Gillian Morgan

Dame Gillian Morgan DBE (born in Llwynypia, 1953). Permanent Secretary to the Welsh Assembly Government from 1 May 2008. [cite web | title=Welsh Assembly Government website| work=Welsh Assembly Government | url=http://new.wales.gov.uk/news/presreleasearchive/200208permasa/?lang=en Permanent Secretary| accessdate=2008-02-20]

Professional career

Healthcare

Morgan's career has been mainly in healthcare, both in medicine and management and includes a period as Chief Executive of North and East Devon Health Authority. She has worked as a doctor in hospitals, general practice and public health medicine working both as a consultant and as the Director of Public Health for Leicestershire. She is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and the Faculty of Public Health and a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners. She was President of the Institute of Health Services Management in 1997-98 and is a past President of the International Hospital Federation. From 2002 to 2008 Morgan was Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, until it was announced that she was to become the next Permanent Secretary to the Welsh Assembly Government in May 2008. [cite web | title=BBC Wales | work=Welsh Assembly Government | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7254720.stm BBC Wales, 'New top civil servant appointed'| accessdate=2008-02-20]

While working in healthcare, Morgan served on a large number of national committees and working groups and was a member of the NHS Stakeholder Forum. Morgan was also one of the three members of the review team led by Sir Jeremy Beecham set up in 2006 to advise the Welsh Assembly Government on the reform of public services in Wales.

She was made a Dame of the British Empire in June 2004 and was awarded Honorary Doctor of Science by The City University, London, London in May 2006. [cite web | title=Profiles | work=NHS Confederation | url=http://www.nhsconfed.org/about/about-1930.cfm | accessdate=2007-02-27]

Welsh Assembly Government

On 20 February 2008 it was announced that she would become Permanent Secretary to the Welsh Assembly Government on 1 May 2008. [cite web | title=Welsh Assembly Government website| work=Welsh Assembly Government | url=http://new.wales.gov.uk/news/presreleasearchive/200208permasa/?lang=en Permanent Secretary| accessdate=2008-02-20]

Dame Gillian heads up the civil service of the Welsh Assembly Government. One of the biggest challenges in her first year of management, is dealing with the aftermath of bad publicity over staffing matters from the tail end of her predecessor's career. First was the case of an accusation of sexual harassment from a senior manager towards a minor grade employee, Christine Davies. Mrs Davies went on to confirm that "sexual harassment and bullying is widespread in the Welsh Assembly – and that women are intimidated by some male bosses on a daily basis" [citeweb|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/01/06/assembly-boss-serial-sex-pest-91466-20317097/|title=Assembly boss 'serial sex pest'|publisher=Wales on Sunday|date=January 06 2008|accessdate=2008-07-21] [citeweb|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-506651/Senior-civil-servant-tells-female-make-good-tarty-waitress.html|title=Senior civil servant tells female she would make a good 'tarty waitress'|publisher=Daily Mail|date=January 08 2008|accessdate=2008-09-21] [citeweb|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/2008/01/09/judgement-day-in-sex-assault-case-91466-20329911/|title=Judgement day in sex assault case|publisher=Western Mail|date=January 09 2008|accessdate=2008-09-21] [citeweb|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/01/13/sex-pest-victim-sexual-harassment-rife-at-assembly-91466-20343359/|title='Sexual harassment rife at Assembly' - claim|publisher=Wales on Sunday|date=January 13 2008|accessdate=2008-09-21] . The former Permanent Secretary, Sir Jon Shortridge called for an internal inquiry after a judge upheld complaints that a senior civil servant sexually harassed a woman colleague [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7189301.stm|title=Fresh review after groping case|publisher=Western Mail|date=January 15 2008|accessdate=2008-09-21] . This resulted in the civil service of the Welsh Assembly Government clearing itself of all blame from its own inquiry into the allegations, and immediately before Sir Jon retired from office [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7374248.stm|title=Change urged after 'groping' case|publisher=BBC Wales|date=April 29 2008|accessdate=2008-09-21] .

The second court case is that of blogger Christopher Glamorganshire who was dismissed in the Autumn of 2007. Glamorganshire ran a blog which provided what readers saw as a neutral running commentary on 2007’s coalition negotiations involving Labour and Plaid Cymru. Former Conservative Assembly Member Glyn Davies, a regular blogger, is quoted as saying “The Christopher Glamorganshire blog was on my list of ‘my favourites’. It seemed to me to be written in a sensible and rational manner. Clearly, if his contract of employment said he was not allowed to blog, he doesn’t have much of a case. But if it is simply a question of supposedly contravening the code, I think sacking him is very harsh and heavy handed. This all smacks of the heavy hand of the state.” [citeweb|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics-news/2008/07/09/sacked-blogger-s-taking-case-to-tribunal-91466-21308104/|title=Sacked blogger’s taking case to tribunal|publisher=Western Mail|date=July 09 2008|accessdate=2008-07-18] .

Betsan Powys, Political Editor for BBC Wales reported on 18 September, 2008 that the Employment Tribunal is still going ahead, and that it's unlikely to be heard until next year (2009) but that it will be discussed in an internal meeting, presumably in government offices in Cathays Park, next week. Ms Powys also reports on correspondence seen from solicitors acting for the government, mentioning that they don't mince their words "The letter ends on what I'll call a blunt note: go ahead and we'll apply for a full costs order against you, one that covers all fees, charges, disbursements and expenses incurred by WAG." Bluntly ending with "Give in now and we won't." [citeweb|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/betsanpowys/2008/09/if_you_were_born_in.html|title=Free speech, huge bills?|publisher=BBC Wales|date=September 18 2008|accessdate=2008-09-21]

Offices held

References