Public Health Scotland (PHS[1]) (Scottish Gaelic: Slàinte Poblach na h-Alba) is the national public health body for Scotland.[2][3] It is a Special NHS Health Board, and it is jointly accountable to the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and the Scottish Government. Fully exercising its functions from 1 April 2020 as Scotland's leading national agency for improving and protecting the health and well-being of all of Scotland's people, it is jointly sponsored by COSLA and the Scottish Government, and collaborates with third sector organisations.[4]
Its role is to increase healthy life expectancy and reduce premature mortality. Areas of focus are COVID-19, mental health and well-being, community and place, and poverty and children.[5]
The board's first chief executive was Angela Leitch, formerly chief executive of East Lothian Council.[6] Paul Johnston, formerly a Director General within the Scottish Government, took over the role in 2023.
The board arose from a reorganisation of public health in Scotland, outlined in the 2015 Review of Public Health and further developed in the 2016 Health and Social Care Delivery Plan.[7][8] Public Health Scotland came into existence on 7 December 2019 under the Public Health Scotland Order 2019 and then property, rights and liabilities were transferred to it on 1 April 2020.[9]
A predecessor, Health Protection Scotland, continues to operate as part of Public Health Scotland.[10] PHS also took over the functions of NHS Scotland's Information Services Division, providing statistics and data analysis.[11]