Crosshouse Hospital.
The person tasked with ‘remobilising’ NHS Ayrshire and Arran in the wake of the pandemic will not be in place until the autumn.
The health service had initially hoped for a quick turnaround after previous chief John Burns left on July 1 to take up the Chief Operating Officer post at NHS Scotland.
Despite receiving a good response from an initial advert, which sought applications by June 21, interviews will now take place in early September following a extension to August 9 for applicants.
The appointment will come at a time of continued stress for all NHS services, with the pressure of the pandemic being followed by the need to address the build up of a waiting list for surgeries and treatment and the inevitable increase in people using the service in the winter