Public Health Scotland

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Public Health Scotland

Public Health Agency overview
Formed	1 April 2020
Preceding Public Health Agency	NHS Health Scotland Health Protection Scotland Information Services Division
Jurisdiction	Scotland
Headquarters	Edinburgh, Scotland
Employees	1,100 (approx.)
Annual budget	£47.9m (2020-21)
Ministers responsible	Neil Gray, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Cllr Stuart Currie, COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson
Deputy Minister responsible	Jenni Minto MSP, Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
Public Health Agency executive	Paul Johnston, Chief Executive
Website	www.publichealthscotland.scot

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.