Judith Proctor has been recommended as the preferred candidate for the post of chief officer of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board and director of the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership.

Currently chief officer for health and social care for Aberdeen City, Judith emerged as preferred candidate following a rigorous recruitment process. The appointment is still to be ratified by the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board which meets on March 2.

Judith took up the post of chief officer for health and social care for Aberdeen City in October 2014. Judith has worked in the community health and social care field for over 27 years, having started her career as a nurse in Edinburgh. She then qualified as a midwife in Inverness and worked as a district nurse and midwife in the North West Highlands and in Shetland, where her interest in population health and wellbeing developed.

Judith moved to Dumfries and Galloway as one of the original cohort of public health practitioners and undertook her Master of Public Health degree from Glasgow University while in that role. She was seconded to the Scottish Executive in 2003 to work on the implementation of Community Planning at a partnership level. On her return to Dumfries and Galloway, Judith moved into the role of Joint Commissioning Manager for Learning Disability and worked across both the NHS Board and council. Prior to returning to her native Aberdeen, Judith was the director of strategic planning and head of joint commissioning for NHS Dumfries and Galloway and Dumfries and Galloway Council, a role she undertook for five years.

Councillor Ricky Henderson, chair of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board, said: “I’m delighted that Judith has emerged as our preferred candidate. We ran a rigorous competitive recruitment process with a strong field of candidates.

“The Partnership clearly has a number of significant challenges and opportunities ahead in the coming months and years. I look forward to welcoming Judith and her contribution as we go forward, subject to approval by the IJB.”

“Judith will bring extensive and valuable experience to this wide-ranging and immensely challenging role working with stakeholders across the city to deliver vital services.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Michelle Miller for her valuable contribution during her time as interim Chief Officer.”