying spreadsheet.

Katrina Taylor, Project Manager

Katrina is currently supporting the CAMHS regional work as a Project Manager.

Katrina has worked as a PA/Administrator and a Project Support Officer within the team, working within various projects in both roles. 

Martha Hay, Executive Assistant

Martha joined the north of Scotland Planning Group in 2008 and is currently in the role of Executive Assistant. She manages and supports the admin team and provides PA support to the Director of Regional Planning. Martha also administers the regional executive meetings which includes: north Chief Executives; north Chairs & Chief Executives; and the north boards planning leads. 

Laura Hogan, PA/Administrator

Laura has worked for the NHS since 2017 providing PA/Administrative support to the NoS Trauma Network, Mental Health Programme, NoS Labs Programme and Care Portal Programme. 

Carol Mayo, PA/Administrator

Carol has worked her entire working life in the NHS. She spent 36 years as the admin support for the Pharmacy Service in Angus. Since moving to the North Regional Team 5 years ago, she has been PA/Administrator for various programmes and networks but is currently supporting: Making It Better programme; NoS Workforce Learning/Planning Network; NoS eHealth Leads; NoS Forensic Medical Services and Custody Health Care Alliance; Child Sexual Abuse Sub Group; Regional Mechanical Thrombectomy Service; Regional Radiology Transformation Programme.