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The Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate aims to help people sustain and improve their health, especially in disadvantaged communities, ensuring better, local and faster access to healthcare.

The Directorate also allocates resources and sets the strategic direction for NHSScotland and is responsible for the development and implementation of health and social care policy.

What We Do

The Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate is responsible for delivering the Healthier Strategic Objective which aims to help people to sustain and improve their health, especially in disadvantaged communities, ensuring better, local and faster access to health care.

The Directorate also allocates resources and sets the strategic direction for NHSScotland and is responsible for the development and implementation of health and social care policy.

Our Responsibilities

• We provide strategic leadership for public health, NHSScotland and social care in Scotland.
• We lead the integration of health and social care into wider Government policy, working with the wider public sector and third and private sector on issues relating to health and social care.
• We support Ministers in accounting to the public and the Scottish Parliament and are responsible for managing and allocating public money to NHSScotland.
• We ensure the highest standards of health and social care and find the best way to develop, support and mobilise the health and social care system in Scotland to deliver improvements for patients and the public.
• We deliver the highest quality of health and social care services to people in Scotland and work towards a shared vision of world-leading safe, effective and person-centred healthcare.

How We Are Structured

Ministers

The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy is Nicola Sturgeon. Nicola Sturgeon is also the Deputy First Minister for Scotland.

The Minister for Public Health is Michael Matheson.

Director-General Health and Social Care and Chief Executive of NHSScotland

Derek Feeley is the Director-General Health and Social Care and Chief Executive of NHSScotland and is responsible for the following Health and Social Care Directorates:

• Health Finance & Information – Director, John Matheson
• Health Workforce & Performance – Director, John Connaghan
• Health & Healthcare Improvement – Director, Jill Vickerman
• Chief Nursing Officer, Patients, Public and Health Professions – Chief Nursing Officer, Ros Moore
• Chief Medical Officer - Public Health & Sport – Chief Medical Officer, Sir Harry Burns
• Health & Social Care Integration – Angiolina Foster
• Children & Families – Director, Mike Foulis

Health and Social Care Management Board

The Health and Social Care Management Board meet on a fortnightly basis to discuss relevant and topical health and social care issues. The Board is chaired by Derek Feeley is comprised of the following members:

• John Matheson, Director Health Finance & Information
• John Connaghan, Director, Health Workforce & Performance
• Ros Moore, Chief Nursing Officer, Patients, Public and Health Professions
• Sir Harry Burns, Chief Medical Officer – Public Health & Sport
• Angiolina Foster, Director, Health & Social Care Integration
• Mike Foulis, Director Children & Families
• Jill Vickerman, Policy Director, The Quality Unit
• Jason Leitch, Clinical Director, The Quality Unit

Chief Professional Officers

The Health and Social Care Directorates has four Chief Professional Officers who are leaders in their profession and provide expert knowledge about health and social care.

• Chief Medical Officer – Sir Harry Burns
• Chief Nursing Officer – Ros Moore
• Chief Pharmaceutical Officer – Bill Scott
• Chief Dental Officer – Marjorie Taylor