Derek Barron, one of Scotland’s most senior and influential nursing leaders, is to retire as Director of Care at Erskine Veterans Charity, ending a 40-year career spanning the NHS, social care and national policy leadership.

Derek, 65, will step down after almost a decade at Erskine, Scotland’s foremost Veterans charity, where he led transformation of clinical leadership, professional practice and care delivery across the charity’s network of care homes.

Born in Dumbarton and raised in Glasgow, Derek now lives in Erskine, close to the Veterans community he has served since joining the charity in 2016. He began his nursing career in 1984, qualifying in 1988, before later completing an MSc in Advanced Practice (Organisational Leadership) at the University of Dundee.

During his tenure, Derek has been responsible for all operational clinical and care services and has played a central role on the charity’s executive team. He led the development of Erskine’s modern clinical model, including the introduction of Advanced Nurse Practitioners, senior clinical leadership roles and expanded diagnostic capability within care homes.

Erskine has also adopted new diagnostic and digital systems alongside AI-enabled technologies such as PainChek. These changes have strengthened clinical decision-making, reduced avoidable hospital admissions and positioned Erskine as a leader in elderly care.

Before joining Erskine, Derek held a series of senior leadership posts across NHS Scotland, including Associate Nurse Director for Mental Health Services at NHS Ayrshire and Arran, Nurse Director within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and Executive Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions at NHS Orkney. The Orkney secondment is widely regarded as a pivotal period, reversing adverse inspection outcomes and strengthening professional governance in one of Scotland’s most remote health systems. 

Derek was also appointed by Scottish Ministers to chair the Independent Review of Forensic Mental Health Services in Scotland between 2019 and 2021. As a nurse working outwith the NHS, his appointment was intended to bring independence and neutrality to the review. The final report set out 65 recommendations and was broadly welcomed across the sector.

His contribution to nursing and social care has also been recognised through a series of national awards, including Lifetime Achievement from the Mental Health Nurses Forum Scotland in 2016, Fellowship of the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland in 2017, Strategic Contributor of the Year from Scottish Care in 2022, and Strategic Leadership Award from RCN Scotland in 2023. He is also the author or co-author of 23 published articles and editorials and two book chapters.

Reflecting on his career, Derek said: “I am immensely proud of what has been achieved at Erskine. We have shown that strong professional nursing leadership, supported by innovation and evidence, can deliver outstanding care in a social care setting. Being trusted to lead national work, including the forensic mental health review, remains one of my proudest moments for both myself and my profession.”

Wing Commander Ian Cumming MBE, Chief Executive at Erskine, said: “Derek’s leadership has been transformational for Erskine. He has brought national credibility and an unwavering focus on quality of care for our veterans. This was of particular importance during the pandemic, when he became the reassuring, public-facing voice of Erskine and social care. Derek’s legacy is embedded in our services, our people and our culture, and we are deeply grateful for his contribution.”

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At Erskine, we don’t just care for veterans – we care about them.

The generosity of our supporters allows the charity to maintain its commitment to caring for Scotland’s veterans – without donations, we simply cannot continue this work.

To find out more about Erskine Veterans Charity’s work, please visit www.erskine.org.uk, follow us on Twitter @ErskineCharity, or on Facebook www.facebook.com/ErskineVeteransCharity. To donate directly, please visit www.erskine.org.uk/donate.

Erskine Veterans Charity | Company No. SC174103 | Registered Charity No. SC006609 | The Erskine Home, Erskine Veterans Village, Bishopton, PA7 5PU