Birse-Stewart was selected as interim chair in 2019 and substantive chair in October 2020. She has more than 35 years senior leadership experience working across health and social care organisations.

Birse-Stewart previously chaired the Remuneration Committee, Care Governance Committee and a number of other committees of the board. She is currently chair of NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation and has led the strategic review for the charity.

She was appointed to Tayside NHS Board as a non-executive member in April 2018, having previously been a director of the Royal West Sussex NHS Trust for seven years, where she held non-executive responsibility for acute services and as a member of NHS England independent review panels.

This extension will be for up to six months and will run from 5 October 2024 to 31 March 2025.