Meet NHS Orkney Chief Executive

We caught up with Laura Skaife-Knight, NHS Orkney’s Chief Executive.

NHS Orkney is an Armed Forces Covenant signatory and Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award holder in the Highland RFCA area. NHS Orkney first signed the Armed Forces Covenant in July 2016 and achieved the ERS Gold Award in 2018, after which it was revalidated in 2023. ERS Gold and Silver Awards are both reviewed and revalidated on a rolling five-year basis. NHS Orkney is a member of HRFCA’s Highland Gold Network, which consists of the current 47 ERS Gold Award holders.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

“I’m from a working-class family and grew up in Sunderland in North East England. I was the first person in my family to go to university, where I studied American Studies at Lancaster University and the University of Virginia. After my Bachelor of Arts, I went on to do a Master of Arts in Print Journalism at the University of Sheffield and an Advanced Certificate in the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. I love sports – only watching these days, but I previously played a lot of hockey and tennis. I’ve been happily married to Carrie for over ten years.”

What was your dream job growing up?

“To become a journalist which I went on to do at the Chronicle and Echo in Northampton in England.”

What did it then evolve into, and why?

“To an ambition to be a Director of Communications in the NHS, because as a journalist, I loved writing, people, health stories, and making a positive difference. Working for the NHS in a communications role achieved all of these things, especially in a Board-level role.

“I started as a Communications Officer at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and went on to be Media Manager at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust before joining Derby Hospitals as their Head of Communications. I then returned to Nottingham as Associate Director of Communications before joining the Board as an advisor as Director of Communications and External Relations for 11 years.

“Before joining NHS Orkney as Chief Executive, I was Deputy Chief Executive at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust for almost four years, where my portfolio included strategy, transformation and improvement, digital and data, organisational culture, staff engagement and experience, communications, external stakeholder management and engagement, and formally deputising for the Chief Executive.”

Tell us about your current job and employer.

“I’ve been the Chief Executive at NHS Orkney for almost two years. This is my first Chief Executive role. With circa 800 staff and serving a population of over 22,000, with a further population increase anticipated in the years to come, NHS Orkney is the smallest Territorial Health Board in Scotland – made up of 70 islands, of which 20 are inhabited, with approximately a third of our population living on ferry-linked isles. Whilst the smallest Health Board, NHS Orkney has big potential to be the leading provider of remote and rural healthcare with so much going for it. We provide a comprehensive range of primary, community-based, and acute services.

“Our promise and vision at NHS Orkney is that we will look after our community and provide excellent care. Our journey of improvement was kick-started in April 2023 when I joined the organisation. Over the last two years, many important foundations have been laid at NHS Orkney to ensure we can deliver much-needed sustainable change and continuous improvement. At the heart of this has been reconnecting with Team Orkney – our staff and our community – to build trusted and strengthened relationships based on openness and transparency.”

What are some of your proudest achievements?

“Here are just a few:

As Deputy Chief Executive, being part of the leadership team to see The Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in West Norfolk exit quality special measures on a sustainable footing and move the organisation to a ‘good’ Care Quality Commission rating for being caring, well-led, and effective.
Leading on the case and lobbying to successfully secure funding to get Nottingham’s hospitals and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn in West Norfolk onto the new hospital programmes.
Leading on bringing the BBC Two Hospital and Channel 4’s 24 Hours in A&E documentaries out of London to Nottingham for the first time after extensive negotiations and Board approval.
Winning national recognition for staff engagement, wellbeing, communications, and organisation-wide cultural transformation.
Gaining a reputation for being a compassionate and visible leader who is brave, results-focused, and committed to further improving patient and staff experience.
Being a leader in openness and transparency, including being the first Board in the UK to post negative patient feedback via Care Opinion – a patient experience website – to evidence our learning from such feedback.
Hosting a successful First Minister visit from John Swinney to NHS Orkney in February, which was an opportunity to evidence our journey of improvement.”

What advice would you give to young people starting out in the world of work?

“If I can do it, anyone can. Believe anything is possible. If you work hard, learn from great people, and believe, you can achieve anything you apply your mind to. Never give in.”

: From left: Lead Computed Tomography Radiographer Kate Smith, Laura, First Minister John Swinney, Board Chair Meghan McEwen, and Radiology, Audiology and Echocardiography Services Manager Nick Crohn.

: Laura (left) and racing driver Billy Monger – who was treated at Queen’s Medical Centre following a racing car accident – at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards where he received the Helen Rollason Award in 2018.