Jason Leitch to leave post

National Clinical Director Professor Jason Leitch will leave his role as National Clinical Director at the end of April.

Mr Leitch became a much-recognised face as a Scottish Government spokesperson during the Covid pandemic, regularly appearing on the nation’s media.

In recent months Mr Leitch has been criticised for the deletion of WhatsApp messages and some private comments he made to government ministers during the pandemic that have recently come to light.

Professor Leitch said: “It has been an enormous privilege to carry out this role and work closely with colleagues across the health and care sector in service of the patients, their families and carers. The NHS and social care system does remarkable work every day, and I am immensely proud of the teams I have had the privilege of being part of.

“The ongoing success of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme is globally recognised and has significantly improved the safety and reliability of care in many ways. The Covid pandemic was an unprecedented challenge for all countries and I am proud of my colleagues inside and outside Government for their incredible work.

“It was a privilege to be able to communicate with the public so directly and be part of that co-ordinated response, and I will forever be grateful for the public’s attention and willingness to follow the guidance – it saved lives.

I have decided to look for new challenges across health and care after a break, and to spend more time with the charities I work with.

“I wish colleagues well for the future.”

First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “Jason Leitch has made a fantastic contribution to the health of the nation, leading work to reduce hospital acquired infections and improve the quality of care in the NHS.

The enduring success of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme is testament to his work. He played a huge role in helping me and fellow Ministers navigate the Covid pandemic by providing advice to help reach the best decisions, and by communicating so well with the public.

“I of course wish him every success in the future.”

Arrangements for the post will be set out in due course.