One of the leading advocates of care for the elderly is to step down.

As chief executive of Scottish Care for the last nine years, Ranald Mair has been a spokesman on behalf of private and voluntary sector care providers.

In recent years he has been increasingly outspoken about the gulf between demands to improve the quality of care for older people and the amount councils are willing to pay for care home places, and the resulting high turnover, low wage culture in care work.

He is to retire in March 2016 but will continue to lead the organisation until a successor is found.

Ian Buchan, Chair of Scottish Care’s executive committee said: “We are extremely appreciative of the contribution Ranald has made over recent years, not just to Scottish Care, but to the wider sector and to the quality of care for older people in Scotland.”

Mr Mair, who recently celebrated his 65th birthday, said: "The sector has progressed enormously in recent years and standards have improved dramatically. But we should be under no illusions. The future presents massive challenges, not only for my successor but everyone involved in the sector as Scotland faces the prospect of catering for growing demand to provide the highest quality care for an increasingly ageing population.”