Fiona Catherine McQueen is a Scottish nurse, who was Chief Nursing Officer for Scotland from 2015 to 2021.

Early life and education

McQueen was born in about 1962.

Career

Her nursing career began in 1982. She was promoted to be an executive director of nursing for Lanarkshire in 1993. Later she moved to lead nursing at the Acute Services Trust in Ayrshire and Arran. Following the retirement in 2001 of Marjorie Durie OBE Executive Nurse Director and Deputy Chief Executive, Fiona was appointed Director of Nursing in Ayrshire and Arran Health Board. In November 2014 she became Scotland's interim Chief Nursing Officer after leading nursing in Ayrshire and Arran Health Board for thirteen years. The previous holder was Rosalyn Moore. In the following March she was confirmed as the permanent job holder. In November 2015 she was asked to lead an oversight board to look after

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is an NHS board in West Central Scotland, created from the amalgamation of NHS Greater Glasgow and part of NHS Argyll and Clyde on 1 April 2006. It is the largest health board in both Scotland, and the UK, which ...

after it was placed in "special measures" after concerns over its infection control. In 2018 she said that she had been embarrassed that she was offering advice to the people of Scotland who were overweight when she was overweight. Over a year she had controlled her own diet to reduce her weight by over seven stone. She had achieved this by trying to do 15,000 steps a day and cutting out ready meals and sugar. Shirley-Anne Somerville, Nicola Sturgeon and McQueen briefing Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2020 In her professional capacity she sat on many boards and committees including as chair of the Scottish Executive Nurse Directors group. She was Scotland's most senior nurse and it was her job to represent Scotland at meetings of the Chief Nursing Officers of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. In 2020, she announced that after five years she was to step down as Scotland's Chief Nursing Officer. She was thanked by

Jeane Freeman Jeane Tennent Freeman (born 28 September 1953) is a Scottish former politician who served as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport from 2018 to 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she was the Member of the Scottish Parliame ...

who was the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport. She extended her term to March 2021 due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...

, and was succeeded in that role by Amanda Croft.

Recognition

McQueen became an honorary Professor at the University of West of Scotland. McQueen was appointed

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

(CBE) in the

2021 Birthday Honours The Queen's Birthday Honours for 2021 are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded ...

for services to the NHS in Scotland.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McQueen, Fiona NHS Chief Professional Officers Civil servants in the Scottish Government British nursing administrators Scottish nurses Scottish civil servants Scottish women civil servants 1960s births Living people Year of birth uncertain Commanders of the Order of the British Empire