New Chief Executive appointed
We are pleased to announce the appointment of William Edwards as our new Chief Executive.
William joins NHS Fife from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, where he has served as Deputy Chief Executive since May 2025, having previously held the role of Chief Operating Officer.
A highly experienced NHS leader, William began his career in the NHS in June 1999 and has held a range of senior leadership roles at both local and national level, including 2 years in NHS Fife as General Manager for eHealth. As Chief Operating Officer for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde from January 2022, he was responsible for operational management and strategic delivery across Scotland’s largest health board.
Prior to this, William was Director of eHealth and Digital Services, where he led the board’s ambitious digital strategy, driving innovation and strengthening clinical IT integration.
In 2019, he received a Digital Leader Award at the Holyrood Connect Digital Health and Care Awards in recognition of his leadership in digital transformation.
National primary care walk-in service pilot
NHS Fife, working with the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, has been selected to participate in Phase 2 of the Scottish Government National Primary Care Walk-in Service Pilot.
As part of the submission to the Scottish Government, it is proposed that the pilot service will operate from a central, highly accessible location in Glenrothes town centre, selected to maximise visibility and accessibility for residents across Fife.
The proposed national walk-in service is intended to provide same-day, face-to-face assessment and treatment for urgent, non-life-threatening health concerns. It is designed to complement existing GP services, community pharmacy provision and urgent care pathways, supporting access to the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
Key aims of the pilot include:
- Providing an additional urgent care option for patients who require timely assessment without a pre-booked appointment.
- Reducing avoidable demand on Accident & Emergency and out-of-hours services by offering an appropriate primary care alternative.
- Supporting GP practices, community pharmacists and wider primary care teams by increasing system capacity, particularly during periods of peak demand.
- The walk-in service would operate alongside existing services, including GP practices, community pharmacies, NHS Fife urgent care services, NHS 24 (111) and NHS Inform. Further updates on the proposed location, timescales, operating hours and service model will be shared with Elected Members as planning progresses.
Unannounced inspection of maternity services
An unannounced inspection by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) has praised maternity services at the Victoria Hospital for delivering compassionate, person-centred care. The inspection, carried out in December 2025, highlighted strong multidisciplinary teamwork, visible senior leadership, and highly positive feedback from women and families using the service. The inspection identified ten areas of good practice, including:
- Compassionate, responsive, and person-centred care.
- The introduction of a dedicated system to enhance emergency communication with the Scottish Ambulance Service.
- A strong family-centred approach that encourages the involvement of fathers, partners, and family members in care.
- Positive learning environments and excellent support for student midwives.
- Open and respectful multidisciplinary communication and leadership visibility.
- Implementation of a newborn observation alert system to enhance safety.
- High levels of patient satisfaction with infant feeding support.
While the inspection found many strengths, HIS also issued two recommendations and 13 requirements to further enhance the quality and safety of care. More information about the inspection is available
More information about the inspection.
Car parking at Victoria Hospital site
We have received enquiries from elected members regarding parking provision at the Victoria Hospital. Parking arrangements are kept under regular review to ensure that available space is used as effectively and fairly as possible. The site currently provides over 1,100 public parking spaces, including dedicated accessible bays located close to main entrances, as well as shortstay dropoff areas to support patients with mobility needs.
We recognise that demand for parking can exceed capacity at peak times. However, opportunities for further largescale expansion are constrained by land availability, planning considerations and the significant level of investment that additional infrastructure would require.
Where misuse of accessible bays or dropoff points is identified, site management teams take steps to address this. NHS Fife also works closely with Fife Council traffic wardens to help manage parking pressures and discourage unsafe or inappropriate parking in and around the hospital site.
NHS Fife continues to work with local bus operators to ensure that services from across Fife serve the hospital directly, with a bus stop adjacent to the main entrance and live bus information available on site. Suggestions have been made regarding the introduction of a parkandride type model. While such approaches can be effective in some settings, they require substantial infrastructure, suitable land and ongoing operational funding. At present, there are no plans with Fife Council to introduce a parkandride scheme for the Victoria Hospital, although wider travel and transport options continue to be considered through ongoing sustainable travel planning.
While no immediate changes are planned, parking and access arrangements at the Victoria Hospital will continue to be monitored as part of routine site management.
While no immediate changes are planned, parking and access arrangements at Victoria Hospital will continue to be monitored as part of routine site management.
Community rehabilitation transformation
Work is underway on a programme to transform the way community rehabilitation and care services are delivered across Fife.
The vision is to create a Fife-wide stroke and neuro rehabilitation service which will be provided at Glenrothes Hospital and in Ward 7 Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline with general rehabilitation wards at Cameron Hospital, St Andrews Hospital, Adamson Hospital and Queen Margaret Hospital. Detailed plans have been developed to create these dedicated sites, involving the remodelling, refurbishment and repurposing of existing rehabilitation and community care wards, particularly at Glenrothes Hospital and Cameron Hospital.
Progress to date has included the reconfiguration of Ward 1 at Glenrothes Hospital, which commenced in September last year. Following completion of this work, patients from Ward 2 were transferred into Ward 1. Refurbishment of Ward 2 is now underway and continues to progress well, with completion currently expected by late March or April of this year.
The next phase of work will see the temporary closure of Ward 3 at Glenrothes Hospital by the end of March. The Sir George Sharp Unit and Letham will relocate to Glenrothes Community Hospital in April 2026, with Ward 2 moving to its new, permanent location at Cameron Hospital. Further updates on the programme will follow as the plans progress.
Meningitis outbreak in Kent – Public Health Scotland update
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is continuing to investigate an outbreak of meningococcal disease in Kent and a rolling news story is being regularly updated on their website.
Public Health Scotland (PHS) carefully monitors meningococcal disease in Scotland on an ongoing basis. PHS is working closely with UKHSA, other public health colleagues across the UK and NHS boards in Scotland, to monitor the situation. There are currently no cases known to be linked to this outbreak in Scotland.
There is currently no evidence of any increased risk to people in Scotland and therefore no changes to our existing vaccination programmes and advice.
Reduced working week
NHS Fife is continuing work to implement the nationally agreed reduction in the NHS working week, while carefully balancing staff wellbeing, patient safety and financial sustainability.
For staff employed under the Agenda for Change terms and conditions, most of the NHS Fife workforce, the standard working week reduces from 37.5 hours to 36 hours, with the final phase of the reduction implemented in April 2026. The change, being implemented without loss of pay, is designed to improve work–life balance, support staff wellbeing and help retain skilled NHS workers.
NHS Fife has developed a detailed implementation plan, which has been submitted to the Scottish Government, setting out how services will maintain safe staffing levels. This includes targeted recruitment, offering additional hours to existing staff, and service redesign where appropriate. Around 130 whole-time equivalent posts are currently in active recruitment. All services have completed structured risk assessments to ensure patient care is protected, with close oversight through established governance and partnership arrangements.
Drones surveying Queen Margaret Hospital
We are using specialist drones to capture images and video of hardtoreach areas of Queen Margaret Hospital. This routine work is supporting planned maintenance and helps us continue to ensure a safe, highquality environment for patients, staff and visitors.
The surveys have been carried out by accredited drone surveyors, without disruption to patient care. More information is available
St Andrews Hospital plays host to emergency response immersive learning day
170 secondyear medicine students from the University of St Andrews have been given an opportunity to experience the fastpaced and challenging environment of firstonscene emergency response.
Through realistic, scenariobased training delivered at St Andrews Community Hospital, students were able to apply their developing clinical knowledge in a practical setting.
Working closely with experienced clinicians, the sessions focused on core principles of scene assessment, including identifying hazards, ensuring personal and public safety, coordinating effectively with emergency services, and understanding the importance of clear and effective communication in emergency situations. More information is available here.
Project Ramadan
Project Ramadan is back for its fifth year across NHS Fife. What began as a small idea to support colleagues observing Ramadan has grown into a more widespread initiative. This year, 500 food and drink bags, funded by Fife Health Charity, have been made available across our sites for colleagues breaking their fast-during busy shifts, particularly during the last 10 days of Ramadan.
Each bag includes items such as dates, crisps and juice, offering a small but meaningful moment of support at iftar, while also helping to raise awareness and understanding of Ramadan among colleagues.
Renal pharmacist and Project Ramadan organiser, Farrah AlGhita, also hosted a lecture, where she shared guidance on medication management during Ramadan, why Ramadan is about more than abstaining, and how to better support colleagues and patients during this time.
HPV vaccine opportunities for teenagers across Fife
The HPV vaccine helps protect against cancers caused by the human papillomavirus and is routinely offered to young people in S1. For those who missed the vaccine at school, it remains available, ensuring young people are not excluded from protection because of timing or circumstances.
Young people in S2 to S6, those who are home educated, or others of school age can still receive the HPV vaccine through a series of openaccess dropin sessions being delivered across Fife. These sessions allow eligible young people to be vaccinated without the need for an appointment, making access as straightforward and convenient as possible for families.
Full details on venues, times and eligibility are available here, providing constituents with clear information on how to access the vaccine locally.
Dementia carers support sessions
Our upcoming dementia carers education programme provides practical support and education for family members and friends caring for someone with dementia. It is designed to help carers better understand the effects of dementia, build confidence and skills in caring, and learn from the experiences of others in similar situations. The programme also introduces participants to local community services and sources of support, helping them to feel more informed and less isolated in their caring role.
Each interactive session lasts two hours and takes place on a Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon from 1.30pm to 3.30pm, with sessions held at locations across Fife. More information is available here.
Earn as you learn route into podiatry
The PREPARE programme offers a fully supported route into registered podiatry with NHS Fife, providing an alternative and accessible pathway into the Allied Health Professions.
Podiatrists play a vital role in helping people remain mobile, active and independent, and the programme has been designed to strengthen and sustain this important workforce. Through PREPARE, participants can earn a salary while studying towards a BSc (Hons) in Podiatry, combining academic learning with handson clinical experience alongside established podiatry teams.
The programme enables individuals to learn while working, develop practical skills in a real healthcare setting, and secure guaranteed employment with NHS Fife on successful completion of their qualification.
PREPARE is specifically aimed at widening access to the profession, supporting those who may be changing career, returning to work, or seeking a more flexible and inclusive route into healthcare. Further information is available
Maternity Open Day
We were delighted to welcome over 50 thirdyear students from universities across Scotland to our Maternity Open Day in February, where visitors learned more about what NHS Fife has to offer and enjoyed a tour of our maternity unit.
Students heard directly from our newly qualified midwives about their experiences and took part in a relaxed Q&A with our management team over brunch. We hope to welcome many of them to NHS Fife after they complete their studies.
Spring into the Right Care campaign
As the seasons change, people often experience different illnesses or health concerns. Many minor conditions can be safely managed through selfcare advice or with support from local community pharmacies, where trained professionals can provide treatment and guidance, often without the need for an appointment.
NHS Fife’s Spring into the Right Care webpages and accompanying social media campaign brings together practical advice on a range of common seasonal issues, helping people understand how best to manage their health and access the right support at the right time. Topics covered include mental health and wellbeing, seasonal allergies, asthma, respiratory infections and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Further information is available at www.nhsfife.org/spring.
Media statements
All formal statements and responses we issue to local and national media outlets can be accessed from the NHS Fife website here.
Board papers and statistics
NHS Fife Board
The NHS Fife Board holds meetings every two months at the Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy. Meetings have set agendas, and accompanying papers are available on our website five days before the meeting.
Papers from the latest Board meeting on 27 January can be viewed here. The next meeting takes place on Tuesday 31 March.
Performance
A wide range of research, guidance and statistical publications relating to NHS Fife can be viewed here.
Workforce
Statistics on staffing and vacancies are published quarterly by NHS Education for Scotland. The latest publication can be viewed here.
All Information correct at time of publishing. Issued by the Corporate Communications and Engagement Directorate.