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Learning from our mistakes.
I was very glad to see Catherine Calderwood& #39;s contribution recognised by many including Nicola Sturgeon and Anas Sarwar. Not everyone agreed, but it was the right and decent thing to do.
I was very glad to see Catherine Calderwood& #39;s contribution recognised by many including Nicola Sturgeon and Anas Sarwar. Not everyone agreed, but it was the right and decent thing to do.
It was right to acknowledge what Dr Calderwood has achieved as an outstanding Chief Medical Officer for Scotland including her internationally recognised leadership on Realistic Medicine, on women’s health and on improving forensic medical services for victims of sexual violence
She was also an insightful and supportive colleague, and an important member of my leadership team, and I was part of the panel who recommended her for appointment as CMO.
Nevertheless, it was right for Dr Calderwood to step down. She could not continue to serve as an effective CMO after what were - by her own admission - lapses in judgement, for which she apologised.
She undermined her own advice, made Police Scotland& #39;s job harder, and lost public confidence. Nobody knows that better than she does, I am certain. She has paid a heavy price.
Public servants must expect to be held to account in public. That is remains right. But I fear, especially in times of stress such as these, that we may come to assess every case on the basis of a righteous indignation which demands nothing short of destruction should anyone fail
There are laws and there are standards. We must abide by them, and be scrutinised on our compliance. And if I do not comply, I must bear the penalty.
But is it too much to hope, if I do fail, that when I have borne the discipline prescribed and made amends, I may be permitted, even helped, to become useful again? For that, I would be grateful.