Health Minister Andy Kerr will appoint a director of delivery

Andy Kerr said the delivery group would spell out exactly what improvements boards were expected to make.

The group is expected to build up a better picture of NHS performance, monitor progress and solve problems.

It will include staff from the National Waiting Times Unit and the Centre for Change and Innovation.

We will agree local delivery plans with boards, which will spell out exactly what improvements and services patients can expect Andy Kerr Health Minister

The executive's new group director could be sent in to coach any health board failing to deliver on an annually agreed plan.

This intervention strategy could be applied to any area of underperformance, including where waiting times for diagnosis and treatment were not coming down.

Mr Kerr said he had been impressed by the skill and dedication of NHS staff since he took up his health post last October, but pointed out that patient care could be improved.

"The setting and delivering of clear targets is essential," the minister said.

"We need better long-term planning and a clearer approach to ensure that health boards are able and supported to deliver on those plans.

Mr Kerr said NHS standards would be closely monitored

"Now we will agree local delivery plans with boards, which will spell out exactly what improvements and services patients can expect from their health service.

"By working with the boards, I am confident that together we can deliver a health service for the future that is more open, more efficient and more responsive to patient needs."

The new group director will report to Kevin Woods, chief executive of NHS Scotland and head of the Scottish Executive's health department.

Doctor Andrew Walker, a specialist in health economics at Glasgow University, said it would be interesting to see who would be appointed to the new post.

Speaking on BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, he said: "Is it going to be an existing member of staff, which suggests a lot of continuity, or is it maybe going to be someone coming from outside Scotland who might suggest more of a shake-up to the system?"

'Excellent data'

Dr Walker said anyone who just threatened local health boards would "probably not get very far", but added that the appointment gives the health minister another option.

"I don't think we'll see big gun fights in the streets outside health board headquarters and things like that," he added.

"A lot of it will be collaborative going on in the background. What this is designed to address is there are targets and maybe we don't take them as seriously as they do in England.

The question must remain as to who is going to tackle the poor performance of the Scottish Executive in managing the health service Shona Robison SNP health spokeswoman

"As the recent Westminster electron campaign showed, the English can show some excellent data on how the system is improving and we don't have data like that up here."

Dr Walker said health budgets had doubled in the past year but performance had not doubled and people wanted to know why.

Scottish National Party health spokeswoman Shona Robison welcomed the proposals.

"A troubleshooting team has a role to play in tackling problems at health board level and ensuring that targets are reached and patients are not waiting unacceptable lengths of time for treatment," she said.