Ms Duncan is due to take up the position in January 2021.

Linda Munro, health and social care committee chair, welcomed Ms Duncan’s appointment, she said: “I look forward to working with Fiona who is joining the council at a time of significant change in the service including service redesign to improve delivery of localised approaches that fit with national policies and priorities. Joint working with our partners particularly health colleagues on COVID will be a priority going forward.”

Ms Duncan brings over five years experience as Chief Social Work Officer (CSWO) gained in two authorities. Fiona currently works for Clackmannanshire Council where she is employed as CSWO and Senior Manager Children & Justice Services. Immediately prior to this, she held the role of CSWO and Group Service Manager (Adult Statutory Services) with East Lothian Council. 

Ms Duncan commented: “I am delighted to be appointed as ECO Health and Social Care with Highland Council.

“The overarching principles of what I believe we are aiming to achieve is to designing better structures, processes and systems that will bring better outcomes to young people and families of the Highlands. Our aim is to grow capacity through better and more informed networks on both a local and national level. Key to this is the improvement journey that we are all on with staff being at the heart of this.

“Aligning with universities and colleges helps to build networks for future workforce, whilst internally we need to ensure that training and learning opportunities enable staff to grow and develop within the organisation.” 

Ms Duncan has not only worked in one of the smallest councils, Clackmannanshire, she has also had experience in one of the largest, Edinburgh City Council. During her 10½ years with Edinburgh City she held a variety of management and practitioner roles in Criminal Justice, with the majority of time spent managing teams. Fiona also brings several years direct experience working with adults with learning disabilities. 

Donna Manson, chief executive, added: “Fiona will be an excellent addition to the senior leadership team. A fundamental part of the ECO role is to also provide senior officer support to Sutherland which takes in some of our most remote and rural locations. I have no doubt Fiona will engage with staff and communities of Sutherland to support key initiatives in this area.”