Dr Eric Baijal was appointed to the new, innovative post of Joint Director of Public Health for both Scottish Borders Council and NHS Borders in 2009, significantly different to the only other such post in Scotland.
 
Formerly Director of Public Health and Health Policy in NHS Highland , he completed his training as a GP in Fife in 1985 before going on to train in public health and subsequently becoming Director of Public Health and Designated Medical Officer there. He has considerable expertise from working as a Director of Public Health in other rural areas such, Aberdeenshire, Argyll and Bute and the Highlands as well as the islands, on the challenges to health in rural communities. He is currently an honorary senior lecturer in the University of Edinburgh and has previously held the same position in the Universities of St Andrews and Aberdeen. He is a National Advisor for the Faculty of Public and a member of a number of national committees and groups. He is currently chair of the Scottish Public Health Network and the Community Health Index Advisory Group.