A Leader in Healthcare Operations and Management
David McArthur OBE has had an exceptional career in healthcare, spanning over four decades. With his unique blend of experience in both military and civilian healthcare sectors, David has proven to be a valuable asset in times of crisis and adversity. David has an honorary fellowship to the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow, the first and only honorary fellow who is a nurse. He was also the Queens Honorary Nurse while I was serving as the Head AMS Reserves.
David's passion for healthcare began in the early 1980s when he trained as a Mental Health Nurse and later as a General Nurse. He specialised in Operating Theatre Nursing and Intensive Care and held several appointments in Theatres in both the NHS in Scotland and the private sector in London from 1984 to 1992. After gaining considerable experience in these roles, he left the NHS in 1995 to take up an appointment as a Director of Healthcare Development in the third sector. Here, he managed several service and health-related building developments.
In 2017, David returned to the NHS as the Director of Nursing for NHS Orkney and was later seconded to NHS Highland as the Senior Nurse for Corporate Services. Throughout his career, David maintained a parallel role as an Army Medical Services Reservist, serving multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan in clinical roles as well as staff and command appointments. His dedication to his military service led him to retire from the Army Reserve in 2019 as the Head of the Army Medical Reserves in the rank of Brigadier, the first Reserve nurse to hold that appointment and that rank.
David's extensive experience in healthcare and leadership made him an obvious choice for the role of Chief Nurse Operations for the NHS Louisa Jordan Hospital during the pandemic. His background in operational planning, clinical simulation, and validation of clinical capability in the context of military and contingency operations proved invaluable in building medical treatment facilities and systems in adverse environments.
David's time at LSTM on was brief, studying on the International Health Consultancy programme in 2014, but highly influential on his confidence and willingness to widen his perspective on how to engage with diverse groups. He was sponsored by the MOD and studied health consultancy to help develop his skills in health project management, public health engagement, and health needs assessment in a cultural context.
Currently, David is heading towards retirement, having stepped down from his role as Nurse Director to take on a new role as Senior Nurse for Corporate Services. He continues to work with Veterans and intends to work part-time in Health Consulting after retirement to pass on his hard-won experience.
David's career journey serves as an inspiration to all those pursuing a career in healthcare. He has shown that with dedication, hard work, and a passion for healthcare, it is possible to make a significant impact in the industry. His commitment to his patients, staff, and country has earned him immense respect and admiration, and his legacy will undoubtedly inspire future generations of healthcare professionals.