Health chief quits his role at FSA after misconduct allegations

ONE of the most prominent figures in the health service in Scotland has quit the UK board of the Food Standards Agency after being suspended for alleged gross misconduct following a “serious” claim made by a female employee.

Dr David Cameron has also resigned from his role as chairman of the Scottish Food Advisory Committee, set up to give advice to the FSA on food safety and standards issues affecting Scotland.

Last month Dr Cameron also stood down from his role as chairman of NHS Grampian, one of Scotland’s largest health authorities, after it was revealed he had been suspended from the national board following an investigation into undisclosed claims made by a female junior employee at the FSA relating to an alleged incident in May.

And it still unclear whether he intends to return to the £31,826-a-year post with the health board.

A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency said yesterday: “The Food Standards Agency has confirmed that Dr David Cameron has tendered his resignation to the Scottish minister for public health, Michael Matheson, as a member of the FSA board and chair of the Scottish Food Advisory Committee. Dr Cameron’s resignation has been accepted.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that the minister for public health has accepted Dr Cameron’s resignation from his post as board member for Scotland and as chairman of the Scottish Food Advisory Committee.”

A spokesman for NHS Grampian said there was no change in Dr Cameron’s position at the health authority. “Dr Cameron remains absent from his role as chairman,” he explained.

Last month, when Dr Cameron’s suspension was first made public, the FSA refused to comment on claims that the food safety watchdog had hired London law firm Schillings and Glasgow solicitors Levy & McRae to try to prevent the allegations being reported in the media.

Schillings represented Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs in the super-injunction aimed at protecting his private life following an alleged affair with former Big Brother contestant Imogen Thomas.

Dr Cameron was suspended by Lord Rooker, the chairman of the FSA. Lord Rooker told Dr Cameron in his suspension letter: “The finding of the investigation is unequivocal in its conclusion: that your behaviour has constituted gross misconduct. I accept that conclusion. I have decided to seek your removal from the FSA board… on the basis that by your actions you are unfit to carry out your duties.”

Lord Rooker said Dr Cameron’s actions had fallen short of the terms of the Food Standards Act, which states that a board member can be removed “if he is failing to carry out the duties of his office or is otherwise unable or unfit to carry out those duties”.

He said he was also in breach of the FSA board’s code of conduct, which states that members must treat others with respect and must not act in a way that brings the agency into disrepute.

Dr Cameron could not be contacted for comment yesterday.